I have a server with a 3Ware 9650SE 8 port controller. I had an 8 drive raid 5 array with a hot spare drive as part of the array of roughly 3.87 TB in size. When I signed into the server today, I found that I have now TWO arrays – 1 array with all drives ok, but the hot spare is no longer a member, and a second array with only the host spare in the array (same size) with only the hot spare marked as good and all the other drives (which are OK members in the other array) marked as degraded.
I have a backup, but its uncertain if its corrupted.
Any advice on what caused this to happen. What to do next? should I delete the second array and merge the drive back into the functioning array?
Best Answer
Pretty strange (to say the least).
It sounds like someone (or something) has cause your RAID volume to split. If anyone else has admin authority over this device, I'd ask them if they might have inadvertently reconfigured the volume (maybe they thought they were looking when in fact they were changing). In any event, your primary RAID volume is in degraded mode because it no longer has a hot-spare.
I'd first make absolutely certain I have a 100% good backup (preferably a bare metal backup). The try to re-add the spare to primary RAID volume (the 3.87 TB) volume. You will probably have to delete the goofey new volume before the 3Ware controller will allow this operation.
WARNING: 3.87 TB is big and it will likely take you several days to recover from tape if you need to rebuild your primary RAID volume. If you can wait until Friday @ 5pm (assuming you're organization is not 24x7) and do the work, that would be the best choice. This way if you are forced to recover from backups, you'll have the weekend.
Jim C. http://www.kleobackup.net