data migration to eva8000

[richierich_1]

We plan to upgrade from XP256 to EVA8000. We have already placed order and expecting anytime soon. I'm getting prepared for data migration and have cpl of questions. I'm not a SAN guru but day-to-day operations admin.

I'm more interested in migration flaws, tips or important things I MUST be aware of.

WE host Exchange 2000/2003 servers on SAN among other apps. I have heard that upon migrating data to eva8000, the data is automatically redirected to new SAN (eva8000) without prompts. Is it the case? If so, how can we prevent?

ALso would be interested to know the links or case studies concentrating on minor/major issues with data migration.

Thanks for helping me prepare for data migration.

[NathanK]

I don't beleive there are any direct ways (array to array) to migrate the data.

If you have SecurePath or MPIO you will want to remove it and reduce your paths to 1 to each array. Do a form of Xcopy from the old data location to the new. Your data will have to be in a consistent form during this entire time, so there would be some downtime for as long as it takes to copy over.

[Vincent Fleming]

You can assign LUNs to your server from the EVA and use the Disk Administrator to mirror them to the XP256 volumes.

Very easily done, all online.

Once the mirroring is complete, you again use the Disk Admin to remove the XP256 from the server.

If you don't feel all that brave, you can backup/restore.

Good luck,

Vince

[richierich_1]

Thank you both for response.

Im sorry I conveyed you my thought incorrectly.


I was not looking for ways to copy. But after I do the copy from old (xp256) to new eva8000 san. What process would direct my exchange server to look to the data on new SAN after the copy? Would it a reboot of Exchange server? Or any command on SAN?

As you could make out, I'm not a SAN admin, but would appreciate your spoon-feed response on 'data migration'. May be any URLs for step by step data migration.

Im hearing that after the data is moved to new SAN, the old SAN is automatically "disconnected" and automatically redirected to new SAN? So im more interested of 'process' involved for my servers to look to new SAN? Of I dont want my server to look new SAN and have server still look to old SAN, what is the command?

Thank you in advance for helping me understand the upgrade/data migration process to new SAN AFFECTING EXCHANGE APPLICATION.

[Vincent Fleming]

I suggested using the host-based mirroring via Disk Administrator because it will do what you want...

Disk Admin will look at the LUNs from the XP and the EVA as if they were eral, physical disks. Think of it as making a RAID-1 or mirror of 2 plain old disks.

So, take the f: drive (or whatever your drive letter is) and mirror it onto the "new" disks from the EVA. Then your f: drive will be on BOTH the XP and EVA at the same time.

Once the mirroring is complete and the DA shows the mirroring is complete, you can use DA to remove the "mirror" that is on the XP from the f: drive, leaving the f: on the EVA only.

That's how to move the data without having to even shutdown or turn off your application.

Good luck,

Vince

[richierich_1]

Vince Thank you for the tip.

Sounds very simple and easy. Any side-effects? Have you tried this in production environment before?

Not to doubt your suggestion, and dont have any reason to believe why it wont work, but just curious...

[Vincent Fleming]

The older Windows revisions didn't mirror gracefully all the time. The Win2003 and fully patched Win2000 versions are nice and stable, last I tried it.