Reverting to old array

[nashcom]

I've also posted this in the HP server section.

I’ve got an HP ProLiant ML370 G4 with a SmartArray 6400 controller. It’s running Windows Server 2003.

The C: (system) drive is on one mirrored array.

The E: (data) drive is on a RAID 5 array.

I’ve installed three larger capacity hard disk drives for the E: drive. When I installed them I pressed F8 on the SmartArray BIOS and created a new Array. In Windows I then prepared and formatted the volume, then restored everything back from a backup. It worked fine, but I’ve got a problem with the restoration of the SQL master.mdf file which was on the E: drive.

Basically, I need to safely get the old data array installed back into the server, and I’d like to know how to do that. Is there a safe way to swap between the old and the new hard disks? What will the raid controller do if I plug in the old drives? Also, the Windows Server OS (C: drive) currently thinks drive E: is 580GB, whereas the old E: was only 72GB. I’m not sure I can simply plug in the old hard drives, and I’m worried in case I lose either one or both array configurations.

Thanks very much!

 

[technome]

I do not use HP raids....
but as noted in the link below the config is saved on the array disks. The general procedure is to remove the new array, clear the configuration on the controller, place the old array back, accept the configuration on disk when it comes up.
The only dangers are, under no circumstances do you ever want to initialize the old array, the disks should go back in the slots they come from.

http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service...47626+1263748368291+28353475&threadId=1330976

The best way to add a new array...
Do not remove the old array, add the new disks to the backplane, create the new array. Get cloning software and clone the old array to the new array. Remove the old array, boot. Depending on the cloning software, you may have drive mapping issues. Strongly advise cloning with SQL

........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm

 

[nashcom]

Thanks very much for that. I was very nervous about this. In the end I managed to sort it using a different method, and didn’t have to re-instate the old array. I looked through the BackupExec logs and saw that the contents of the SQL DATA folder had been successfully backed-up a few days ago. I then temporarily re-installed the old tape backup unit and restored the SQL stuff from that backup. After this the SQL services loaded fine, but the data was obviously out of date. The application vendor had set up a scheduled task which regularly backed-up the SQL database to a file. I was then able to launch SQL Studio Manager and restore the database from the last backup (after close of play on Friday night).

I’m not sure why BackupExec didn’t say it had failed to backup any files. I’ve now done a full system backup with the SQL services stopped, updated the Disaster Recovery image, and I’ve also amended the scheduled daily backup to backup the SQL databases using the SQL Agent which seems to work fine (after patching BackupExec).

Your advice wil be useful for any future upgrades!

 

[baddos]

If you use a SQL agent on your backup program, you should be able to restore that database without restoring the mdf files.

 

[technome]

As to the backup agent for BKExec, the only server melt down I had with this equipped failed to get the SQL database working. Restored the database from the "maintenance" backup, so I trust the SQL backup.


........................................
Chernobyl disaster..a must see pictorial

http://www.kiddofspeed.com/default.htm