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Re: RAID scenario question

 
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sean daugherty
Occasional Contributor

RAID scenario question

What would be the best way to create 4 partitions in a hardware RAID 5 scenario with ML370 G4+6402 for Windows 2003?

1) Create 1 large logical drive & then create the remaining 3 partitions in OS?
2) Create 4 logical drives?

Thanks for you feedback!
SD
5 REPLIES 5
TarunJain
Respected Contributor

Re: RAID scenario question

Hi,

I hope you are fully aware of the fact that if we are creating a logical drive in an RAID ARRAY than in OS it would be detected as a single hard drive.

In case of Hardware RAID we uses the Array configuration utility to create a RAID Array then we create a logical drive to group the harddrives. Each logical drive is seperate harddrive for the OS.

If there is any confusion then
Let me clarify the scenerio :

1)Create 1 large logical drive & then create the remaining 3 partitions in OS?
: OS would detect 1 large hard drive then we can create OS level partitions as per our requirement.
2) Create 4 logical drives?
: OS would detect 4 small hard drives then we can use them as per our requirement.

I am an HPE Employee

Accept or Kudo
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sean daugherty
Occasional Contributor

Re: RAID scenario question

Thanks for your resonse! Yes, I understand the end result of either scenario would be practically the same - 1 logical drive with 4 partitions, or 4 logical drives - I'm wondering if one approach offers an advantage the other doesn't. For example, regarding expansion, recovery, etc. Or are they effectively the same?
DragomirAtea
Trusted Contributor
Solution

Re: RAID scenario question

Hi Sean!

I would create 4 logical drives in the ACU.

If you do, you can extend any of the partitions when needed. I you choose to create 1 logical drive and then create partitions from the OS, you can only extend the last partition.

I'll try to visualize it.

4 logical in ACU

1 -------
2 -------
3 -------
4 -------

You can extend all four logical units independent of each other.

1 logical

1------2-------3------4----

You can only extend partition 4

Hope I didnt confuse u...

Regards
Dragomir Zekic
MSECO_1
Trusted Contributor

Re: RAID scenario question

I agree with Dragomir.
You have the best performance if your RAID and partitions or logical drives are from hardware (Smart array) and not from software (OS). It reduces the CPU utilization.
You can take all advantages from Smart array controllers.

Procedure on ACU:
Create a new RAID 5
Divide the space available in 4 logical drives.
Format all 4 logical drives on OS
Done
Keep learning!!!
sean daugherty
Occasional Contributor

Re: RAID scenario question

Thanks for the excellent feedback!