Recovering From Cheap RAID Syndrome

In a previous post we spoke about the cost benefits of purchasing an entry level HP server, the ML115, but also how its basic on-board NVIDIA RAID functionality lacks performance and makes recovery difficult.  In this thread we discuss one method of recovery that can be used following a system board replacement.  When the system board of an ML115 is replaced, the RAID configuration is lost.  With the HP SmartArray systems, the RAID configuration is stored both on disk and on the RAID controller meaning that should either be replaced, the RAID functionality will be kept in tact.  With the inexpensive NVIDIA solution this is not the case.  If HP replace a system board under warranty then the new board will recognise the two disks in a RAID 1 mirror as separate entities.  The simple solution is to remove one of the disks and disable the RAID in the BIOS.  At this stage use a tool like Acronis True Image or Symantec Ghost to take an offline image of the disk.  You can then put both disks back into the machine and enable the RAID 1 mirror.  The image should then be restored back onto the new array.

Of course this will only work for a RAID 1 volume.  RAID 5 would be a much more complicated situation with recovery being somewhat more difficult.

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