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Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

 
Brian  Faulk
Advisor

is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

I found out today that my hp-ux 11i server isn't using mirror software nor is it using RAID. Is there a way to make the server use RAID? If there is do I need to purchase additional software?

Thanks
7 REPLIES 7
A. Clay Stephenson
Acclaimed Contributor

Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

From the perspective of HP-UX, RAID is handled by dedicated hardware; RAID is usually considered an add-on to Mirror/UX or advanced VxVM because most admins prefer simple disks with mirroring for the boot disks and then application data is often stored in an array.
If it ain't broke, I can fix that.
RAC_1
Honored Contributor

Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

Whay exactly you want do?? What do you mean by make server use RAID?? Are you looking for information on mirroring your root disk?? Mirror all you vgs??

We need more info to help you better.
There is no substitute to HARDWORK
Brian  Faulk
Advisor

Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

What I am trying to do is make the system become a raided system, IE if I lose a drive I can still have another drive act in the bad drive's place.

Hope I have answered your question.
Patrick Wallek
Honored Contributor

Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

For basic mirroring, which I use an ALL boot disks on ALL machines, you need the MirrorDisk/UX product. This is a product you have to buy if you don't have a at least the HP-UX 11.x Enterprise Operating Environment or higher.

More information on MirrorDisk is available here:
http://software.hp.com/portal/swdepot/displayProductInfo.do?productNumber=B2491BA

For you data disks, you should be using some sort of disk array that has RAID functionality included. If you don't have that, at least use JBOD and mirror all the LVOLs.
A. Clay Stephenson
Acclaimed Contributor

Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

Do a swlist and see if Mirror/UX is listed; if so, then you can setup an alternate boot disk in which all the LVOL's in the primary boot disk are mirrored. You system will continue to function if eith the primary or alternate boot disk fails. You can replace (assuming these are hot-plug disks) either 'on the fly' without ever having to shutdown. This is the generally preferred way to organize your system disks. Application code/data disks are either mirrored or stored in LUN's on dedicated disk arrays.
If it ain't broke, I can fix that.
A. Clay Stephenson
Acclaimed Contributor

Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

The other product you should look for with swlist is OnlineJFS; this should be considered another "must-have" for any serious production server because you can grow mounted filesystems 'on the fly' with it. You need this product in addition to Mirror/UX as well as any dedicated RAID's that you have.
If it ain't broke, I can fix that.
Gerhard Roets
Esteemed Contributor

Re: is there a way to make a hp-ux system use RAID?

HI Brian

Hardware
1. Boot from a diskarray
2. Netraid 4si
3. Some of the newer smartarry models ( dont ask me wich ones )

Software
1. Mirrodisk ( Raid 1 only )
2. Veritas volume manager ( Lots of different disk setups )

HTH
Gerhard