HP-UX, VA7110, new and old disks

[Hasan_9]

Hello Everybody,
I want to replace my Disk array’s and server’s disks with new ones and setup a new service for a test. My servers are rp5470 and disk array is VA7110. After test I want to remove new disks and put the old one in servers and VA and operate my servers and data again. Is it possible? Does HP-UX detects the LUNs thar are created on old disks of VA7110? What will happen for servers and array when I remove the new disks and put the old disks again in them? Does my services will be operational again or not? Please Advice

[Torsten.]

Hasan,

the procedure regarding the servers is quite simple. Just ignite the system, shutdown and remove the disks. Now install the new disks and restore your backup. At this stage you are able to increase the LVOLs. Once the tests are done, shutdown and install the old disks.
The procedure for the array is some more difficult. Make sure to notice the array configuration (LUN size etc.) and make a backup!

Now shutdown the array and switch it off. Remove all disks. Power on the array and do a format to delete the stored configuration in the controllers. Insert all new disks and format it again. Create your LUNs. Once the tests are done, format, shutdown the array, power off and remove the disks. Format again and power off. To be sure, you may remove the controllers and uninstall the batteries for some minutes. Now insert the old disks in the original slots and power on. Since the only valid configuration is found on the disks (not the controllers), the array will load the config from the map disks. Remember, do this on your own risk and be really sure to have a good backup. Good luck!

[Hasan_9]

Thank you Torsten,
What about Serverâ s HDD? If I put the serverâ s disks back in server and start HP_UX again, would it find the LUNs and mount the LVs belong to those LUNs (on VA) without deleting the data (without formatting the disk) and everything will be operational?

[Bernhard Mueller · Accepted solution]

Hasan,

why don't you just get an additional enclosure DS2405 with your new disks and attach this to the existing VA7110 (you can attach up to two additional DS2405 to the VA7110).

so you could always have old *and* new VolumeGroups on the VA available and could activat/mount whatever you need or want.

also the rp5470 has 4 internal disk slots. Assuming your current vg00 has two of these disks and the other 2 slots are free you could install you test env on an additional disk pair and all you would have to do is run setboot -p to change the primary boot path and reboot and you have either the "old" or the "new" environment.

(anyway you should have ignite images or tapes as a fallback as well)

to me this seems to be much easier, much more flexible and hassle-free

Regard,
Bernhard