What is the max partition size on an MD3000?

You'll need to download 3 things:

- the latest MD3000 management software (ISO)

- the latest MD3000 firmware (07.35.31.60) and NVSRAM (it's a single download that contains both)

- the latest harddrive firmware package for the MD3000

Then:

- make a backup of all you data on the server(s) that are attached and the data on the MD3000. This is just in case.

- upgrade MDSM on any hosts that use storage on the MD3000 and reboot

- check all the drives and note down their firmware version

- compare these do the file names in the extracted files from the harddrive firmware package

- update any drives that have a firmware upgrade available (note: some drives (mostly older Seagates) have to be 'stepped up' in firmware)

- if you're running Linux, unmount all volumes from the MD3000

- if you're running Windows, make sure nothing is using the MD3000's storage (Windows doesn't have a clean way to unmount, but you could remove drive letters from those disks and reboot to kill all links to open files)

- run the Cross Generation Upgrade tool

- let this tool discover the MD3000 (or point it to the unit (by IP address) if it cannot find it itself)

- extract the raid controller firmware for the MD3000

- select the option in the cross generation tool to browse to the firmware file

- after selecting the firmware file also browse for the NVSRAM file (note: there is a version for environments where 2 clustered servers each only have a link to a different controller (i.e. server 1 to the left controller and server 2 to the right controller), and then there's a version that's used for all other setups -> read the readme about which exact version is for which setup)

- let the firmware upgrade start

- this can take 20 minutes and will take both controllers down (which is why to unmount all MD3000 disks, or stop IO to those disks, as the array will force a (not-so-clean) disconnect if you didn't kill the IO yourself)

- after this you can make virtual disks over 2TB

One big note:

Not all OSes can support disks over 2TB. Most notably:

- Windows 2003 pre-SP1

- Windows 2000 (hardly used by anyone anymore)

- VMware ESX (any currently available version)

And to be able to use a disk over 2TB, you have to change the partition table to GPT. In Windows you do this by right clicking the disk (not the partition area) and selecting to convert to GPT. This option is only available if no partitions exist on the disk yet. The same applies to Linux, but for Linux the common partitioning tool fdisk doesn't support GPT, so you have to use parted (mklabel gpt).

This means that if your disk isn't already GPT and you want to grow it over 2TB, the new firmware would allow you to grow, but you're still going to have to back up your data, delete all partitions from the MD3000 virtual disk, then you can convert to GPT and recreate the partitions and restore your data. This part applies to all OSes that support GPT (Windows 2003 SP1 and later, Windows 2008 (any version), Linux on a 2.4 or later kernel)

Thanks Dev Mgr. I'm running Windows Server 2003 R2 x64.

Can I have a few clarifications please?

Where is the 'Cross Generation Upgrade tool' located? Is this the Modular Disk Storage Manager (see image)?

If it is this tool, then it does not seem to recognise the firmware file. It updates the NVSRAM and the Physical Disk Firmware without any problems. I seem to be having a similar problem to arrkerr here [http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19247968/19645429.aspx]. 

If the Cross Generation Upgrade tool is located in the MD3000 management software (ISO) somewhere could you give me a direct download link please so that I am sure that I have the right ISO. 

Thanks

Conor

Conor,

 The MD Cross Generational Upgrade Utility is installed along with the latest version of the MD Storage Manager. You can get to it at Start-->Programs-->Dell-->MD Storage Manager --> MD Firmware Cross Generational Upgrade Utility

-Mohan

It's in your start menu. It gets installed with the latest CD/software. It's the "Resource CD" when looking under the downloads.

For generation 1 FW (06.xx) the max size was 2TB. The restriction was removed in Gen II FW (07.xx)

Thanks. All worked fine once I had the correct Resource CD to install the MD Firmware Cross Generational Upgrade Utility

Hi guys..

i know this is a very very very very old threat.. aldo i think it fits my purpose.. i have purchased a used unit of the MD3000 for a cheap cheap price.. aldo i want to upgrade all the HDDs that came with 300gb to higher HDD size..

so what are my limits on SAS 10K,  SAS15K,  SATA 7.2 , SATA 5.2K...

its purpose its so build a NAS server with alot of storage

Hello,

Partition limits are a result of whatever filesystem you end up using, it's not a hardware limit. The virtual disk size will be limited by the diskgroup, and the maximum virtual disk size may be an upper limit for your partition size, depending on configuration. As for drives, I would recommend using Dell validated drives. The part numbers I see listed on the part matrix run from 146GB to 2TB in capacity. The samples I have below are representative of the highest capacity I see to the related protocol and RPM count.

Sample part numbers to get you started:

2TB 5.4k SATA: J164R
2TB 7.2k SATA: 0H6GP

2TB 7.2k NL-SAS: 1P7DP

600GB 10k SAS: R752K

600GB 15K SAS: J762N