ML370/DL380 G1 Smart Array Drive Upgrade Questions

[orty]

(I apologize for the double post here as well as the Business Support forums, but my account's being a little funky on both, and I didn't know where people read anymore. But I digress...)

I have 6 servers: a mix of DL380s and ML370s, all G1, all with the same integrated Smart Array controllers. All of them have RAID arrays of some sort. My questions are thus:

1) Currently, one of the servers use Ultra2, 7200RPM 18GB drives. I have some Ultra3, 18GB 10000 drives that I'd like to upgrade them to. It's a two-disk RAID1. What's the easiest way to upgrade those drives without taking down the server? They're both Windows 2000 servers. Can I just hot swap one drive, let the thing fully rebuild, and then do the other?

2) I have a server with some 4 Ultra3 18GBs in a RAID 5 array that I'd like to increase the capacity of the RAID array (and am out of hot swap slots). I have a supplier that has the 36GB and 72GB Ultra3s really cheap. What'd be the recommended way to increase array size with as little downtime as possible (it's a CentOS 5 server).

3) I have a 2 disk RAID1 array I'd like to increase capacity on the logical drive (which has a couple partitions). Can I throw in another disk and expand the array? What would happen to the partition sizes?

4) Lastly, has anybody gotten any sort of management software running on a GUI in CentOS (a RedHat Enterprise derivative)? The server runs fine, was just looking for a GUI like I have in Windows to manage arrays.

I think that's it. Anybody in Central Oregon want an old Proliant 800 and/or 1600 for parts?

[KarloChacon]

hi


1) Currently, one of the servers use Ultra2, 7200RPM 18GB drives. I have some Ultra3, 18GB 10000 drives that I'd like to upgrade them to. It's a two-disk RAID1. What's the easiest way to upgrade those drives without taking down the server? They're both Windows 2000 servers. Can I just hot swap one drive, let the thing fully rebuild, and then do the other?

-> Yes replace each HDD at a time wait for the rebuild and continue if you can afford a backup would be much better in case something happens I hope not but ... you know


2) I have a server with some 4 Ultra3 18GBs in a RAID 5 array that I'd like to increase the capacity of the RAID array (and am out of hot swap slots). I have a supplier that has the 36GB and 72GB Ultra3s really cheap. What'd be the recommended way to increase array size with as little downtime as possible (it's a CentOS 5 server).

-> same answer as previous question 1 HDD at a time wait for the rebuild process and insert the next HDD after that you have to manage the new extra space

3) I have a 2 disk RAID1 array I'd like to increase capacity on the logical drive (which has a couple partitions). Can I throw in another disk and expand the array? What would happen to the partition sizes?

-> I don't know you OS but in windows you get unallocated space when you add 1 or more HDDs it means your partitions will be the same you have to allocate that new space between the old partitions or create a new one with the new space you got and it is the same for Linux


4) Lastly, has anybody gotten any sort of management software running on a GUI in CentOS (a RedHat Enterprise derivative)? The server runs fine, was just looking for a GUI like I have in Windows to manage arrays.

->
http://koo.fi/tech/2008/06/08/hp-array-configuration-and-diagnostic-utilities-on-linux/

http://www.tokeshi.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=5023

I think that's it. Anybody in Central Oregon want an old Proliant 800 and/or 1600 for parts?

-> I am from Costa Rica :-(

bye

[orty]

Perfect, thanks for the answers!