Jump to content

Rebuilding a RAID 5 Array in Linux SUSE server?

Vitalius
 Share
Posted

Hi guys,

My company has a server running on Linux SUSE 11 (something or other) in RAID 5 with 4 x 1TB drives. 

One of them failed and we replaced it with a new one. However, the guy who set up this server is gone now and we are lost on how to rebuild the array. It's prompted us with something regarding "repair the partition?"

Very vague, I know, but I'm kind of completely lost on how to fix this. Any help is appreciated. 

We have a backup server running as the primary one atm, but it's set in "read only" so no one can mess with it. 

Any help is appreciated, and this is a sort of high priority thing. 

Thanks,
Vitalius

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

Found this page.

 

That looks like it is what I need, but not sure on how SuSE works. :|

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Ok, I'm going to dust of my old Linux Suse book to see if I can find anything. I am not promising anything, since the book is about Suse 7 or 8 i think.

Nova doctrina terribilis sit perdere

Audio format guides: Vinyl records | Cassette tapes

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

Found this page.

 

That looks like it is what I need, but not sure on how SuSE works. :|

 

^ Could possibly work. It is set up in Software RAID apparently.

Ok, I'm going to dust of my old Linux Suse book to see if I can find anything. I am not promising anything, since the book is about Suse 7 or 8 i think.

Thank you. :)

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

When you get the "repair partion" prompt, is it in Linux Suse or is it when the raidcard is initializing?

My bad on the RAID card thing. It does have a dedicated RAID card but it uses Software RAID. Which I find confusing, but the guy who set it up was... kinda crazy.

They were able to remove the old drive from the RAID with the GUI and added the new drive, but the problem is that it isn't re-mirroring/rebuilding the Array now that the new drive is installed. They are all the same drive/model. We are having issues with it.

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

My bad on the RAID card thing. It does have a dedicated RAID card but it uses Software RAID. Which I find confusing, but the guy who set it up was... kinda crazy.

They were able to remove the old drive from the RAID with the GUI and added the new drive, but the problem is that it isn't re-mirroring/rebuilding the Array now that the new drive is installed. They are all the same drive/model. We are having issues with it.

I just wanted to know, since it would limit the troubleshooting. 

 

Are you able to identify the drive within Linux Suse? It sounds like there might be a formating conflict. The drives in the array might be formatted diffrently from the new drive.  

Nova doctrina terribilis sit perdere

Audio format guides: Vinyl records | Cassette tapes

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

I just wanted to know, since it would limit the troubleshooting. 

 

Are you able to identify the drive within Linux Suse? It sounds like there might be a formating conflict. The drives in the array might be formatted diffrently from the new drive.  

This is what my IT Manager said about the current situation:

 

 We removed the old HDD and replaced it with the new one. It was recognized by the system and the system is up and running. We can access the upper level file structure (i.e. files and folders in the root directory), but if we open those folders, there aren't any folders or files within them. If we reboot the system, all the files and folders are there for a time, but then they disappear and only the files/folders in the root directory are accessible. 

Pretend the RAID array is drive letter C. We can see any file/folder within C:\, but if we open a folder, there is never anything in C:\[folder]\ except right after a reboot and that's temporary.

Of the 4 drives, Drive 3 failed and Drive 4 has thrown a SMART warning. Drive 1 and 2 are fine. 

The problem is simply that we don't know why the lower files are inaccessible. It could be because the system is re-mirroring to the new drive for redundancy to sustain the RAID 5 array, or it could be because Drive 4 is on it's way out, but we don't know which it is. 

We usually use Windows Server versions as the OS, and this server is relatively old, so we aren't sure how Linux works while it's re-mirroring a drive. That's why this is an issue.

 

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

We usually use Windows Server versions as the OS, and this server is relatively old, so we aren't sure how Linux works while it's re-mirroring a drive. That's why this is an issue.

 

I don't know about Suse, but Solaris does take a very long time to build/rebuild a raid arrays.

 

It does sound like drive 4 is dying, but if you are still able to access files on the drive you should be able to rebuild the array.

Nova doctrina terribilis sit perdere

Audio format guides: Vinyl records | Cassette tapes

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

I don't know about Suse, but Solaris does take a very long time to build/rebuild a raid arrays.

 

It does sound like drive 4 is dying, but if you are still able to access files on the drive you should be able to rebuild the array.

Well, the server in total has 4TB, so if I am to imagine that the replaced Drive 3 is writing at it's maximum capabilities (let's say 100MB/s), it would take around 10,000 seconds to write 1TB if it were full. 

Then again, I don't know the limitations of RAID at all, especially when one is being built. 

Hmm, thank you. I'll let them know.

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

Well, just as an update, the folders are slowly starting to come back. It appears to be rebuilding as it should. Taking forever, as expected.

Thanks again @Volbet. 

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Ok, I have looked through my book and I can't seem to find anything that relates to your prooblem. Sorry, I hope you sort it out.

Nova doctrina terribilis sit perdere

Audio format guides: Vinyl records | Cassette tapes

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted
  • Author

Ok, I have looked through my book and I can't seem to find anything that relates to your prooblem. Sorry, I hope you sort it out.

Dat timing lol. 

Look at the post above you. :)

† Christian Member †

For my pertinent links to guides, reviews, and anything similar, go here, and look under the spoiler labeled such. A brief history of Unix and it's relation to OS X by Builder.

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
Posted

Well, just as an update, the folders are slowly starting to come back. It appears to be rebuilding as it should. Taking forever, as expected.

Thanks again @Volbet. 

It does take forever. Atleast I know Solaris have to check the integrity of every file multiple time and compare them to eachother, to make that file redundant. I toke me about a week to rebuild a raid 6 array with 20TB of data oon them 

Nova doctrina terribilis sit perdere

Audio format guides: Vinyl records | Cassette tapes

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing Storage Devices

×