RAID Volume expansion in Windows 2000 server

[WW65938]

I have 3 servers in which I have to expand the existing drives with more capacity.Below is the scenario and configuration.
server 1 and server 2
****************************************
2*36.4GB
RAID 1+0 is created.
There are 2 logical drives i.e C: and D:
Customer want to expand D:.Is this possible?If yes how can we go ahead?

server 3
*********************************************
total 5 disks of size 36.4 GB
Two configured as RAID 1+0 with 2 logical drives C: and E:
3 disks configured as RAID 5 with 2 logical drives D: and F:
Customer want to expand C: and D: preferably.

Please suggest me whether this expansion is in place or do we need to break the existing RAID and recreate them?

Waiting for your response.

Thanks in advance.

[KarloChacon]

hi

check this 2 threads they will help you to understand what to do

1.
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1222531

2.
http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1223146

anything else us let us know

regards

[WW65938]

I just want to provide you more details as our setup is slightly different.
We have HP DL 380 G3 model servers.All the disks are configured as basic.
For server 1 and server 2 can I expand the D drive without breaking the existing mirror?If I can expand then the redundacy will be retained?


For server 3
Can I add one 72GB disk and expand the RAID5 volume while retaining the redundancy?

Please suggest as the attached threads were not much clear.

Regards
Sitaram

[KarloChacon]

hi

for the 3 question the answer is yes, yes can do it without breaking your raid, yes u can have your redundancy will be retained and yes you can have your RAID 5 retaining redundancy

regards

[WW65938]

Can i get the steps to do that?
1.For the server which have RAID 1+0 configured how can i add the disks and expand the drives?

2.For the other server which has RAID 1+0 and RAID 5.
I want to add the disks and expand the drives.Please suggext me on both the scenarios.

If you can provide a good suggestion on this it will be helpful.

Thanks & Regards
Sitaram Nayak

[KarloChacon]

hi

did you check previous links I posted

I think you think your scenario is different but in both you want to add more space to a existing RAID levels no matter if it is RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, it is the same procedure

---1.For the server which have RAID 1+0 configured how can i add the disks and expand the drives?----

--2.For the other server which has RAID 1+0 and RAID 5.
I want to add the disks and expand the drives.Please suggext me on both the scenarios. ---

- you add your new HDDs
Expand RAID (wait some time)
Extend RAID
use either diskpart or any other tool to extend the new space within windows

also I attached again the PDF file that explained that (added it the other threads)

regards

[WW65938]

Hi Karl,

I have gone through the previous attachments what you have provided.But I have a lot of doubts as I have not done this before and when I have asked others in my team I received different perceptions from different people.I will make you more clear on this below so that I should not goof up with the client's important servers.
We will go one by one now.I will start with one server which has got below configuration.
I have Array Configuration Utility 7.0.1.0,Smart Array 5i Controller .
RAID 1+0 configured with 2*36.4gb drives.
The disks are Basic disks.
2 partitions in the logical drive i.e C and D.
I have 3*72.8GB drives.If I add these disks in the server can i add the space into C and D drive without breaking the mirror,without reinstalling the operating system and applications?
Will the data be intact?
I have attached the screenshot also.Please check and clarify me.I am asking you too many questions because this is an important server and we cannot afford long outages.

Waiting for your response.

Thanks & Regards
Sitaram Nayak

[KarloChacon]

hi yes I understand

don't Now I have to go to bed (sorry to say) but if you want and if you have gmail you can add me so we can talk about if you want

karlochacon@gmail.com

regards

[WW65938]

I have added you in gmail.

[KarloChacon]

OK cool

it seems like your India I am from Costa Rica is like 11:30 hours between each country


regards

[WW65938]

Hi karlo,

I have planned the disk space upgradation as below.Please go through and let me know if that will work.

For 2 server which has got RAID 1+0 and 2 partitions in the logical drive as C and D.
1.We will be adding 2*72.8GB disks in the server
2.Create a new RAID 1+0 array
3.Name the existing D: as something else eg. X:
4.care one partition with newly created RAID 1+0 and assign the drive letter as D:
5.Then move the data from X: to D:

Now we are left with 3*72.8GB disks.We will be using these in server 3 which has got one RAID 1+0 and one RAID 5 array.
RAID 1+0 has got 2 partitions i.e C: and E:
RAID 5 has got 2 partitions i.e D: and F:
1.we are planning to move some unnecessary data from C: to E: as E: have suffiecient space unused.
2.Replace the three 36.4GB disks in RAID 5 array one by one with 72.8GB disks and wait for the rebuild i.e replace one 36.4GB disk in the RAID 5 array with a 72.8GB disk and wait for the rebuild.Once this completes do the same for remaining 2 disks.

I hope this will work and I want to know your views on this.

[KarloChacon]

hi

1 scenario, yes good idea changing partition letters :-)

2 scenario, yes it will work, replacing one by one yes, but Like I told you update everything and do backups if you have the chance

regards

[WW65938]

Thanks karlo.

Take care.

[KarloChacon]

my pleasure

anything else just let us know

also I will be waiting for the results

[WW65938]

Hi,

I have a windows 2000 server where in I am unable to logon to HP system management homepage with administrator password.I have the password listed in a file but if I try that i get the error as login rejected.Do we have any way of resetting the password?

I am unable to open the HP array configuration utility because of this.

Thanks & Regards
Sitaram Nayak

[KarloChacon]

if my recommendation from the other thread you posted does not work.

try this create another "administrator account" in your server and use to log in

regards

[WW65938]

Hi karlo,

I have the same old doubt now regarding the expansion of RAID 5.

In the server where i have a RAID 5 which is created with 3*36.4GB disks,I want to expand the logical partitions D and F in this.
My plan is to replace the current 36.4GB disks one by one with 3*72.8GB disks.
I want to know whether this will expand the RAID 5 and I will be able to increase the pation size or not.

Please clarify on this.

Thanks & Regards
Sitaram Nayak

[KarloChacon]

" I want to know whether this will expand the RAID 5 and I will be able to increase the pation size or not. "


yes of course you will get more space if not what would be idea the idea in adding bigger HDDs if you don't get more space????

it would be useless and waste of money

regards

[WW65938]

But my colleagues say it is not possible to expand the individual partitions without breaking the RAID.How we can do this?

[KarloChacon]

hi

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?threadId=1027500

regards

[WW65938]

thanks for the reply karlo.

But which one do u prefer?Replacing the disks one by one with higher capacity or backing up data and then create the array with new higher disks.

We have 55GB of data in this RAID 5 volume.How much time it may take to rebuild if I replace the disks one by one.

Sitaram

[KarloChacon]

hi

"But which one do u prefer?Replacing the disks one by one with higher capacity or backing up data and then create the array with new higher disks"


you know there is another discussion about this
which way is much better
I know people that have try both and both work and both some times don't

so rebuilding a HDD takes about 10-15 min per GB so now it's up to you

one by one or backup and recreate

regards