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March 14th, 2012 13:00
Disk Reconfiguration on PowerEdge 2900
I am getting ready to reconfigure my PowerEdge 2900, installing a fresh copy of Windows Server 2008 R2. My disk configuration is RAID, with two arrays:
Array 1 (System Disk shows a total of 67GB)
73GB
146GB
Array 2 (Data Disk shows a total of 408GB)
146GB
146GB
146GB
146GB
I ordered another 146GB drive so that all are the same size. In the mean time (while waitng for disk arrival) I want to move ahead with the installation. I plan to remove (permanently) the 73GB drive from Array 1, slide in one of the 146GB disks from Array 2 (the last disk in the array), install the OS, and then when the new 146GB disk arrives on Friday, plug it into where I removed the 146GB disk from Array 2.
My questions are, (1) Will there be any problem in removing one of the Array 2 disks and moving it to Array 1?, (2) What will happen when I plau in the new disk into Array 2 on Friday? Will the system know what to do and will it put me back at 408GB as I was? Thanks for the help.,
theflash1932
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March 14th, 2012 19:00
Simply put ... get rid of your 73GB drive now. If you want to use all 146GB (137 after the math), then you can't use the 73GB drive now - pull it out now and forget about it.
That done, you have two options:
1. Wait for your new disk, then configure RAID like you want (2x146GB RAID 1, 4x146GB RAID 5), then install and set up your OS, or
2. Configure RAID as follows: 2x146GB RAID 1 (3x146GB RAID 5 - after OS is installed) and install and setup your OS now. Then when you get your new 146GB drive, you can put it in and convert your 3x146GB RAID 5 to a 4x146GB RAID 5 and you're done - you will have done all the work before the drive arrives.
RAID can be configured in the CTRL-R utility for the PERC 5/i during POST. You will want to first delete any existing arrays by highlighting the controller and hitting F2, then Delete. Then hit F2 again, then Create, select your first two drives and RAID 1, name the virtual disk (optional), specify the size (leave as default for maximum size), check the Advanced and Initialize boxes, then OK.
You don't have to be a RAID expert to understand the above, but it will only make sense after having seen the appropriate screens. Boot to CTRL-R to see what I mean.
Once you have created your first VD (virtual disk ... or array), you can go ahead and install Windows to it. Once installed, you can/should install OMSA (OpenManage Server Administrator) to finish setting up the drives in the RAID 5:
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/04/DriverDetails/DriverFileFormats?DriverId=G2WT6&FileId=2883471492&productCode=poweredge-2900&urlProductCode=False
Download and run to extract the files, then run C:\Openmanage\windows\setup.exe. Choose Custom and make sure Storage Management is installed. Add your server to the Intranet Zone of IE.
You can then go to Storage, PERC, Information/Configuration (link at top of page), and choose Create/New from the dropdown menu of available tasks for the controller to set up the RAID 5 with the remaining disks.
If you want to convert the 3x146GB RAID 5 to a 4x146GB RAID 5, just go to Storage, PERC, Virtual Disks, and choose Reconfigure from the dropdown menu of available tasks for your RAID 5; a wizard will start walking you through adding the disk(s) to the array (check the box for the newly available drive and select RAID 5 as the RAID level).
Again, this won't make sense to you until you see the screens.
Summary: Create RAID 1, install OS, install OMSA, create RAID 5, receive new disk, Reconfigure RAID 5 from 3 to 4 disks.
theflash1932
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March 14th, 2012 13:00
What you want to do is take the 73GB disk out now, create a single-disk RAID 0 with the 146GB drive, then once you receive your new 146GB drive, then "reconfigure" your single-disk RAID 0 to a 2-disk RAID 1. This can be done online, keeping your data intact.
If you don't do it that way, then the only way you can have a single RAID 1 of 146GB is to backup, delete, recreate, restore (or you could create a second RAID 1 across the first two disks - this will show up as a physically separate disk in Disk Management).
Alternatively, you could use one of the 4x146GB disks to create a 2-disk RAID 1, and the remaining 3x146GB in a RAID 5, then add the disk and reconfigure your 3-disk RAID 5 to a 4-disk RAID 5 once you receive it.
The reconfigure can be done in OMSA (OpenManage Server Administrator) in the OS.
Chaplain Doug
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March 14th, 2012 18:00
Flash:
Thanks for all the help you have been giving me. But this one has me as confused as a termite in a Yoo-Yoo. Let me change my approach and rephrase my question.
I will wait until I get the new 146 GB drive. I will then replace the 73GB drive on the two-disk array with the new 146GB drive. That will give me two 146GB drives on the two-drive array (the system C: disk). I will then plan to install a fresh copy of Windows Server 2008 R2 to this new system drive (the two-disk RAID). However, what must I do before the OS install to make sure that the two-disk RAID array uses all 146GB of the disks? Right now the two-disk array (Array 1) has a 73GB disk and a 146GB disk, and shows only 67GB for the system drive. Is there some kind of setup/configuration I must do prior to the OS load?
Remember I am not a RAID expert, so make it simple for me. Thanks so much.
Chaplain Doug
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March 15th, 2012 07:00
"RAID can be configured in the CTRL-R utility for the PERC 5/i during POST"
What is POST? How (and when) do I enter the CTRL-R utility?
theflash1932
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March 15th, 2012 08:00
POST = Power On Self Test. This is what the computer does when you power it on BEFORE Windows starts to load. You'll see the Dell splash screen with the progress bar (memory test), you will see a prompt in the top-right corner of the screen for F2 BIOS Setup, processors are listed and other devices are detected. You will then see the PERC initialize and give you a prompt to hit CTRL-R to enter the configuration utility.
Windows cannot load until POST is complete ... that is the case on any computer.
Chaplain Doug
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March 15th, 2012 17:00
Flash:
I did everything under Item 2 above. Things worked great. I do have one issue though. Although the three 146GB drives are now part of a RAID 5 array, the array does not show up as a drive (D:). I went into the the Disk Management and the new disk shows as a 272.25GB basic disk. It shows online. But it also says "Unallocated" and I cannot give it a drive letter. The only options are, "Convert to Dynamic Disk" and "Convert to GPT Disk." What do I need to do to make it available?
Chaplain Doug
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March 15th, 2012 17:00
I just checkd in the OpenManage Server Administrator and the new RAID 5 virtual disk shows 12% under progress and the system virtual shows 20%. Could this be what is keeping the RAID 5 virtual from showing up?
theflash1932
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March 15th, 2012 20:00
You have to right-click the Unpartitioned Space (not the "disk") and create a partition. Only then will you be able to format it and assign it a drive letter.
Chaplain Doug
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March 16th, 2012 05:00
I figured that one out last night. I do not do this stuff often. However, after this exercise I will be a combat veteran. Thanks for looking after me Flash.
theflash1932
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March 16th, 2012 10:00
No problem :)
theflash1932
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March 16th, 2012 13:00
Partially correct:
Yes, your "data will be intact ... on D: drive".
No, "D: disk will [not] simply be 408GB instead of 252GB". This will not happen automatically. After the reconfigure/reconstruct is complete, your RAID 5 will automatically be 408GB (that is what the reconfigure/reconstruct does), but your D: drive/partition will still be the same size; you need to go to Disk Management, right-click your D: drive (the partition, not the "disk") and Extend to make your D: drive fill the entire space.
Chaplain Doug
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March 16th, 2012 13:00
Flash:
I just did as you directed,
"If you want to convert the 3x146GB RAID 5 to a 4x146GB RAID 5, just go to Storage, PERC, Virtual Disks, and choose Reconfigure from the dropdown menu of available tasks for your RAID 5; a wizard will start walking you through adding the disk(s) to the array (check the box for the newly available drive and select RAID 5 as the RAID level)."
Now this array was already designated as my D: drive and there was one virtual machine using the disk. Right now the OpenManage Server Administrator says the virtual disk is "Reconstructing." I assume (more like I hope) that when reconstructing is finished my D: disk will simply be 408GB instead of 252GB and that my data will be intact that was on the D: drive. Am I correct in this assumption? Thanks.