Logical disk size growth is supported on the PERC-3 and PERC-4 cards. If I wanted to do that, I would shut down Exchange, copy the STM/EDB files off to a secure location, then pull and replace the drives one at a time, letting them rebuild. Once the rebuilds are completed, reboot the server and let Exchange come up. If it comes up fine, then you're a hero, if not and your volume is toast, you have the copies to fall back on.
But as one other person has said, don't attempt this on your production servers without testing it in a lab first. However, as a system admin, I'd follow your original plan, shutdown (and disable) Exchange, backup via flat file, pull the drives, build the logical drive, reboot, restore from backup and start exchange. Depending on the size of your EDB files and the speed of your backup/restore device, a one pizza evolution. John Matteson Geac Corporate ISS (404) 239 - 2981 Atlanta, Georgia, USA. -----Original Message----- From: Dan Bartley [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Posted At: Monday, February 09, 2004 10:55 AM Posted To: Exchange Discussion List Conversation: Install larger disks sanity check Subject: RE: Install larger disks sanity check It's a PERC3/DC. Latest firmware, drivers and Array Manager. Guess I need to explore that a little further, thanks for the feedback. Best Regards, Dan Bartley -----Original Message----- From: Reasoner, Bob (PHES) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 10:31 To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: Install larger disks sanity check We use exclusively Dell 2450/2550/2650's and have used that method to upsize the disks without any problems. With a 2550 it will depend on which PERC you have as to the method to grow the RAID Canister, but once you have worked that out Windows 2K disk Management util should allow you to go the rest of the way. Good luck! Bob Reasoner -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Bartley Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 9:20 AM To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: Install larger disks sanity check Hmm, that was my first preference. However, we have a Dell PowerEdge 2550 with a PERC card and when I asked Dell support if there was anyway to do this, they said no. Perhaps they did not fully understand what I was saying and I need to re-check it with them. I know each disk replacement will only use the same amount of space for the RAID as the one I removed, but one would think that after replacing all 3 I could then use the extra space. Best Regards, Dan Bartley -----Original Message----- From: Michel Erdmann [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 09:57 To: Exchange Discussions Subject: RE: Install larger disks sanity check Performing a backup/restore is the most secure way, but depending on your hardware this could be performed without downtime. Here's a scenario for daredevils (which should be pre-pended with typical Jack-ass warnings: Don't try this at home, or better, at work). In RAID5, if your 'fail' one the disks you could replace it with a larger new disk. When waiting for rebuilds in-between, you could replace all three disks like this. After the swap, the new RAID-set now has much more free space. If possible (again, depending on hardware/software) you could grow to logical disk online to fit the new size. Although totally unsupported by Compaq/HP, I've done this successfully on several of their raid controllers and disk configs. With NT4 online logical disk grow was even supported using the Raid configuration utility. In Windows2000 they pop-up warnings in the raid configuration utility when you attempt this. (But they are warnings, it still works...) You may need to do only one quick reboot to sync disks and see the new free space. We now have a SAN which supports growing logical disks. (but it still makes my heart beat faster when performing it....) Michel > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan > Bartley > Sent: Monday, February 09, 2004 3:25 PM > To: Exchange Discussions > Subject: Install larger disks sanity check > > Running E2k, SP3 on Win2k Advanced SP3. > > This is just more of a sanity check than anything. I need to replace > the > 3 drives that make up the store's RAID with larger disks. I plan to > both backup to tape and copy the all the edb and stm files to another > location (after stopping Exchange). The physical drives that make up > the RAID have only the stores on it, nothing else. Logs and system are > on different physical drives. I plan to replace the disks, make sure > the new larger RAID has the same drive letter and then replace the > data files in the same location. > > This should be all I need to do correct? Or am I missing something > else painfully obvious that may hang me? > > TIA. > > Best Regards, > > Dan Bartley > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm > Web Interface: > http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&t > ext_mode=&lang=english > To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: > Jupitermedia Corp. > Attn: Discussion List Management > 475 Park Avenue South > New York, NY 10016 > > Please include the email address which you have been contacted with. > > > _________________________________________________________________ List posting FAQ: http://www.swinc.com/resource/exch_faq.htm Web Interface: http://intm-dl.sparklist.com/cgi-bin/lyris.pl?enter=exchange&text_mode=&; lang=english To unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Exchange List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe via postal mail, please contact us at: Jupitermedia Corp. 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