ML350 Questions

[theboyrob]

I deal with a few customers with ML350/370 servers and have a few queries if anyone can help!

1. If any of the servers had problems booting, how would I repair the windows installation? The usual boot from the windows cd, have the raid drivers on a floppy and run a repair? Or can you boot from the smartstart cd, follow through as if you were going to do a fresh install and repair that way.

2. Most of the servers have a RAID1 for the boot drive and RAID5 for the data with a spare covering both arrays. If one of the drives failed would the server automatically use the spare and rebuild without any downtime? How would it alert of any problems. And how would you go about changing the drive? As the server has used the spare drive, would you fit the new drive and enter the array configuration and set the new drive as the spare?

Thanks!

 

[iaind]

1 - I've never had to repair a server OS installation as by the nature of them, they are much less prone to ****-ups than a desktop. If you get into serious problems I'd normally advocate a clean re-install and restore of the data from a backup

2 - Thats correct, the controller would grab the hot spare drive and rebuild the array. Normally the replaced disk would become the hot space but I think it depends on the controller

 

[Origin]

How would it alert of any problems.

Install Systems Insight Manager to send alerts to someone (you?) and it will tell you when things are going to go wrong or have gone wrong.

There is a CD in the box with every 300 series server and above. If you don't have lost it or thrown it out then go to www.hp.com/go/sim for a free download.