Adding 18GB Wide Ultra drive to RAID 5?

[Ayman Altounji]

We currently have a Proliant 3000 with (3) 18GB Wide Ultra SCSI HD's. It is running NT4 SP6a. I have the hardware RAID 5 array partitioned into a 4GB C: drive and 30+GB D: Drive. We are out of space and I need to add at least (1) more 18GB drive. I need the correct part number because the only number I could find does not show up on any web search or quickfind search. The number I have off the front of one of the existing drives is 242591-017
Also, What is the best way to add this new drive to the exisitng RAID 5 array? I want to add all the space to my D: drive. Am I going to lose any data? This is our core server so I cannot afford any mistakes! Thanks!!

David@Rocketmail.com

[Ayman Altounji]

That is an assembly code for something in the drive kit (appears to be the ... label...). The drive sounds like a Wide Ultra SCSI-3 drive (beige tray - right?). So one of these should do fine:

18.2 GB Wide-Ultra SCSI-3 10,000 rpm Drive (1 inch) 128417-B21

18.2 GB Wide-Ultra SCSI-3 Drive (1 inch) 400739-B21

[Ayman Altounji]

Ron,

Thanks ... Yes beige tray. But if I add another drive to the exisitng array, will I lose all my data? What is the best practice to add additional drives to an already functioning NT4 Server? I have a C and D: drive partition and want to add this new space to my D: drive. Is it possible to include this new 18GB drive into my exisitng RAID 5 array?

[Ayman Altounji]

Upsizing partitions in NT is a problem anyway. I think there is a tool like Partition Magic, called Server Magic, which can do such a thing.

However, by a couple of occations I've upsized partions like this:
First I add one or two disk to an existing array (as my raid-controllers support this).
The raid-controller then define the new disks as a new logical volume. (Use i.e insight manager or similar tool on your compaq)
In disk-manager you see this volume as a new disk. It is then possible, by standard NT definitions to expand a partition using disk manager.
Your i.e. D-partition will then be on two different volumes, but in the same array. If the array is configured as raid 5 both volum will have raid 5 fault tolerance, and such will also your expanded D-partition have raid 5 fault tolerance.

[Ayman Altounji]

You can add the drive as a new array (raid 0), 2 drives as raid 1, or add 3 as raid 5. With the most recent version of the Array Configuration utility you can no longer expand the array (by adding a drive) to add new logical drives because of a data corruption problem that was discovered in some operating systems.