Moving RAID array from one Proliant server to another

[CA1132327]

At some point in time, a RAID adapter or integrated RAID adapter or even a system board in one of my Proliant DL server is going to fail. Is it possible to move the physical drives that make up the RAID array to another server and have the logical array recognized? If so, how?

[CA859951 · Accepted solution]

John:

This can be done, with some caveats:

1. You must move the drives in the same order as that were in the system they came from. In other words, keep the SCSI ID's the same or at least in the same progression.

2. You should only migrate drives from and to the same type of controller. Here is a migration document that will help.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?locale=en_US&taskId=115&prodSeriesId=374783&prodTypeId=329290&objectID=c00180566

3. There are some problems moving the boot partiton arrays from one controller to another based upon the O/S installed and what drivers are used.

Otherwise this is commonly done.

If you have specific controllers and servers in mind, post those here and we can work out some details.

Hope this helps! -john

[CA1132327]

I have several models of Proliant DL servers. I have a few DL360s (all G2s), many DL380s (G2 and G3) and a few DL580s. RAID controller is either the integrated 5i or a 5302 adapter. OS is mostly Windows Server 2000 or 2003 but there are a couple Linux instances as well. I'm not currently having the problem but I want to be ready when I do run into this. I know on IBM servers, the ServeRAID adapter copies it's configuration to the firmware of each SCSI RAID drive. Then, to recover from a failed RAID adapter, replace the adapter and read back the configuration from any one of the drives.

[Bill_Sanford]

Great information. Thank you.

I have the same question with more information.  

I'd like to move an 8 drive array from one DL380 G7 (Windows Server 2008 R2) to another.  Both computers are basically identical with the same Windows install, etc. If I move all the drives and controller from one CPU to another and keep the drive order, cables, etc. exactly the same, will the array drive just show up once I boot the second CPU with the relocated 8 drives and P410 controller installed?

Thanks in advance.

Bill Sanford

[leighG]

I have an array from a ML10V2  where there was amotherboard failure.  Bought another ML10V2 and put array in it but it didnt recognise the array. But it did see the 2 volumes. Ran hpssaoffline and it seems right but the drives are reporting 100% full. Cannot repair windows S2016 ... boot deatils are no good.

????

Im out of ideas...

[Jimmy Vance]

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@leighG wrote:

I have an array from a ML10V2  where there was amotherboard failure.  Bought another ML10V2 and put array in it but it didnt recognise the array. But it did see the 2 volumes. Ran hpssaoffline and it seems right but the drives are reporting 100% full. Cannot repair windows S2016 ... boot deatils are no good.

????

Im out of ideas...

---

The ML10v2 is a software based RAID system. Make sure the RAID function of the SATA controller is enabled in the system ROM.  

[leighG]

Yes raid is set in bios.  The boot process can see 2 volumes which is correct. An SSD for the first volume with S2016  on it and 4 x 3Tb hdds in raid 10.  But SSA offline sees the drives as 100% full? I know they are not full, not even 50% so what is going on? If I delete the volumes in SSA offline and recreate them will they be blank? Or be ok ? everything I have read is ambiguous.  I'd like to keep the data, some of which is photos that sre not backed up. This was the backup!

What should I do now?

[Jimmy Vance]

make sure the new system is running the same or newer firmware versions as the system being replaced.  If you re-create the arrays the existing data will be destroyed