Morphing From One Raid Array To Another - MSI MS-7260 User Manual

Morphing From One RAID Array to Another

In a traditional RAID environment, when a user wants to change the current state of
a disk or a current array to a new RAID configuration, the process of reconfiguring
the new array involves multiple steps. The user must back up the data, delete the
array, re-boot the PC, and then reconfigure the new array.
NVIDIA RAID allows the end user to change the current state of the disk or array to
another with a one-step process called .Morphing.. This section describes the NVIDIA
Morphing process and explains how to use Morphing to convert from one RAID array
type to another.
General M orphing Principles
NVIDIA RAID includes extensive support for morphing, a process of converting from
one RAID mode to another RAID mode.
General Requirements and Limitations
• The new array capacity must be equal to or greater than the previous array.
For example, it is possible to morph from a RAID 1 array to a RAID 0 array as long as
the RAID 0 array is the same size as (or larger than) the RAID 1 array.
• You can't morph
- To or from a JBOD (Spanning) array
- From RAID 1 to RAID 1
- From RAID 0+1 to RAID 1
Specific M orphing Requirements
The following table lists the disk requirements for a new RAID array for various
morphing combinations.
From To
RAID 0
RAID 1
RAID 0
RAID 0+1
RAID 0
RAID 1 RAID 1
RAID 0+1
RAID 0
RAID 0+1 RAID 1
RAID 0+1
RAID 0
RAID 5
RAID 1
RAID 0+1
New Array Disk Requirements
m > n
Number of disks in the new array must be greater than the original array.
m =2, n =1
RAID 1 array must include two disks, converted from a one disk RAID 0
array.
m >= 2 x n
Number of RAID 0+1 disks must be equal to or greater than twice the
number of RAID 0 disks.
No additional restrictions.
** Not a valid combination **
No additional restrictions.
m >= n2
Number of RAID 0 disks must be equal to or greater than half the number
of RAID 0+1 disks.
** Not a valid combination **
m >= n+2 ; where m must be an even number of disks.
The new array must include at least two more disks than the original
array, and can include any even number of disks beyond that.
m >= n - 1
** Not a valid combination **
m >= 2 x (n -1) ; where m is an even number of disks.
nVidia RAID
B-17