Is it possible to migrate raid 5 array to another controller?

[Guy Dawson]

Eric Toll wrote:

>  
> 
> 
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: owner-freebsd-hardware at freebsd.org 
>>[mailto:owner-freebsd-hardware at freebsd.org] On Behalf Of 
>>Artem Koutchine
>>Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004 6:05 AM
>>To: freebsd-questions at freebsd.org
>>Cc: freebsd-hardware at freebsd.org
>>Subject: Is it possible to migrate raid 5 array to another controller?
>>
>>Hello!
>>
>>If i am running raid5 on 3ware can i use the same disk array as
>>raid5 on, for example, high point controller without 
>>rebuilding the array, just reattching disks to a new 
>>controller? Basically, i am asking if raid5 is a industrially 
>>standard or every manufacturer adds something to its specs.
>>
>>Artem
> 
> 
> Hmm, I'm thinking no.  In order for the new controler to work it needs to
> be setup. When new it has no config. You'd need to create a logical drive
> stripe size, array size etc from the new controller bios point of view. 
> Make sure these settings are exactly the same setup as the old controller is using.
> Usually creating a logical drive (RAID X) Is a destructive process.  I could be wrong.  
> Get a good backup first before changing controllers, then try it, and you'll have
> Nothing but time to loose.

I'm agreeing no. There's no standard for how a controller should
write RAID meta data to the disks in the array. We have moved disks
from one Compaq RAID controller to a newer model but that's because
Compaq does, in part, have it's own internal standard for storing
meta data.

Guy
-- --------------------------------------------------------------------
Guy Dawson                    I.T. Manager              Crossflight Ltd
guy at crossflight.co.uk         07973  797819                01753 776104



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