Two identical servers swap drives

Question

I am not 100% on this so hoping this can be easily answered.

I have two almost identical Poweredge 1900 servers. We will say... server A and server B

Server A I am currently using and would like to transfer my drives over to server B. The OS is server 2008 R2 Standard. I am using the server for file storage and a web forum.. So nothing crazy.

Basically I would like to sell server A and use server due to the fact the casing is in a little better shape and it has a better raid card along some extra Nic's.

I don't want to go through all the hassle of swapping cases and cards.. Figure it would be easier to just swap drives..

I understand processors have serials and it comes down to licensing issues on the OS.

However, should I be able to just pull drives from Server A and place into server B as long as the motherboard and processors are identical?

Motherboards identical

Processors identical

memory identical

raid cards Server A is Dell SAS5/ir(GU186) and server B is a PERC5/i(GT281)

I hope to be able to put the drives into the new server and the OS boot up without much issue..

Or is this going to turn into the OS crashing when it tries to load?

Thanks for the advice!

theflash1932 · Accepted Answer

Ok, that makes it easy :) ... it won't work at all.

The SAS 5/iR supports RAID and non-RAID (when left unconfigured); the PERC does NOT support non-RAID ... RAID and non-RAID are not compatible, even if you were going from a SAS 5/iR to a SAS 5/iR that supports both.

When drives are configured in a RAID array, it writes RAID metadata - configuration information - at the beginning of the disk (where non-RAID controllers write partition information), so if you plug in the non-RAID disk to the PERC, the PERC will not see any RAID metadata and will assume the disk is empty (not recognizing or caring about the non-RAID disk partition information). Likewise, when you put a RAID disk on a non-RAID controller, only RAID metadata is seen where the controller is expecting to see the partition layout of the disk, so it will also assume the disk is empty.

Long story short ... you can move your SAS 5/iR controller to server B or you can backup/restore files after reinstalling the OS on the RAID controller.

theflash1932 · Answer

Windows is licensed per processor, but it doesn't care which ones, so there won't be a licensing issue, per se, although it may trigger Windows activation. Shouldn't be an issue as long as it/they are properly licensed.

raid cards Server A is Dell SAS5/ir(GU186) and server B is a PERC5/i(GT281)

This is your only problem - and it is a major one. There is no documentation on migrating SAS 5 VD's to a PERC 5 controller, but documentation states that migrating SAS 6 VD's to a PERC 6 is NOT supported and that it will not boot. I suspect that migrating from a SAS 5 to a PERC 5 (the older versions of each controller), IF it is supported at all, will have the same problems. There may be a way around it - I have never tried, but there is a good chance that you will not be able to simply plug your SAS 5/iR disks into a PERC 5/I.

The PERC 5 is a MUCH better controller, so, if I were you, I would move to the PERC, even if it meant reinstalling or backing up/restoring to dissimilar hardware (they do use different drivers, but I'm not sure if it is only a driver issue or not).

mike44107 · Answer

Ahhh hurray! and shooot..

One important note I should have made.. or noted.. Is I am not using the system in any raid configuration really.. Each Dive is separate in the OS and has its own partitions.. Not like they are mirroring..

Do I risk damaging any files if I just try to add the drives to the second server? Or is there a good chance it will destroy something.. Its really just like this:

80GB Main system Drive (1 Partition) - Sata 0

1.5TB Drive files (5Partitions) - Sata1

80GB Drive Website (1 partition) - Sata2

mike44107 · Answer

Ouch... so sad.. So basically I would have  to reinstall in the OS and the entire software setup I have? Dunno if it would even be worth it as much as I want it to be..

theflash1932 · Answer

That's what you're looking at at this point.  The PERC 5 is a much better controller - if performance is at all important, it would probably be worth it ... in the long run.

mike44107 · Answer

thanks for all the answers!

Just to be clear.. Even if I attempt to install the drive to see what happens.. Do I run the risk of the system deleting everything? There would be no way to configure the system so it does not actually use the raid at this point.. but would allow me to install those drives on the PERC 5 card? It drives me crazy because I want to use the machine.. yet, want to save my setup at the same time..

theflash1932 · Answer

You can use your setup and swap machines, but you will have to move your SAS 5 controller too (unless you want to rebuild on the PERC 5).

The PERC does not support non-RAID at all - there is no passthrough/JBOD/non-RAID - the controller will recognize a drive connected to it, but it simply will NOT present it to the OS to be used.

mike44107 · Answer

Sorry buddy! Last Question! I promise!

So If I was to want to switch over to the server b with the perch control.. Trying to figure how I can ask this question so it makes sense...

What would be the best way to backup the OS and the other drives and restore them into the newly configured raid system.. so that everything still works..

Right now dealing with three different drives and total of 10 partitions (including the OS) spread out among the drives... Never tried to restore on sure a setup before...

And again! Thank you so much! Your help has been priceless!

theflash1932 · Answer

You can probably use a bare metal backup whose restore can restore to different hardware, which gives you a method of integrating drivers for that hardware.

Another way would be to install the OS, then restore a file-level backup on top of it.

PowerEdge Hardware General

Two identical servers swap drives

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