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Increasing disk space on a RAID 5 array

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jyi786

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We are currently running a Poweredge 1800 server that has a RAID 5 array installed over 6 x 73GB SCSI drives.

This server is running SBS Server 2003, along with Exchange Server 2003, and has all the disk space divided into several partitions between the drives.

Here's the question that I have. Without making things complicated, is there anyway for me to increase the disk space of the entire array? I was thinking something like this:

Since the array has 6x73GB drives in the array, I was thinking that perhaps I could start swapping the 73GB drives out for 146GB drives,let the arrays get rebuilt, and once all the drives were switched over to the 146GB drives, that I would get the size advantage of the 6x146GB over the 6x73GB.

Am I correct in this assumption? If not, please let me what I should do.

Thanks.
 
A Raid array will only use the smallest disks in the array. So if you have a 40GB and 2x80GB drives, your array will only be 3x40GB (120GB).
 
I'm pretty familur with Dell servers, I've owned and worked on them for about 6 years now.
If I were in your situation, I would call Dell support and have them answer your questions. Everyone gripes about consumer support, but the enterprise support is top notch.

good luck.
 
I've worked mostly with HP servers, but from what I know about them this would not work. HP servers store the array information in BIOS, on the controller card, and on each disk. As you switch drives each 146gb drive will be written with the same data the 72gb that you replaced had. So in the end you would end up with all 146gb but each one only using 73gb and the rest would be unallocated, and probably just wasted since the controller trying to make an array with 73gb drives. You could call Dell to see if the data is stored in different places, but it's likely similar.

If I had to do this, I would probably use a program like Ghost to make a copy of the data somewhere then make a new array with the 146gb drives and ghost the data to the new array.
 
Imaging your server is exactly what I would do, image to a network share then replace the drives and boot off of image disk and place image on new disks
 
We've done exactly what your describing by using disk imaging.

Image your existing RAID 5 array. (do it twice on different media if you want two "backups")

Replace the 73GB Drives with the 146GB Drives.
Initialize the 146GB drives using PERC Bios into RAID 5.
Restore the server using the images you created and allow the imaging program to adjust the space.

Sometimes we've run into an issue where using one imaging product (namely Ghost 2003)resulted in BSODs about unmountable boot volume. This can be fixed by running through the normal fixboot and fixmbr tools. Interestingly we've had more success using Acronis than Ghost.
 
Talking to the folks at Dell is a good suggestion, but the problem you're going to run into is that even once you've swapped in larger drives, you'll continue to have 73gb sized partitions on them.

I don't know if SBS2003 supports growing partition sizes (vista based products do).

That'll give you something to chat with the dell people about - although if you have the available storage space to do image backups and restore to a new array that would probably be less stressful.
 
Ok guys, I talked with Dell support. They basically said everything you guys said.

I am going to have to image the server, get the new drives, initialize the RAID array on the new drives, then flash the image to the new array.

What is the best, most automated software I can use for this? The Dell rep recommended to me Symantec Backup Exec System Recovery 7.0 Server Edition, but it's outrageously cost prohibitive.

Thanks for all your help.
 
What is the server running? If it's just a file server, DriveImage XML might be a good choice for the OS. If it's running Exchange or something like that, it might be worthwhile to get a purpose-specific tool.
 
I use Acronis True Image (server edition) about $1100
Never failed me yet.
I also did the same scenario as you (moved a server from a no raid setup to a mirror setup)
Worked flawlessly.
Make sure when you take the image initially you run a test to validate it went OK.
Keep that original disk in case something goes wrong you can stick the disk in and be good to go.

Also Acronis is a bit by bit copier which means no matter what programs you have loaded (exchange) there will be no issues.
 
I posted in my OP that the server is running SBS 2003 w/Microsoft Exchange.

I'll look into the Acronis and see what they can offer me.
 
shade_star said:
I use Acronis True Image (server edition) about $1100
Never failed me yet.
I also did the same scenario as you (moved a server from a no raid setup to a mirror setup)
Worked flawlessly.
Make sure when you take the image initially you run a test to validate it went OK.
Keep that original disk in case something goes wrong you can stick the disk in and be good to go.

Also Acronis is a bit by bit copier which means no matter what programs you have loaded (exchange) there will be no issues.
Click to expand...

Is this the one you are talking about?

http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATIESWin/
 
Thats it!
Like I said before I had an SBS system I needed to increase the disk size on as well.
Image the machine
Verify image
Install new disks
Boot from Acronis CD
Restore image made before inserting new disks.

The program should ask if you want to resize the partitions to the same % as the old drive I said yes.
This means on your old drive 20% OS 80% data it would do the same proportion on the new disks.
You would obviously just have more GB on the 20% and 80%
IMO dont use ghost - Its very very difficult to get it to work right with a raid array.
Acronis - no problem!
God luck
 
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