Move disks to different StorEdge, keeping RAID

UNIX Solaris
1

Hi.

I need to move a 5 disk RAID5 array from a SE3310 box to a different SE3310 array. After installing the disks in the "new" StorEdge device, I "would like" :wink: to be able have access to the data which is on the RAID.

Essentially, the quesion is, how can this be done? :confused:

I checked the Sun StorEdge 3310 SCSI Array Documentation, but haven't found any hints on how to do this (but this might of course just mean, that I overlooked something... *G*). Also the telnet interface to the SE3310 doesn't seem to provide a way of doing this (ie. move disks to new box, keep RAID).

I could of course restore the stuff from tape, but it would be nicer, if this wouldn't have to be done :slight_smile:

Thanks a lot for any help you can provide,
Alexander

2

After you move the disks to the new array, you will definitely need to map it to a host machine connected to it. then you can mount the filesystems and access the data

3

Well, but my question rather relates to the time before mapping something to a host machine :wink:

Problem: Disks are in "new" SE3310. How to tell StorEdge, that those "new" disks (which it correctly identifies and displays as "USED DRV") make up a RAID5, which I could then map to a host (better: which I could then assign a LUN, after having "created" a RAID5 Logical Drive)?

4

I'm not sure if it's going to recognize the RAID and Data on it or not, because if you attempt to create new RAID array, it will initialize and wipe out your data.

Best bet is, backup your data before you do this movement, and also backup the current storage configuration file .xml

this way, you can restore your configuration and data.

5

Yep. To actually be able to use the disks for RAID in SE3310, the admin would need to "deinitialize" the disks first.

That sounds kinda awkward - suppose the array breaks (but the disks don't). In that case, the data is lost? Doesn't sound too professional to me... I mean, yes, of course you do backups, sure. But at least I only do one backup per day. If the array breaks shortly before the backup starts, then one day of work is lost.

Hard to imagine that Sun really wants its users to go that route.

What XML file? The RAID is configured and setup from "inside" the SE3310 over the telnet interface.

6

I mean backup your data, so that if by mistake the RAID array initialized and you lost your data, you will be safe.

I meant backup only before you do this migration to another array. After you do your migration, then you can continue with your normal backups.

As for the configuration, please refer to the sscli utility. It's a command line utility that allow you to take backup of your array configuration.