PowerEdge 2650 - RAID 5

[john]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I'm working w/4 PowerEdge 2650's with PERC RAID controllers connected to (3)
drives in a RAID 5 configuration. Apparently the end user didn't see the
need to purchase a 4th drive as a hot spare for each server. Question. If a
drive fails, with the server halt since there isn't a 4th drive to
automatically fall over to? Will this always happen, sometimes happen or
almost never happen. I need to sell the need to purchase 4 more drives.

Thanks.

John

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"John" <jbielot@nospam.algonquin-industries.com> wrote in message
news:b2BEc.6194$eH4.3776@newssvr16.news.prodigy.com...
> I'm working w/4 PowerEdge 2650's with PERC RAID controllers connected to
(3)
> drives in a RAID 5 configuration. Apparently the end user didn't see the
> need to purchase a 4th drive as a hot spare for each server. Question. If
a
> drive fails, with the server halt since there isn't a 4th drive to
> automatically fall over to? Will this always happen, sometimes happen or
> almost never happen. I need to sell the need to purchase 4 more drives.

If 1 and only 1 drive fails, the server will continue to work, but it will
be
SLOW!. When you replace the drive, depending upon how long between
the failure and the replacement, it may take a while to restore itself.

The advantage of having a hot spare, is exactly as its name implies, it will
pick
up after the other drive fails and starts to rebuild itself. This is handy
since you
necessarily do not have to do anything other than replace the failed drive.

How much data is there that will need to be restored?
If the drive dies and you cannot get a replacement for 1 or 2 days, then
mention
to the client that performance may suffer by 30% and up. Figure out
the costs of this performance hit. Don't forget that the peformance hit may
increase when you install the new drive and the RAID has to rebuild.

If a drive costs $500, and the potential loss of productivity is $200 per
hour, then
it makes alot of sense to purchase the drive if the performance hit lasts
for 2 days.

moncho

 

[Robert]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

It won't halt - it will keep running.
Running Windows 2K or 2K3?
Did they do a DOSA install & load Dell OpenManage Array Manager & Dell
OpenManage Server Assistant?

Dell have done SNAP upgrades out here - BIOS, ESM, ERA, Raid driver &
firmware & even SCSI hdd firmware.
It pays to keep them current as it would be a question if you did have a
failure.

"John" <jbielot@nospam.algonquin-industries.com> wrote in message
news:b2BEc.6194$eH4.3776@newssvr16.news.prodigy.com...
> I'm working w/4 PowerEdge 2650's with PERC RAID controllers connected to
(3)
> drives in a RAID 5 configuration. Apparently the end user didn't see the
> need to purchase a 4th drive as a hot spare for each server. Question. If
a
> drive fails, with the server halt since there isn't a 4th drive to
> automatically fall over to? Will this always happen, sometimes happen or
> almost never happen. I need to sell the need to purchase 4 more drives.
>
> Thanks.
>
> John
>
>