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Vel's avatar
Vel
Level 3
14 years ago
Solved

Migrating Windows Disk management to SFW

Hi, I need to install SFW 5.1 on Windows 2008 which is already running with dynamic disks(on Windows disk managment). Please let me know the steps to migrate the dynamic groups to SFW and after how can i expand the volume.

business continuity
Storage Foundation for Windows
  • joseph_dangelo's avatar
    joseph_dangelo
    14 years ago

    Vel,

    SFW does allow for the creation of disk group with the option of Windows Disk Management Disk Group. In the case of Windows 2008 you can control both disk groups that were created using MS disk management and with SFW from the VEA gui. MDM disk groups can coexist with SFW disk groups.

    That being said, you should not have to manipulate the Disk Group in anyway to allow for volume expansion. MDM/LVM is actually a derivitive of Volume Manager for Windows and as such integrates with Windows Disk Groups.

    Here is an excerpt from the SFW 5.1 SP2 Admin Guide:

    "On Windows Server 2008, there are two different types of dynamic disk groups, the Microsoft Disk Management Disk Group and the SFW dynamic disk group. The Microsoft Disk Management Disk Group is a disk group that can be created by Microsoft Disk Management. In the VEA GUI, this type of disk group is distinguished with an icon containing the character "M". In addition to the SFW disk groups, SFW can also create and manage the Microsoft Disk Management Disk Group."

    https://sort.symantec.com/public/documents/sfha/5.1sp2/windows/productguides/pdf/SFW_Admin_51SP2.pdf

    Hope this helps,

    Joe D

  • joseph_dangelo's avatar
    joseph_dangelo
    Level 6
    14 years ago

    Vel,

    SFW does allow for the creation of disk group with the option of Windows Disk Management Disk Group. In the case of Windows 2008 you can control both disk groups that were created using MS disk management and with SFW from the VEA gui. MDM disk groups can coexist with SFW disk groups.

    That being said, you should not have to manipulate the Disk Group in anyway to allow for volume expansion. MDM/LVM is actually a derivitive of Volume Manager for Windows and as such integrates with Windows Disk Groups.

    Here is an excerpt from the SFW 5.1 SP2 Admin Guide:

    "On Windows Server 2008, there are two different types of dynamic disk groups, the Microsoft Disk Management Disk Group and the SFW dynamic disk group. The Microsoft Disk Management Disk Group is a disk group that can be created by Microsoft Disk Management. In the VEA GUI, this type of disk group is distinguished with an icon containing the character "M". In addition to the SFW disk groups, SFW can also create and manage the Microsoft Disk Management Disk Group."

    https://sort.symantec.com/public/documents/sfha/5.1sp2/windows/productguides/pdf/SFW_Admin_51SP2.pdf

    Hope this helps,

    Joe D

  • Wally_Heim's avatar
    Wally_Heim
    Level 6
    14 years ago

    Hi Vel,

    Joe is right on the money with what he stated.  However, if you still want to change the Windows Dynamic Diskgroups to SFW Dynamic Diskgroups, you just need to right click on them and select upgrade diskgroup.

    Keep in mind that the only exception to this, is that you cannot convert/upgrade the diskgroup to SFW dynamic diskgroups if the boot or system volumes are in the Windows Dynamic diskgroup.  Basically if it contains the C: drive then it cannot be upgraded.

    Expanding the volumes are a simple matter of right clicking on the volume and selecting resize volume. 

    Again, their are some issues with the boot and system volumes.  These volumes are limited by Microsoft to only be expanded to contigous diskspace.  In other words, they have to expanded to diskspace on the same physical drive that is immediately after the C: drive ends.

    Thanks,

    Wally

  • Vel's avatar
    Vel
    Level 3
    14 years ago

    Thanks for your detailed description about the disk groups. It really helped me to install VERITAS but i m facing issues while expanding RIAD 5 volumes unable to expand it. Any suggestions pls..

  • Vel's avatar
    Vel
    Level 3
    14 years ago

    Thanks Wally. Hope this Upgrade disk group option will work, let me try..Thanks again.

  • Vel's avatar
    Vel
    Level 3
    14 years ago

    I have a doubt without upgrading the dynamic disk groups to SFW expansion not possible ?

  • joseph_dangelo's avatar
    joseph_dangelo
    Level 6
    14 years ago

    Can you provide some additional detail around the issue you are facing while trying to expand a RAID-5 volume?  Does VEA give you a specific error? 

  • Wally_Heim's avatar
    Wally_Heim
    Level 6
    14 years ago

    Hi Vel,

    RAID 5 volumes can be expanded.  Most customers run into a problem in that they are not trying to add enough luns to expand a RAID5 volume. 

    For example, if you recreate a RAID 5 volume using 3 luns initially and you add a new lun to expand the RAID 5 volume to, then it will fail.  However, if you add 3 new luns then will be able to expand the RAID 5 volume.  Similarly, if the RAID 5 volume was initially with 5 luns then 5 new luns need to be added to expand the RAID 5 volume.

    Hopefully, that helps point you to your problem. If not please provide more details on what your issue is.

    Thanks,

    Wally

  • Vel's avatar
    Vel
    Level 3
    14 years ago

    Hi Wally,

    I understood your point. Even after upgrading the volume to VSF dynamic group failing to expand the volume. Here the situation we struck,

    Error V-76-58645-260
    Either no disk space is available on your dynamic disks or the
    configuration is not valid to complete this operation.

    15 LUN x 100 GB already located in the RAID 5 Volume. (Not sure how intially setup was)
    We are trying to expand the volume with 1 LUN x 100 GB.

    Thanks.

  • Wally_Heim's avatar
    Wally_Heim
    Level 6
    14 years ago

    Hi Vel,

    In SFW, you will need to check how many columns make up your RAID 5 volume.  In order to expand and SFW RAID 5 volume you will need to add addtitional luns so that each column can be expanded.  For example, if your RAID 5 volume has 3 columns then you will need to add 3 new LUNs to expand the volume.  If your RAID 5 volume has 5 columns then you will need to add 5 new LUNs to expand the volume.

    You can find out how many columns are in your SFW RAID 5 volume byright clicking on the volume in VEA and selecting "Properties".  While you are at the properties dialog box local the Columns entry.  This will let you know the number of LUNs that you need to add to expand the RAID 5 set.

    Thanks,

    Wally

  • Wally_Heim's avatar
    Wally_Heim
    Level 6
    14 years ago

    Hi Vel,

    If you still have problems please post a screenshot of your volume's Properties page.

    Thanks,

    Wally