RE: Adding a disk to a RAID array

The simplest option that might be acceptable is to get another SCSI
controller to connect the drive, or even cheaper get an IDE ATA-100/133
controller that supports RAID in hardware and get a couple of 100Gb drives
that are substantially cheaper than their SCSI equivalents. 
They support RAID 1,0 and some even 5.
Your better option is to get an IDE drive and hook it up in the system's
motherboard. Most of the MB have the IDE controller onboard even when they
are using SCSI. It is used mainly for CD-ROM drives. Install the OS on this
drive, boot from the new installation and mount the other partitions. So you
can delete a couple of them and expand the data partition.
For the performance the IDE is sufficient (just for the OS files).
This might be a way to excape without much investment. Even a 3 Gb drive is
more than enough.

Sincerely
Mr. Olsi Lulani


-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth R Martin [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Friday, March 14, 2003 9:56 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Adding a disk to a RAID array

Bill,

Yeah, that is what I was hoping for.  I wish I was lucky enough to be able
to have the funds to have another system that I could test the process out
on.  However, being a state funded institution most funds go to medical
research and education and I get what's left over and have to do the best I
can with that.  Unfortunately the data partition is what I need raided
the most.  Research data and faculty teaching information is contained
there.  I have people who freak out big time when there is a network problem
and can't access the box - they are banging at my door wanting to make sure
that their data hasn't been lost.  Looks like I am going to have to take a
whole new look at the process of what I need to do.  I may even plan
upgrading to RH8 and upgrading the RAID controller card to one recommended
by Adaptec to replace the one I have as well as replacing the drives with
larger ones even though I have 4 matched drives already and hope I can get
the funds.  Like I need all of this headache with all I am being required to
do now in order to get all of my systems compliant with Federal and
State regulations like HIPAA etc.  I am going to have to lock myself in my
office to plan out the next couple of months just to keep current with the
have to do's.

Elizabeth Martin

Bill Gradwohl wrote:

> So you are trying to expand an existing array. Lots of older controllers
had no way to expand an existing array. Those that did claim to do so failed
under many conditions. Very recent controllers are much improved, but that's
not a description of DPT.
>
> You are more trusting than I am. Candidly, even if I had the manual in
hand I wouldn't try to expand a RAID array on a production box unless I
could test it out first on the EXACT same hardware in a test environment.
>
> Have you considered, and does the controller BIOS support, just adding a
non RAID drive to the controller and using it all by itself in a non RAID
fashion? Even that is risky because you don't know what the controllers BIOS
will do with it. I had one controller (can't remember which, but it was IDE)
step on the array at boot up. No chance to take evasive action.
>
> If you are running SCSI drives, does that also mean you have a second
controller for a tape drive? Not a second channel, but a whole new
controller that's already in the same box. How about spinning that drive up
on the separate controller.
>
> As you can see, I'm trying to do anything but touch the array because what
the books say will work many times don't.
>
> Bill Gradwohl
> [email protected]
> (817) 224-9400 x211
> www.ycc.com
>
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