Forum Discussion

Sajid_Siddiqui's avatar
Sajid_Siddiqui
Level 4
13 years ago

Storage Foundation 5.1

Hi,

 

I am using SFHA for windows i HP storage but i need to replace HP with NetApp for this i mirrored both volumes after successful mirrored i break the volume. when i break the HP volume from mirror now its added in a Volume now i want to move this OLD volume to another DG for this i need to SPLIT DG but when i am trying to split it gives me error. My question is before split the DG can i down the DG and then split the DG??

I need a procudure

 

Regards.

Sajid

business continuity
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Storage Foundation for Windows
  • mikebounds's avatar
    mikebounds
    13 years ago

    As Jay says you should remove drive letters from volumes on the old array - (in GUI right click on volume and choose "File System" and then "Change Drive Letter and Path"), but on saying this, the SFW admin guide says:

     

    Error message about forcing a split or join operation
    If you attempt a dynamic disk group split or join command when a volume is in
    use, Veritas Storage Foundation for Windows puts up a message asking whether
    you want to force the split or join. If the volume is in use because it is selected in
    Windows Explorer, then you can force the split or join safely. However, if the
    volume is actually in use within an application, it is not recommended that you
    attempt to complete the command. If a volume is regenerating, resynching, or
    recovering, then even if you force the split or join, the operation is not
    successful.
    So this implies it should still work if drive letters are assigned and even if the drives are being used.  Did you get this message about forcing split?
     
    Also make sure you are splitting the right way, i.e you are splitting off disks in old array, not splitting of disks in the new array as presumebly disks in the new array are in use and are under VCS control.
    If you are still having issues, then please provide output of vxprint command and a list of the disks & volumes you are trying to split off.
     
    Note you may not need to split the diskgroup if you are just keeping them for a week - you could leave volumes in the same diskgroup and just remove drive letters so they can't be modified.
     
    Mike
     
     
  • mikebounds's avatar
    mikebounds
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    As Jay says you should remove drive letters from volumes on the old array - (in GUI right click on volume and choose "File System" and then "Change Drive Letter and Path"), but on saying this, the SFW admin guide says:

     

    Error message about forcing a split or join operation
    If you attempt a dynamic disk group split or join command when a volume is in
    use, Veritas Storage Foundation for Windows puts up a message asking whether
    you want to force the split or join. If the volume is in use because it is selected in
    Windows Explorer, then you can force the split or join safely. However, if the
    volume is actually in use within an application, it is not recommended that you
    attempt to complete the command. If a volume is regenerating, resynching, or
    recovering, then even if you force the split or join, the operation is not
    successful.
    So this implies it should still work if drive letters are assigned and even if the drives are being used.  Did you get this message about forcing split?
     
    Also make sure you are splitting the right way, i.e you are splitting off disks in old array, not splitting of disks in the new array as presumebly disks in the new array are in use and are under VCS control.
    If you are still having issues, then please provide output of vxprint command and a list of the disks & volumes you are trying to split off.
     
    Note you may not need to split the diskgroup if you are just keeping them for a week - you could leave volumes in the same diskgroup and just remove drive letters so they can't be modified.
     
    Mike
     
     
  • Jay_Kim's avatar
    Jay_Kim
    Level 5
    13 years ago

    If the error message says that volumes are in use, I can only assume the old volume that you are trying to split off into a new diskgroup is currently mounted with a drive letter (and possibly be in use by some app). Make sure no app is using the old volume, remove the drive letter from that volume and then try to split the diskgroup again.

    To answer your first post's question about "down the DG", I assume you mean offline the diskgroup from the cluster and deporting the diskgroup? If so, answer is no. You cannot split a DG while it's in a deported state.

  • Sajid_Siddiqui's avatar
    Sajid_Siddiqui
    Level 4
    13 years ago

    Yes i want to keep the old volume for atleast one week. and yes when i try to split the volume the error says  the volumes are in use.

    Now what to do?

     

    Sajid

  • mikebounds's avatar
    mikebounds
    Level 6
    13 years ago

    Normally when you are migrating from one array to another you remove the plex on the array.  Is there a reason you are breaking mirror and not removing mirror - do you want to keep the copy on the old array which is why you are spliting into a separate DG.

    Why is the split failing - common reasons are there are other volumes or bitmaps on the disks you are trying to split off, or volumes on the disks you are trying to split off are in use (mounted).

    Mike