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regnak
Here To Stay
Ireland
150 Posts
Status: offline |
 Posted - 08/01/2012 : 04:02:53 AM
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Hi Folks,
Quick question - I've a virtual file server running server 2008 R2 and after it went live with 2 x 2TB data LUNs it was discovered that the LUNs are too big to snapshot (RDM's - long story!). Anyway, they need to be resized downwards ever so slightly. I've been told that resizing the LUN is not the best way forward so I'm looking to figure out a way here to move the shares to two new LUNs. What I'm thinking of doing is:
1. Present two new LUNs to the Server on different drive letters
2. Robocopy data and permissions to the new LUNs
3. Get downtime for the server, close open files, run final robocopy sync
4. swap drive letters in windows (New LUNs seize drive letters of original LUNs)
5. reboot
I'm hoping by substituting the drive letters that the share names and permissions will remain intact.
Does this sound plausible or is there a better way?
Thanks
Mike
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JeffWouters
Here To Stay
Netherlands
147 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 04:51:38 AM
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So someone gave you the advice that shrinking the LUNs was not the best way forward? Did they provide a reason for that?
MY current customer has a project right now to look at all the LUNs with a critical view (is all that storage needed for that LUN?)
We're shrinking LUNs all the time the last weeks, no problems so far... using HP EVA's and NetApp.
Note: There is a little gotcha with the HP EVA we have though: you can only shrink them with 50% max.
P.S. Your solution sounds plausible but would take a freakin' huge amount of time and effort where shrinking is a lot faster... |
Greetsz,
Jeff. |
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regnak
Here To Stay
Ireland
150 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 06:13:21 AM
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Hi Jeff,
Thanks - Shrinking is an option but we're using VMware RDM's (Raw Device Mappings) in virtual compatibility mode. I'm just a bit concerned that this operation could damage the volumes and I'd end up doing a restore. If this was physical servers I would be more likely to go down this road but with the virtual layer, from what I've read it's not recommended:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/1987872
Cheers,
Mike
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JeffWouters
Here To Stay
Netherlands
147 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 07:04:32 AM
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| Ah, didn't knew that you were using VMware... don't have a clue how it reacts to shrinking LUNs... anyone? |
Greetsz,
Jeff. |
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regnak
Here To Stay
Ireland
150 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 07:10:52 AM
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No Problem,
For safety though I'm looking for a Windows solution rather than a VMware one, hence I targeted this thread. The problem is the share names have to be unique. I can't prep them on the new volumes until the old ones are removed. I thought about using robocopy to copy just the folder structure to a temporary server, then use a tool like Hyena to copy the shares, then remove the shares from the old volumes and use Hyena once more to copy back the shares and permissions and apply them to the new volumes. Possible but messy!
Regards,
Mike
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Edited by - regnak on 08/01/2012 07:11:29 AM |
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wobble_wobble
Honorable But Hopeless Addict
Ireland
4517 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/01/2012 : 09:07:57 AM
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Mike,
What about the File Server Migration tool - http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=10268
You can migrate a RDM to VMDK, but its so so, especially at 2TB disks.
Does it have to be RDM's, or could you look at VMware Converter and get some down time to migrate the existing server and disks to new machine?
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Joe
After everything that has happened during the month of Jan 07, I do believe that pigs fly backwards!
http://whatismyv6.com/ |
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regnak
Here To Stay
Ireland
150 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/02/2012 : 09:56:22 AM
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Hi Joe,
Legacy design issues led to RDM's being used. The FSM might be worth a look though, thanks! At least we're not doing Server 2012 with 100TB volumes yet!!
Regards,
Mike |
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anthony
Moderator
USA
2373 Posts
Status: offline |
Posted - 08/02/2012 : 10:13:16 PM
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We had the same issue. Our backup software could not snapshot a 2tb volume either. Our SAN could not resize the partition (MD3000). We did the robocopy thing and it worked fine. Took hours and hours but it worked.
Edit: This was a physical machine by the way. |
anthony
There should be only one World's Greatest Dad shirt. And you should have to kill the previous owner to wear it.
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Edited by - anthony on 08/02/2012 10:14:34 PM |
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File Server Disk Resize
