How to transfer data in a server which is in software raid to hardware raid?

[Yu Shen]

Hi,

I need help please. Its a server R310 which is currently in software Raid and needs to changed to hardware RAID. The software RAID is using

PERC S100. I would need to know how do I backup and transfer these data from software raid to hardware raid?

I was planning to clone the harddisk which is in software raid at first. Then, then install the hardware raid controller. After that restore those data to the hardware raid. But I am not sure if it works or not. As if I clone the harddisk which is in software raid. isn't that I am cloning the software raid software in the harddisk as well?

I had no experience in RAID and try any of these before. Need help please....

Thanks

 

[Xahid]

It Depends on the software you use for Cloning the drive, but usually it won't copy the Raid information & you are good to go.

[sc302 Veteran]

use a image utility to backup the drive onto a usb/networkshare/another server and put it back after you have setup your hardware raid. 

 

copy your data to a usb drive and paste it back after you have setup your hardware raid

 

copy your data to a nas or network share that is not on you server and paste it back in after you have setup your hardware raid

 

copy your data to another server and put it back after you have setup your hardware raid

 

backup your server to tape and then restore it after you have setup your hardware raid

 

 

Doing multiple options will help you if one of those options fails in the time that it takes you to setup your hardware raid and putting your data back..

[+BudMan MVC]

Raid is always behind the scene to the OS filesystem - it just sees a disk, with a file system on it.  Does not know if its a Raid 5 or 1, or 10 or software raid, etc. etc.  The system be it hardware or software is different then the system that the OS uses to mount a disk.  The OS just sees a disk of size X with specify filesystem be it fat, ntfs, ext3, ext4, reiserFS, hfs, etc. etc.

 

As sc302 mentions - use whatever method you want to copy your files off..  Doing a disk image might not be the best thing - depending on what your new disk size will be under the new hardware raid, etc..

 

Taking it this is a home setup.  If you don't mind some discussion - why are you using raid, and what level 1, 5, 10, 6?  Software or Hardware doesn't really matter when it comes to discussion of level and use in a home setup - or did I misread the sort of question and this is work/company/production type data we are talking about..  The fact that you ask about backup also concerns -- don't you have a current backup of this data?  Raid again no matter if software, hardware or level is not a BACKUP of the data!!!

[Mando]

Erm apologies if this seems silly, but you stated its using PERC.....that's Dell PowerEdge RAID Controller, which usually is an external expansion card RAID solution mate. (aka Hardware RAID)

 

Make an archive copy (and verify the data arc is valid) of all data and resetup the RAID containers.

 

As Budman states, RAID is no backup solution, e.g. In my 20years in the IT Caper ive had 3 RAID5 containers fail spectacularly and all data was lost, if it loses 2+ drives in the set, it cant rebuild itself even after new drives fitted. All it takes is a firmware issue on the sets of identical disks and this scenario is very possible   ;)

 

backup back up backup/restore data x3 is the golden rule!

 

always always test your backup files.