UCS C220 Raid configuration change

[TrickTrick]

Hello,

I would like to change RAID configuration from 0 to 5 in a server, is there any hope for me to do it without losing data ?
Thanks in advance

[Kirk J]

Theoretically, if you have a megaraid controller such as 9271, or newer 12Gb models, there is is something called raid migration.

See https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/unified_computing/ucs/3rd-party/lsi/mrsas/userguide_june_2017/pub-005110_DB15-001199-08_2017-06-09_MR-614-SW-UG.pdf

I posted some examples on using the CIMC GUI to expand a raid 5, although the process from 0 to 5 would be very similar.

https://community.cisco.com/t5/data-center-documents/cimc-expanding-virtual-drive-on-12gb-sas-controller-by-adding/ta-p/3165778

As noted in my other post, you have to make sure you have at least an application data level backup in case  you run into issues, and have to recreate the raid volumes, reinstall, restore...

Kirk...

[TrickTrick]

Thank you for the complete answer, we have the UCS C3260 storage chassis, I will check if it has the feature, can confirm if possible please ?

[Kirk J]

I have seen customers do this with the raid controllers that ship with the 3260's.

HOWEVER, due to the very large storage capacity of the 3260's, I would not do this on large number of drives.

I have had several customers that tried to expand /modify a 150TB virtual drive, and it literally took weeks to complete, and then they had issues with the resulting expanded VD.

If this is just working with a few drives, and you can schedule a good block of time to let the expansion run offline (don't boot to OS) or application that would by trying to trigger I/O to the VD being modified/reconstructed, then you may be successful.

Kirk...

[TrickTrick]

Sorry, my mistake, as the ttitle says, i want to make sure that I can do this with UCS C220, Sorry again,

[Kirk J]

220/240, process will be the same.

As long as it's not the embedded software raid controller.

Needs to be 9271 (M3s), or one of the newer 12Gb Megaraid controllers.

Kirk...

[TrickTrick]

Thank you, I can check this via the RAID config interface right ? like in this screenshot ? https://csemmler.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/bildschirmfoto-2015-07-16-um-13-54-01.png

The raid controller reference is mentioned in the top right?

[Kirk J · Accepted solution]

That is the minimal, optionROM utility for the 12Gb raid controllers, shown in the picture, but it will not let you expand/convert raid volumes. 

You will have to do it via the CIMC GUI method I posted, via storcli command line utility (much more complicated), or via the UEFI utility you access from the F2 bios setup utility (also more complicated than the CIMC method).

Kirk...

[TrickTrick]

Thank you kirk, i'll try that