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  • #2345771

    RAID-5

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    by stephanie_gcy ·

    I have just purchased a Compaq Proliant server with 4 hard disks and smartarray card.
    Can anyone assists to answer the following?
    1) Use SmartStart CD to configure the disks into RAID5 on port 2, only one logical drive. Install Win2K Server on 8GB partition (C:). Use Computer Management to format the remaining disk as drive D:. What kind of disk will drive D: be, dynamic or basic? Is it still part of RAID5, hardware or software control?

    2) Use SmartStart CD to configure the disks intoRAID5 on port 2, TWO logical drives (8GB and 43GB). Install Win2K Server first drive, 8GB, (C:). After the installation, Computer Management shows that c: is basic disk with 8GB and 43GB unused space. Continue to format the 43GB space as drive D: and it became a simple volume. I couldn’t format it as RAID-5 using the wizard. Is it still part of RAID5, hardware or software control?

    3) What is the different of using SmartArray to configure RAID5 and using Win2K Disk Management to configure RAID5? Which one has the say?
    Thank You.

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    • #3614903

      RAID-5

      by flda ·

      In reply to RAID-5

      When you smart start a Compaq server with and array controller your are using a Hard ware Raid solution. Win2K Raid is a Software solution. You can’t use both nor is there a reson to. As far as Dynamic disks versus Basic Disks, since you have already partitioned the physical drive and are using a Hardware Raid solution you won’t be using a dynamic disk. For more information on Dynamic and Basic disks see http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnw2kmag00/html/DynamicDisks.asp

      • #3614901

        RAID-5

        by stephanie_gcy ·

        In reply to RAID-5

        But after formatted the unused space (which is Disk 1, 2nd logical drive) Disk Management shows me the storage Type is Dynamic. Disk 0 (which is logical drive 1) is basic. If I were to create only 1 logical drive during SmartStart Configuration, I will only see 1 Disk which is Disk 0 of tyep Basic. Which one shd I use? 2 logical drives or one logical drive? and any performance impact?
        Thanks.

    • #3615227

      RAID-5

      by steve_mack ·

      In reply to RAID-5

      Stephanie, First of all, always use the
      RAID as setup with the Smart Array
      controller. This is much faster and more
      reliable than using the built-in W2K RAID.
      Hardware RAID is much better than
      software based RAID.

      I would setup your system with the
      Smartstart as one level 5 RAID volume.
      Than as you install W2K, create a partion
      on this volume of at least 4 gig in size to
      hold your OS. Then after installing W2k
      and getting the server running, use disk
      administrator to format the remaining
      space (except for 10 mb) as your large
      data volume using Disk Management. All
      partitions should be basic partitions. if
      you decide later to change it to a dynamic
      disk you can do this because you left the
      10mb free when formatting your
      partitions.

      Another key point, is RAID 5 requires a
      minimum of 3 disks. You can not create
      two separate RAID 5 volumes with only 4
      disks. Finally, any RAID 5 volume that you
      set up via the RAID configuration on
      smartstart will be RAID 5. Disk
      Management does not know or care if it is
      a RAID 5 volume since the RAID is being
      handled by Compaq’s Smart Array
      controller. Feel free to contact me at
      smack@herald-leader.com if you have
      any further questions.

    • #3615182

      RAID-5

      by stephanie_gcy ·

      In reply to RAID-5

      This question was closed by the author

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