Converting Between Raid 0 Cvt And Raid 5 Cvt Formats - Adaptec AHA-3980 User Manual

To use a different disk as the spare disk, you must also redefine the
array. When the prompt asks if you want to choose spares, type y
(yes); then select the new spare(s).
In both cases, you need not reformat the array.
Converting between RAID 0 CVT
and RAID 5 CVT Formats
The RAID 0 CVT and RAID 5 CVT formats are the same as the
RAID 0 and RAID 5 formats, but you can convert a RAID 5 CVT
array to a RAID 0 CVT array and back again without loss of data
and without reformatting. This feature is useful when you need to
write a large quantity of data to a RAID 5 array—for example, if you
are restoring data from tape to the array. If the array uses the RAID 5
CVT format, you can convert it to the RAID 0 CVT format before
you begin writing the data. With its high write performance, the
RAID 0 CVT format allows you to transfer the data more quickly.
Once the data is transferred, you can convert back to the safer (that
is, fault-tolerant) RAID 5 CVT format.
Note:
If you convert a RAID 5 CVT array with spares to a
RAID 0 CVT array, the RAID 0 CVT array retains the spares,
but they are not usable. When you convert the array back to
a RAID 5 CVT array, the spares can again be used.
To convert between formats, follow these steps:
1
If the system has only one array, skip to step 2. Otherwise,
from the System menu select the array you want to convert.
The Main menu for that array appears.
2
From the Main menu, select Convert RAID Level. The Con-
vert menu appears.
3
Select Convert to RAID 0 CVT or Convert to RAID 5 CVT.
The Configuration Overview screen appears, showing the cur-
rent configuration of the array. At the bottom of the screen, the
prompt Enter background priority (0-9) appears.
4
Indicate the priority by typing a number from 0 through 9 (0
assigns it the lowest priority; 9, the highest). Another prompt
appears, asking you to confirm you want to continue.
Creating and Managing Arrays
Stock Number: 510685-00, Rev. A
Print Spec Number: 493069-00
Current Date: 3/3/99
Changing Array Configurations
7-7
Page: 7-7
ECN Date: 3/28/95