RESOLVED: P410i: 3 Physical Disks, Converted RAID1 to RAID5 - Double Parity?

[wsanders]

I started out with 2 disks in a RAID1 array. I tried to add a third (triple mirror), but hpacucli "forced" me to convert to RAID5:

=> controller slot=0 physicaldrive all show

Smart Array P410i in Slot 0 (Embedded)
   array A
      physicaldrive 1I:1:1 (port 1I:box 1:bay 1, SATA, 500 GB, OK)
      physicaldrive 1I:1:2 (port 1I:box 1:bay 2, SATA, 500 GB, OK)
   unassigned
      physicaldrive 1I:1:3 (port 1I:box 1:bay 3, SATA, 500 GB, OK)

=>  controller slot=0 array A add drives=1I:1:3
Warning: An even number of physical drives is required for this array because
         it has one or more logical drives with a fault tolerance of RAID 1+0.
         However, you can migrate all RAID 1+0 logical drives on this array to
         the highest available fault tolerance. Would you like to migrate all
         RAID 1+0 logical drives to the highest available fault tolerance?
         (y/n) y

=>  controller slot=0 physicaldrive all show
Smart Array P410i in Slot 0 (Embedded)
   array A
      physicaldrive 1I:1:1 (port 1I:box 1:bay 1, SATA, 500 GB, OK)
      physicaldrive 1I:1:2 (port 1I:box 1:bay 2, SATA, 500 GB, OK)
      physicaldrive 1I:1:3 (port 1I:box 1:bay 3, SATA, 500 GB, OK)

=>  controller slot=0 logicaldrive  all show
Smart Array P410i in Slot 0 (Embedded)
   array A
      logicaldrive 1 (465.7 GB, RAID 5, Transforming, 0% complete)

Well, that's not what I want - I need either 3 disks in RAID1 or 2 disks with a hot spare.

Why is the new RAID array still 500G? Is it double parity? Will it show 1000G after the conversion?

TIA -wsanders

[Mark Matthews]

You need to have an even number of drives in any RAID 1 set because one mirrors the other, so 2, 4, 6 etc.

It looks like the P410 has converted your RAID1 over 2 drives into a RAID5 over 3 drives.
Whenever you have a RAID5 logical drive you always lose one disk worth of space for parity, so once it has completed you should have approx 1000GB (give or take) of usable space...

I cant help with the CLI commands for adding a spare I'm afraid, I always use either ORCA (F8 prompt on boot) ACU in Windows or ACU off a SmartStart CD...

[wsanders]

After Mark said, the P410i will not configure a triply-mirrored spare. Whi e not quite as redundant, you are limited to two disks in RAID1 plus a hot spare, or RAID5.