Server cloning problems

[organman]

I need to clone my production NW 6.5.3 server to other hardware so that I
can use the cloned server as a lab server.
The server uses traditional NW volumes and a DOS 6 partition, it's a DELL PE
4400 with 3 hard disks configured for RAID 5 (total size 30 Gb).

The other server is also a DELL PE 4400 but has 6 hard disks configured for
RAID 5 (total space 40 Gb), both servers uses the same DELL PERC 3 Di Raid controller.

I've tried to do the clone by using Norton Ghost 8.2 but I can't get the
"new" lab server to start after the cloning, I suspect that this is because
the raid info is stored on the disk themselves and since the source server
uses 3 disk and the "new" server uses 6 disks the raid information gets
corrupted, am I right about this ?

Any tips for software that will do the cloning without corrupting the Raid ?

/Lars-Gunnar

 

[Datong]

Hi,

I dont think you will have much success doing it that way. The best thing to do would be to build the lab server and configure the hardware as normal, then build the netware server to match the live one, making sure to match the config of your volumes etc. Do a full backup of your live server and restore it to the test one, then the hardware/raid wont care as long as you have the right volumes and enough space. The only other software that can do such a task might be Server Magic but I cant remember if it can do exactley what you want.

 

[dangermouse68]

I've done similar tasks in the past. While it's not suggested to do on a production server, you might want to do this off hours.

Get the same size/model drives (spares) as your production server. Mark each drive with the slot they are in (1, 2, 3). Fail a drive by removing it and replacing with one of the spares. Let the RAID rebuild, then move to the next drive and repeat the process. Rinse/repeat until all drives are done.

Put the drives removed from the prod. server into the lab server (minding the slots) and power up.

I've found this to be a fast, efficient way to do this.

 

[dangermouse68]

Not sure on the DELL servers. I know this works on HP servers.

 

[terry712]

ok on an hp

dell have crappy perc controllers - should work but i doubt it.

why do you want to clone it ?
purely for testing or ?

 

[organman]

I want to clone it for testing matters.
I have now successfully cloned my server using
Portlock Storage Manager (

http://www.portlock.com).

(I used Portlock Boot CD on both servers)

It works great, since Portlock is NetWare aware it creates the NW partitions on the fly as you do the clone.
This way the RAID problems I reported earlier are gone.

/Lars-Gunnar

 

[dangermouse68]

Suh-weet!!! Good job!

 

[Datong]

Nice one, never even heard of Portlock before. Think I might give it a try.

 

[marvhuffaker]

Portlock is awesome. Works great for mass scale server rollouts.

Marvin Huffaker, MCNE

http://www.redjuju.com