Mirroring itanium boot drive

[Torsten.]

The rx3600 has either the built-in SAS controller (always) or an optional smartarray RAID controller.

With the built-in you can configure a mirrored pair of disks for boot disk. Unfortunately you cannot migrate online, but you need to take a backup and restore (or mirror to a third drive).


I would take an ignite backup, configure the hardware RAID and restore the image. This take less than 1 hour.


It will be a complicated procedure to replace a SAS disk in a LVM mirror configuration, believe this. If you reboot the server with a dead disk, it will get more complicated.

So take the hardware mirror option.

If you have questions, please ask.

[Timothy P. Jackson]

So it would be better to use hardware mirroring for the boot drives and then use normal MirrorDisk-UX for the rest of the drives?

I have never done hardware mirroring, is there a document for doing this or do you have a proceedure I could use?

[Torsten.]

The built-in controller can do hardware mirror for 2 pairs of disks only.

The procedure is quite easy and mentioned on http://docs.hp.com -> server hardware -> your server -> built-in sas controller.

While building the RAID all data will get lost!

[Torsten.]

The guide:

http://docs.hp.com/en/5900-0112/index.html

[Michael Steele_2]

Hi

In case of new generation of Integrity systems, there are SAS HBAs and SAS Smart arrays HBAs with specific RAID levels are being offered and their use is depends on the OS platform to be used on them. You can see what RAID controller installed on the server when you power on the server and system f/w detects it.

Take a look at the specs of then new servers.
http://h20341.www2.hp.com/integrity/cache/331424-0-0-225-121.html

http://h71028.www7.hp.com/ERC/downloads/4AA0-6159ENW.pdf

To configure the Integrated Mirror is you use EFI utilities as mentioned at
http://docs.hp.com/en/AB464-9001B/ch09s02.html#babhihch

You can manage SAS storage using "sasmgr" utility as mentioned at
http://docs.hp.com/en/J6369-90045/ch04s02.html

[Torsten.]

Michael, you should update your bookmarks. Most links result in a "Document removed from the site". It lists the new link if your link is the predecessor, otherwise it will give an error only. I know, this is somehow ***@!"Q!*** ...

[Michael Steele_2]

Geez, sorry, I just copied and pasted.

[Torsten.]

I know, I do the same from my repository usually. Unfortunately the links will change if the documents are updated. So I usually have a lot of dead links only.


:-(

[Raj D.]

Tim,
Also it would be a good idea to *remove* the (Hardware raid) integrated mirror volume . And configured softwre raid using LVM mirroring from OS and it works fine like a normal server. And all the disk space will be available.
If there are 8 disk on the 3600 , you can assign 2 disk for vg00 mirroring , remaining 6 disk can be used for other purpose completely.


* check out the document to remove Integrated mirror volume (Hardware raid):
[ Adding viewing deleting SAS raid controller -.doc atached ]

* To note: system needs to be rebooted, all the data on the disks will be erased .
* This is useful for new installations or during a fresh os installation .

Cheers,
Raj.

[Torsten.]

@Raj D.:

I'm trying to give arguments why hardware RAID is better than LVM mirror with this system (I can tell you why, if you want), but why do you suggest the opposite now???