HP ProLiant ML110 G7 - Smart Array RAID options?

[Phil Matt]

I'm thinking of puirchasing one of these servers to use as (1) a place to backup other network drives and (2) just file storage for files being created on different machines on my network.

Can the Smart Array controller be set so that drives I put in the machine as seen as just JBOD? I don't really need a RAID configuration here. These servers I am contemplating are being sold with Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 64-bit OEM.

I really just need some better hardware and a place to put a half-dozen SATA drives so that I can do backups and storage.

TIA for your suggestions!

[Johan Guldmyr]

No you cannot get JBOD access to the disks (check smart status etc) if they are connected to a smart array controller.

You could create a RAID0 for each physical disk.

[Jimmy Vance · Accepted solution]

Simple answer to your question is yes, the disks can be presented as JBOD.

A more detailed answer. The ML110 G7 comes standard with an embeeded SATA RAID controller. By default the RAID function is disabled and the disks will appears as JBOD. Unlike the "P" series Smart Array controllers, the RAID fnction of the B110i is controlled by software. To enable the RAID function, you have to enable RAID mode in the BIOS, and then use an HP provided driver for the controller.

[Phil Matt]

Thanks - that was what I couldn't figure out from the HP docs that I had a look at. These servers seem pretty reasonably priced, and I guess the software RAID (as opposed to a hardware solution) is part of the way the cost is kept down. For me, the reliability of the hardware, and the compact form factor are primary features.

[Jeffrey D Chard]

Dear Jimmy

How easy is it to convert a bootable JBOD drive to a Raid 1 drive. On my M110G7 i installed Server 2008R2 in the default configuration. I would now like to implement Raid 1 (with another blank 250GB drive).

I believe that I can "build" the pair using Ctrl A Rom Boot up, but was concerned whether I would loose the bootable information, and how to configure the Raid Driver.

Thanks in advance if you can help me.

[Jimmy Vance]

I haven't ever tried to go from JBOD to RAID. I believe you will lose the data on the JBOD when you create the array.