Time required to resync a 250GB drive in RAID 5

SouperComputer · 03-06-2005 10:42am #1

im working on a Dell "powervault" server that has dropped a drive. Its got 4x 250Gb Maxtors installed. WTF one would use maxtor in a NAS I will never know!

Any idea how long it will take to resync the new 250Gb drive in the array?

Also, is there anywhere i might be able to pickup a 250GB HD today?

TIA

Khannie · 03-06-2005 11:11am

in answer to your last question:

check www.marx-computers.com and www.hitide.ie (less likely) and the usual retailers (would try marx first myself).

Good luck.

SickBoy · 03-06-2005 11:56am

Ideally you would take the server offline and rebuild but if the data needs to be accessible during the resync then, depending on the controller and the amount of load on the server while you're trying to resync it could take up to 10hrs.

You can change the priority of the rebuild but that will affect the servers performance.

Trojan · 03-06-2005 11:56am

JimJim.

SickBoy · 03-06-2005 11:58am

That's not very helpful to SouperComputer now is it? Hello

Trojan wrote:

JimJim.

SouperComputer · 03-06-2005 12:58pm

@ trojan: howaya

Ive told them it has to go offline anyway. They have no backup (600GB of data!), so I wont be taking any chances.

Ive advised them to copy as much as they can onto the client machines just in case.

I was just wondering what kind of time to factor in to rebuild the array, so I can give them an accurate quote.

So.... if re-syncing at hardware\controller level....4hours?

ressem · 03-06-2005 1:23pm

Why use Maxtor?
Try locating 15000 rpm Scsi drives in a hurry. Let alone convincing people to buy spares, hot or otherwise.
Doesn't have to be a maxtor though does it, just greater size + faster access times (in general transfer times grow with HD size)?

At a guesstimate I'd budget for 12 hours+, based on Powervault 14 x 73GB raid 50 scsi taking 9 while dedicated to the task + the larger drive size.

Your management aren't more concerned about the artificial downtime you're imposing than reduced performance during rebuild? About as much chance of another drive failing during rebuild as with load IMO.

SouperComputer · 03-06-2005 1:56pm

yea, its crazy.

I dont work for the company as im freelance. Im using a maxtor, simply as that is what is in the array already. last thing I need is to use a different make and of course the finger is pointed at it first time somthing goes wrong!

Transfer times can increase with larger capacity, but its a misnomer. Its teh aureal desnity that counts and it isnt always increased as you go up in size. usually within a iver series they just add a platter.

ATM the server is barely usable as its taking a long time to check the parity and find what it needs, when requested.

would it really take 12 hours just to resync the one drive?

Praetorian · 03-06-2005 2:11pm

I think it should only take a couple of hours if you increase the priority to high. Let the client users know the servers response for data will be sluggish until the drive installation is complete.

I had to replace a drive on a fugitsu siemens server recently, raid 5 array with many 75 gig 10,000 rpm maxtors. It only took about 20 minutes (very fast server though).

Capt'n Midnight · 03-06-2005 4:02pm

SouperComputer wrote:

They have no backup (600GB of data!), so I wont be taking any chances.

:eek:
Would they consider a very large IDE drive as well to backup onto across the network ?

prob a bit late - http://www.jaguarcompsys.ie/components/index.htm#hd
they have a 300GB ide - but chances are they don't have it or any SCSI's in stock.

Time required to resync a 250GB drive in RAID 5

Comments