Extend SAN disk of a 2-node cluster Exchange server
I have a two node clustered Exchange 2003 Enterprise server (sp1) connected to a HP EVA SAN, where the transaction logs and database files sit on different disks. The Exchange server has one Storage Group and 3 mailbox stores on three different drive letters. One of the mailbox stores is on a drive that is 200 GB size and the priv.edb file is at 178 GB. Now I have to increase the 200 GB volume.
My SAN admin tells me that he will need to un-present the disk/volume from my host to expand it and then re-present the disk/volume to my host. At this point I can use diskpart.exe to extend the volume. We’ve done this procedure on a file server without any problems.
In a clustered Exchange environment what would you recommend.
1. Shut down all other nodes except the active one. Then, shut down all the Exchange services using the Cluster administrator. Then shut down the cluster service. The SAN Admin does his thing. Then I use diskpart. Bring up the cluster service online and then the Exchange services.
2. Shut down all other nodes except the active one. Then, shut down all the Exchange services using the Cluster administrator. Then shut down the cluster service. The SAN Admin does his thing. Then I use diskpart. Bring up the cluster service online and then reboot.
3. Shut down all other nodes except the active one. Then, shut down all the Exchange services using the Cluster administrator. Then shut down the cluster service. The SAN Admin does his thing. Then I use diskpart. Reboot.
4. Shut down all other nodes except the active one. Leave the Exchange services and the cluster service running. Then, dismount store that holds the priv.edb file. The SAN Admin does his thing. Then I use diskpart. Mount the store.
Are there any issues extending a disk (disk resource) in a SAN environment that you might be aware of?
Thanks in advance,
Anthony.
Software/Hardware used:
Software/Hardware used:
ASKED:
October 10, 2008 5:04 PM
UPDATED:
October 20, 2008 5:45 PM
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Answer Wiki:
You shouldn't need to shut anything down. You also shouldn't need to remove the LUN from the hosts either.
On many occasions I have extended LUNs which were presented to active hosts running SQL Server without stopping the database much less removing the LUN from the host. Unless the EVA has a requirement to do this (which it shouldn't) there shouldn't be any reason to not extend the LUN while Exchange is running.
Simply tell the SAN to extend the LUN.
Launch diskpart and rescan on the node which is controlling the LUN.
After diskpart finishes the rescan, extend the volume to fill the drive.
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Mr Denny is correct. I have an EVA6000 and all your need to do is increase the lun size, rescan disks in windows and run diskpart. Done.
The only limitation here is the 2TB limit per LUN from the SCSI standard that the FC SAN inherits. But you’re nowhere near that and hopefully never will have to worry about that.
BTW it’s probably time to think about an archiving product- 200GB exchange info stores are a bad idea from a recovery standpoint- yikes!