expanding RAID5 set

[graeme welsh]

hi,

we have a server Proliant ML530, 5300 RAID Controller. due to disk space issues, 2 extra disks were bought, have just tried to add these extra disks to a RAID5 set, hoping that the D:\ would be automatically extended, became apparent that this was not the case, with a warning sayin that data loss could occur.
how can this D: be expanded? disks are not dynamic, i was wondering if it was possible to run the array configuration outside of windows (during bootup), would windows then automatically see a bigger drive?
i think the only option is to backup the data, wipe the array, recreate new array, then restore the data
problem is, the array is 200gb, contains literally hundreds of thousands of small image files, and were backin up over the network, to back this up would take around 19-20 hours, the restore equally as long, the thought terrifies me to be honest

[Mike Bollman_1]

If it is a win2k sp3 server and the disk is dynamic you are all good.

1)launch your acu
2)select the array you wish to add drives to
3)select the expand option and add the new drives
4)save your configuration
5)click on the logical drive for that array
6)click the extend option
7)save your confiugration
8)download diskpart from MS website
9)goto dos, launch diskpart
10)type list disk
11)type select disk # (where # is the # of the disk you wish to extend)
12)type list volume
13)type select volume # (where # is the # of the volume you wish to extend)
14) type extend

after a few seconds to a few minutes it will finish and tell you so. Type exit to close diskpart and type exit again to exit dos.

voila! you have now extended your volume with zero downtime.

as always I would perform a backup first as best practice. I have used this same method several times without any hitch (just used it this morning a ML530 going from 18GB drives on RAID1 to 72Gb drives).

[Mike Bollman_1]

ahhh...I meant to say if the disk NOT dynamic. sorry

it must be basic.

sorry again

[graeme welsh]

have u actually done this??
the disk is basic, so will this work? what about the error message from the ACU when tryin to expand an existing logical drive? saying that data loss could occur?
and is runnin diskpart from a dos box enough? or really from dos

[graeme welsh]

and with regards to points 5,6,7, this is from within the windows disk management gui?
thanks for your help

[Mike Bollman_1]

1)have I done this, yes many times even did it about 9am this morning.
2)basic disk, yes, see my second post.
3)ACU warns you yes, in later releases it actually tells you that this disk must be basic and the server win2k sp3 or later. I have included a screen shot of the later release warning so you can see for yourself.
4)diskpart, yes just run it from a dos prompt.
5) points 5,6,7 are all meant to be done via the Array Configuration utility.

[graeme welsh]

cool, thanks a lot, will give it a go
will be going onsite with an SDLT, in order that we get a good quick backup, downtime must be kept at an absolute minimum, so hopefully we can do this without too many problems

[Mike Bollman_1]

On the server I expanded this morning it is a production SQL2000 box. Not even the DBA was aware what I had done, until I sent the email letting him now he now had more free space ;)

good luck

[graeme welsh]

ok, are you aware of any problems of adding more than 1 disk to the array? im plannin on adding two disks, and a few people have said (without givin a real reason), that you should add one disk at a time, wait for reinitialisation of the whole array, then add the 2nd disk
the machine is fairly new (ML530 g1, with a 5300 raid controller)

[Mike Bollman_1]

Best practice is to do one disk at a time and wait. I personally have never tried multiples at once on a RAID 5 set so I cannot give you any real world advice on that. I can tell you the 5300 is an amazingly fast controller and it should not take to long. On my ML530 I have a 5304-128 array controller and when I swapped the 18.2GB for the 72GB drives it took about 20 minutes per drive to rebuild.

good luck.

mike B.