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RAID 1 Drivw dead, help replacing

#1 Linden

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Posted 21 February 2011 - 12:07 AM

Hi Guys,

I have an IBM server with 2x 146.8GB 10k RPM SAS drives.

Both drives are in RAID 1. The second drive failed a few days ago. I have looked to order the part (IBM P/N: 26K5838) and have had no luck.

My boss however has gone ahead and ordered a 320GB 15k SAS drive to replace the failed drive. Does anyone know if this will just be plug and play, or as I think, maybe cause issues and have me build a new array.

Notes:
Drive speeds are different 10k vs 15k RPM
Drive sizes are different - 146gb vs 320gb
We cannot loose the data on the original array.
I need definitive answers, from experience (Sorry kids, don't reply).

Thanks!

#2 Digerati

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Posted 21 February 2011 - 07:37 AM

Where's the spare 146.8Gb drive? A properly built and managed RAID1 consists of 3 disks, 2 in the array and 1 on the shelf. Then when a drive in the array fails, you swap in the one from the shelf, the array software syncs the new to the old and you are off and running at full speed again, without losing a byte of data.

I can tell you from experience that this may, or may not work. It depends on your RAID controller. Some require identical drives, some can make due with different drives and just base the array on the smallest. So you need to crack the books on your existing RAID controller and see what it supports.

What I think may be the best bet is for your boss to buy two more 320GB 15k SAS drives and you copy the data to a new array, with a spare disk on the shelf. Note for years I would keep the spare in my bank's safe deposit box. Then every so often I would swap it out with one of the drives in the array and have an instant, offsite backup.

#3 Linden

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Posted 22 February 2011 - 10:07 PM

View PostDigerati, on 21 February 2011 - 07:37 AM, said:

Where's the spare 146.8Gb drive? A properly built and managed RAID1 consists of 3 disks, 2 in the array and 1 on the shelf. Then when a drive in the array fails, you swap in the one from the shelf, the array software syncs the new to the old and you are off and running at full speed again, without losing a byte of data.

I can tell you from experience that this may, or may not work. It depends on your RAID controller. Some require identical drives, some can make due with different drives and just base the array on the smallest. So you need to crack the books on your existing RAID controller and see what it supports.

What I think may be the best bet is for your boss to buy two more 320GB 15k SAS drives and you copy the data to a new array, with a spare disk on the shelf. Note for years I would keep the spare in my bank's safe deposit box. Then every so often I would swap it out with one of the drives in the array and have an instant, offsite backup.


Thanks Digerati,

I too would also like to see the boss order 2 more 320GB drives as I like the idea of 1 shelf drive/instant backup.

I will report how the situation goes.

#4 Digerati

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Posted 23 February 2011 - 11:49 AM

Quote

I will report how the situation goes.
Yeah, keep us posted.

#5 Linden

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Posted 02 March 2011 - 06:55 PM

Finally got the new disk in today.

New drive:
Seagate Cheetah 15k.7
Model: ST3300657SS
http://www.seagate.c...0001a48090aRCRD

The server is an IBM with a M97IP Motherboard.

Put the disk in and booted into RAID bios. Detected new disk but was not part of the old array. Found option to initialize disk. Rebooted and started rebuilding then booted into windows.

Great Success.

Thanks for the help! We will soon replace the 149GB with another 300GB

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