no option to expand array on SA P400 controller RAID1+0

[Peter Turek]

I've got a 4 disk (146gb, 10k) RAID 1+0 array on a DL380 G5 server running VMWare ESXi 3.5. I've added 2 more 146gb disks and would like to expand the array and then extend the logical drive, but I don't see the option to do this both in the F8/Bios options for the array controller and when I boot from smartstart 8.10.

What are the thoughts on this? I'm guessing it's possible, at least from the SS 8.10. Maybe disk controller/firmware problems? Has anyone run across issues like this before?

thanks

Pete

[marsh_1 · Accepted solution]

hi,

you need to have the optional battery-backed-write-cache (BBWC) installed for that option to be available, you should be able to do this online with acu download here :-

http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/software-management/acumatrix/sw-drivers.html

hth

[Dhanesh Amirthalingam]

hi


you can try with smart start lower ver,7.91,or 8.00 you can able to boot the server from the smart start and try once again

[Peter Turek]

Mark, are you saying that I can build a 4 disk RAID 1+0 set but not a 6 disk RAID 1+0 set until I get a BBWC?

That doesn't make sense (4 disks = ok, 6+ disks = not ok) to me. Have you learned this from experience or is there some specific documentation that states this?

I do have a spare array battery so I will try it but the system can't be downed until Friday.

thanks

[Jimmy Vance]

Pet said
"Mark, are you saying that I can build a 4 disk RAID 1+0 set but not a 6 disk RAID 1+0 set until I get a BBWC?

That doesn't make sense (4 disks = ok, 6+ disks = not ok) to me. Have you learned this from experience or is there some specific documentation that states this?"

You can initially build a 4 or 6 disk RAID set without the BBWC. You can't expand a RAID set without the BBWC.

[Peter Turek]

Thanks Jimmy. That makes sense (can't expand array without battery as the process is disk intensive, risk etc).

[Peter Turek]

Thanks to you too Mark (you had the answer first but I didn't quite grasp why).