Adding Disk Drives

[Ayman Altounji]

ML530 with Smart Array Controller (4200) running Netware 5.1. Currently has 4 x 9.1 Gb drives in lower drive cage and 1 x 9.1 Gb drive in upper cage (don't ask me why ?). Array controller is setup as one array with all 5 drives in a RAID 5 configuration. I would like to add 3 x 18.2 Gb drives to the server. How do I get the 1 x 9.1 Gb drive down into the lower drive cage and have the Array Controller and Netware recognize it ? Once that is done what are the steps to add the 3 x 18.2 Gb drives again in the RAID 5 configuration and then add them to the SYS: volume ?

Tips ? Thoughts ? Concerns ? Warnings ?

Thanks,
Doug

[Ayman Altounji]

Hi, unfortunately if you move the drive from the upper cage to the lower cage you will lose the entire array since drive positioning is NOT swappable once configured. If you had that drive as a separate array you could delete it and then moved it and had it to your existing array with the ACU (array configuration utility). I don't see any real resolution for that drive moving.

[Janine Bertolo]

Some array controllers DO support drive roaming across channels of the controller - we have done what you are proposing here in our lab across channels of 4250ES controller and it worked fine.

If your controller firmware supports drive roaming, you can move the drives into one drive cage and at reboot the server will give you a message saying that the drive reordering was detected.

Give it a try. The worse thing that can happen is it doesn't work and you have to put the drives back into their original positions. (Be sure to take note of which slot each drive is in before moving them so that you can put them back again.)

[Ayman Altounji]

What worked : I downed the server, took the single 9.1 Gb drive out and put it in with the other 4 x 9.1 Gb drives and rebooted the server and the controller recognized the switchover and everything was fine. Next I simply inserted the 3 x 18.2 Gb drives in the other drive cage and created a new array (B) and added all the 18.2 drives to it (using Netware;s CPQONLIN array configurator). Next I created a new Netware partition and then added all the new space to my existing SYS: VOL. Worked great ! Thanks for all the help/tips !!! Doug