Intel RAID 5 Migration

[OVerLoRDI]

I currently have a RAID 5 configured across 4x 2TB drives. This is through Intel's H77 chipset. I want to move the array to an Z77 motherboard. Is there anything I need to do to make sure it works properly? My googling gave me lots of bad news, but those all seemed to be moving it from a completely different controller to another. I have about 3.5TB of data on the array, so backing it all up would be extremely difficult, I don't have enough storage available (have about 600GB available on my other machines)

Thanks,

 

[imagoon]

I though H77 and Z77 disk was close or the same and should just move over. Of course if you value that data, you need to back it up. One missed setting during the move and you might find yourself with pile of blanks disks. RAID isn't a backup solution and you shouldn't rely on it to be so.

 

[Cerb]

If the data is valuable, the cost of being able to have copies should be included in the cost of increasing your data usage to that amount. If it can be recreated easily, then a lost array is a minor issue. In-place RAID > 0 is generally more resilient than a single drive, but in the case of migrating a RAID array, or really, any change to the RAID configuration, carries more risk than with a single drive (though recovery from a bad RAID 1 move is typically much easier than any other). Common practice has been to make a whole new computer, and move the data over to a fresh new array on that new computer.

However, you should just be able to move it over and use it, and Intels are generally good about moving to newer chipsets, as well.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Well the data isn't valuable financially or emotionally, just difficult to replace.

So what im gathering is that it shouldn't be an issue, but it is a bit risky.

My next question is what is the actual process to move the array. Just plug it into to the new motherboard and then?

 

[Dr-Kiev]

Newer controller won't start initializing nor rebuilding without your permission, so you can try to connect. Everything depend on Firmware.
In any case, you can save array service data (around few Mb ) stored on the back of each drive, if it be spoiled and you will need to roll it back.

 

[Emulex]

the RIS data should be located on the disk drives, assuming they are all tagged and have unique WWN's, then yeah, plug-in and boot.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Alright, thanks guys. I'll give it a shot once the rest of my new hardware arrives on Monday and report back.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Finally got around to doing the swap over. Extremely easy, just plugged in the drives to the new motherboard and the controller picked all the drives up as "member disks" of the RAID and I was up and running.

Only weirdness was a Windows thing. All the files came up as Read-Only, so I had to reset that to be able to change any files on the volume.

 

[imagoon]

Most likely a SID mismatch. Your new account didn't have read access to the files.