AutoRaid Newbe Question

[Joe Bozen]

Hi all,

I'm rather new to HP equipment so I'm learning. We are replacing our Alpha Tru64 servers with HP servers (rx5670 running 11i) using an AutoRaid storage system.

My questions is this. We will be using the disk array 12H to store our Oracle databases on. I will have a production database (9 gig), a warehouse database (2 gig)and probally 1-2 other on-line databases (18 gig)in the array. I have right now 6 18gig drives installed the unit, I may get more, maybe next year (6/05). Should I set these 6 drives up a one big logical drive? I've heard that you can make multiple logical drives. Any benefit from doing this (I will be using the Active HotSpare option). Also, how do I determine the 'maximum' capacity of a logical unit?

Thanks to all in advance for your comments/suggestions.

joe...
jbozen@stfrancis.edu

[Joe Bozen]

BTW-- I did read the manuals I found from some other posts here on the board. Still confused :(

joe...

[Joshua Scott · Accepted solution]

I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but the PCI-X IO Backplane in the new servers (Integrity & PA-8800 based 9000s) doesn't allow the use of Fast-Wide SCSI Cards, which are required for the 12H array. so the 12H is incompatable with the rx5670.

For academic purposes:

If you want to have maximum throughput to the drives, you should make either 4 or 6 LUNs on the 12H and assign the odd numbered ones to one SCSI HBA on the server, and the even numbered ones to the other HBA by creating the volume group and selecting the appropriate disk paths on the server.

with 6 18GB drives, and a hot spare, you will have a maximum of about 72GB available to assign to LUNs. it sounds as though you will need about 29-47GB. if you need to store all the DBs in separate volume groups, then this is how I would go about doing it:

LUN 0: 2GB (for the warehouse DB)
LUN 1: 5GB (for the production DB)
LUN 2: 5GB (for the production DB)

create LUN 0 as one VG
create LUNs 1 & 2 as one VG

if possible, you should always use 2 LUNs for each VG you create, and alternate paths for best performance.

Josh

[Joe Bozen]

Josh,

My server is about 2 years old. Maybe mine will work, at least I hope so.

I was told by my hardware vendor that I should look at creating 4 luns and then make that into a logical volume(s) from the UNIX side. For newbe's like myself, they recommended using SAM for this.

thanks again for the input.

joe...