How to Break Mirror in Smart Array remotely

[SmrutiM]

Hi,

I have some Solaris 10 servers which need to be patched. In stead of the solaris in-built Solaris Volume Manager, this servers root volume is configured with Smart Array.

I went through some documents and all of them are suggesting the below;

- Walk to the server

- Pull out Disk 1

- Patch the server which is running in Disk 2

- Attach Disk 1 and sync it with the data in Disk 2

The problem with this approach is, I have more then 100 servers and it is very difficult to detach disks and remember to attach the correct disks in the correct servers.

If it was Solaris Volume Manager(SVM), i could just detach a disk and perform the patching. Later on just attach the disk to be resynced. No need of touching the servers.

Can you please suggest, if I can do something like what SVM does with Smart Array.

I am posting here my config

=> ctrl all show config

Smart Array P410i in Slot 0 (sn: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

array A (SAS, Unused Space: 0 MB)

logicaldrive 1 (68.3 GB, RAID 1, OK)

physicaldrive 1I:1:1 (port 1I:box 1:bay 1, SAS, 72 GB, OK)
physicaldrive 1I:1:2 (port 1I:box 1:bay 2, SAS, 72 GB, OK)

=>

--

Smruti

[gregersenj]

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00378986/c00378986.pdf

BR

/jag

[Torsten.]

The problem (even in the manual above) is here:

"Remove the physical drives that constitute one of the new arrays." (after breaking a RAID1 into 2x RAID0).

So you probably still need to shutdown the server, remove a disk, start server and patch - unless your OS has a capability to clone the drive live (HP-UX has a functionality to clone the running OS to a standby copy, after doing this you can patch the clone while the original OS is still running and you can boot the patched system later).

[SmrutiM]

Thanks Tortsen. 

"Remove the physical drives that constitute one of the new arrays." (after breaking a RAID1 into 2x RAID0).

 This is exactly what I don't want to do.

Solaris too has the capability to clone the OS to another disk. However, as this server is using Smart Array, it has configured the Smart Array volume using the two physical drives. So from the OS perspective this server is using only hard drive. The resilliency is taken care by the Smart Array.

Seems like i am out of options here. I have to reimage the drives. Will wipe away the stupid smart array thing and will use the Solaris Volume Manager to configure the two disks.

Hope you guys too learnt something. "NO NEED OF SMART ARRAY IF USING SOLARIS OR HP-UX."

Thanks guys.

[Torsten.]

>>  "NO NEED OF SMART ARRAY IF USING SOLARIS OR HP-UX."

I cannot agree.

If you ever replaced a SAS connected disk with HP-UX you really wish to have a smartarray controller. This makes a replacement so much easier.

For patching with HP-UX the DRD tool is IMHO the best way to do this - no need to break any mirror.

[drpixel]

Hello,

This is a feature of the Smart Array Advanced Pack (http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13200_div/13200_div.html