That would depend on how your current hard disks are configured in RAID. if
you are using RAID 0 or RAID 5 to stripe across all three hard drives, you
might only have a single logical partition between the three of them to
backup, and a single external hard disk, either connected on USB or as
network attached storage, would suffice as an image backup. If drive 0 is
solo and drives 1 and 2 are joined using RAID 1, then only the single drive
needs imaging, since the RAID 1 pair would be mirror copies of their partner
and provide their own redundancy. If all three drives are solo, you would
have at least three logical partitions to back up, and would need to plan
for spares accordingly. A spare RAID controller equipped and configured
identically to the original and then mirrored in the OS using software
emulation of RAID 1 would work in all cases, and would require no additional
software to handle the work beyond a server operating system such as Windows
Server 2000 or later or most any flavor of Linux. Software emulation of RAID
will eat CPU cycles as opposed to hardware RAID that is handled almost
exclusively by the controller card, so keep that in mind. Hope my ramblings
have provided some ideas to aid your search for a workable data backup
solution. :)

Kenneth Whyman
[log in to unmask]
Chance favors the prepared mind.


On Mon, Mar 2, 2009 at 10:05 AM, aung-maw <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Dear Sir,
>
> I have a server  with following information...
>
> HP Model: HP Proliant G3 Server
> There are 4 slots
> 1) PCI-Ex4 : used for ethernet card
> 2) PCI-EX16: free slot. Can use for any
> 3) PCI : used for raid controller (Adaptec 2619SA  -A)
> 4) PCI: free slot.
>
> Detail of Raid controller:
> There are 6 ports. Currently used up slot0,1 & 2 to 3 SATA harddisk
> Port 0 connected to HDD1 (Maxtor 80GB SATA 3.0GB)
> Port 1 connected to HDD2 (Maxtor 80GB SATA 150)
> Port 2 connected to HDD3 (Maxtor 80GB SATA 150)
>
> operating system : Windows server 2003 enterprise.
> Main application: SCADA automation system running
>
> ### we want to clone 3 HDD for system backing up... in case of windows or
> application corrupt, and do not wish to allow downtime to restore system.
> Just wanted to replace backed up HDD replaced and go.###
>
> What is the best way to do this?
> 1) using a software to back up to external HDD, then restore it to 3 new
> HDD?
> 2) put another raid controller install and clone it ?
> I do not know above methods can work?
>
> Please advise..
>
> Thank you.
>
>
>
> Aung Maw (HP 94569849)
> Wanbin Enterprise Pte Ltd
>
>        PCBUILD maintains hundreds of useful files for download
>                    visit our download web page at:
>                 http://freepctech.com/downloads.shtml
>

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