Is it possible to swap servers?

[Hondy]

I have a hardware failed DC and I want to take out the 2 mirrored drives and put into an identical server. I have created the same mirrored array on the replacement but the disks don't boot.

Is what i'm doing possible?

Thanks

 

[cdove]

Hi Hondy,

I'm actually looking at the same question although mine is for a DR purpose incase this happens. I have set up an identical server with , Identical Raid config/firmware, System ROM etc. and in theory it will work no problem.

 

[Hondy]

I'd be interested in your results, it never worked for me but i went from a HP DL380 G2 with SCSI3 to a G3 with U320 (same interface I think. Recreated the array but it wouldn't see the disks as ones with an OS. The array controller could see the disks fine. Rebuilt the domain controller now but still interested in your results!

Cheers

 

[SaMaLaKo]

Moving the disks be ween identical machines will work.
Moving between a DL380 G2 and DL380 G3 will not work.
Those machines are not identical.
The have a different RAID Controller, Different Chipset, ...
The G3 is a complete new Generation...

With some luck you will be able to switch between ML and DL series, as long as you stay in the same class
DL 360 <-> ML 350
DL 380 <-> ML 370
DL 580 <-> ML 570
But I don't recommend it...

Please tell me if I'm wrong I like to learn from my mistakes...
_____________________________________
Feed a man a fish and feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime...

 

[Hondy]

I know they aren't identical, but surely it should at least boot up to windows then BSOD. They both have Smart Array 5i.

Can you explain _why_ it doesn't work? A RAID 1 container is a RAID 1 container and I would expect that the disks boot sector is recognised.

cdoves test should prove whether you can recreate a raid container and still have a working book sector.

 

[cdove]

I did a test in moving disks to another server and all went well

In order for me to try out the failover using our SAN i actually had to use a DL360 G4 and a DL360 G4p although they are slighlty different they both use th 6i raid controller. Only thing you need to ensure is each sisk is labelled and placed in the identical bay no. I encountered no problems whatsover. We have data on the san which we published to the hba's in the filover server and all went well.

Next job is to do this on the live server to test our DR. I will post the results here when i have done that.

 

[Hondy]

thanks cdove, I'm not sure what wrong with ours but gald to know in theory it works!

 

[NortonES2]

If your G2 server had Ultra 3 disks in it then that is your problem. A G2 server can use Ultra 3 and U320 disks but a G3 server can only use U320 disks.

-------------------------------

If it doesn't leak oil it must be empty!!