Customer has a WD Mybook for a SBS 2008 server backup

[drjones]

Software RAID is BAD, especially on a server.
Do not do it.

 

[TAPtech]

Do you know if it is possible to go from a single disk RAID 0 to a dual disk RAID 1 setup and retain the data, using the Dell SAS/6iR?

I'm hoping to save a lot of time and don't want to risk any issues in imaging the original drive.

 

[drjones]

Do you know if it is possible to go from a single disk RAID 0 to a dual disk RAID 1 setup and retain the data, using the Dell SAS/6iR?

I'm hoping to save a lot of time and don't want to risk any issues in imaging the original drive.

I'm confused: all RAID requires two disks; what do you mean by "single disk RAID 0"?

Looking back over the thread, do you mean that there's one disk currently and you want to turn that into a RAID 1 using that Dell controller?

I'm sorry I'm not familiar with that. I'll try to ask my server tech but he's out of town on a job & pretty slammed.

I think you should be able to add in the second disk and then have it mirror the one disk/create a RAID 1 array. As for precisely how, I have no clue.

Of course backup that data in triplicate before doing it though!!!

 

[TAPtech]

Sorry, it's getting late. Here's the system setup:

(A) Two drives in RAID 1 with the OS

(B) One drive with data

I would like to install an identical (B) drive to act as a mirror in a RAID 1 array for data redundancy. I would like to do this without needing to relocate the data on the original (B) drive, if possible.

 

[drjones]

Sorry, it's getting late. Here's the system setup:

(A) Two drives in RAID 1 with the OS

(B) One drive with data

I would like to install an identical (B) drive to act as a mirror in a RAID 1 array for data redundancy. I would like to do this without needing to relocate the data on the original (B) drive, if possible.

Thanks for the clarification. I believe with software RAID you can do what you are asking, I'd be very surprised if you could not do the same with that Dell SAS controller.

Again, sorry I can't provide details or definitive answers, just trying to be as helpful as I can...

 

[MobileTechie]

In terms of the original Q about backups. With SBS 2008 it's perfectly OK to use WDBook type drives as long as you let SBS handle the back ups rather than using WDs software.

I think SBS 2008's backup is really rather good. Most of my clients have 2 hub-powered external USB drives labelled up as 1 & 2 and swap them each day, taking one home each night to provide offsite backup. SBS's own backup system handles the formatting and rotation of the disks automatically making it very simple but effective. I've had cause to restore both individual files and entire systems from such backups and it works fine.

If you want belt and braces then you add online and NAS backups if you like.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Do you know if it is possible to go from a single disk RAID 0 to a dual disk RAID 1 setup and retain the data, using the Dell SAS/6iR?

I'm hoping to save a lot of time and don't want to risk any issues in imaging the original drive.

Does not support that...all data on existing HDDs will be lost during the conversion to RAID.

You'll have to image that single HDD...and then once image is saved to some other source....take that drive and pair it with another..and create your new RAID 1 ...and then image back to it.

Quickest way though...since I like to do my RAID with identical drives if I can...purchase a new pair of enterprise SATA drives (like WD Black Edition or RE series..64 meg cache models)...add them and create a new RAID 1. And then clone the single drives image to this new RAID 1. Once done...remove the single HDD, boot up...reassign drive letter if necessary (in case it sticks to the incorrect letter)..reboot again....should settle down.