HP P4000 9.0 HP StorageWorks P4000 SAN Solution User Guide - Page 57

Using RAID for data redundancy, Using Network RAID in a cluster - lost disk

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Using RAID for data redundancy Within each storage system, RAID 1 or RAID 10 ensures that two copies of all data exist. If one of the disks in a RAID pair goes down, data reads and writes continue on the other disk. Similarly, RAID 5, RAID 50, or RAID 6 provides redundancy by spreading parity evenly across the disks in the set. If one disk in a RAID 5 set, or two disks in a RAID 6 set goes down, data reads and writes continue on the remaining disks in the set. In RAID 50, up to one disk in each RAID 5 set can go down, and data reads and writes continue on the remaining disks. RAID protects against failure of disks within a storage system, but not against failure of an entire storage system. For example, if network connectivity to the storage system is lost, then data reads and writes to the storage system cannot continue. NOTE: If you plan on using clusters with only a single storage system, use RAID 1 and RAID 10, RAID 5, or RAID 6 to ensure data redundancy within that storage system. Using Network RAID in a cluster A cluster is a group of storage systems across which data can be protected by using Network RAID. Network RAID protects against the failure of a RAID disk set within a storage system, failure of an entire storage system or external failures like networking or power. For example, if an entire storage system in a cluster becomes unavailable, data reads and writes continue because the missing data can be obtained from the other storage systems. Using disk RAID with Network RAID in a cluster Always use Network RAID in a cluster to protect volumes across storage systems. The redundancy provided by RAID 10, RAID 5, RAID 50, or RAID 6 ensures availability at the storage system level. Using Network RAID for volumes in a cluster ensures availability at the cluster level. For example: • Using Network RAID, up to three copies of a volume can be created on a cluster of three storage systems. The Network RAID configuration ensures that two of the three storage systems can go offline and the volume is still accessible. • Configuring RAID 10 on these storage systems means that each of these three copies of the volume is stored on two disks within the storage system, for a total of six copies of each volume. For a 50 GB volume, 300 GB of disk capacity is used. RAID 5 and RAID 50 use less disk capacity than RAID 1 or RAID 10, so they can be combined with Network RAID and still use capacity efficiently. One benefit of configuring RAID 5 or RAID 50 in storage systems that use Network RAID in a cluster is that if a single disk goes down, the data on that storage system can be rebuilt using RAID instead of requiring a complete copy from another storage system in the cluster. Rebuilding the disks within a single set is faster and creates less of a performance impact to applications accessing data than copying data from another storage system in the cluster. RAID 6 provides similar space benefits to RAID 5, with the additional protection of being able to survive the loss of up to two drives. P4000 SAN Solution user guide 57

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Using RAID for data redundancy
Within each storage system, RAID 1 or RAID 10 ensures that two copies of all data exist. If one of
the disks in a RAID pair goes down, data reads and writes continue on the other disk. Similarly, RAID
5, RAID 50, or RAID 6 provides redundancy by spreading parity evenly across the disks in the set.
If one disk in a RAID 5 set, or two disks in a RAID 6 set goes down, data reads and writes continue
on the remaining disks in the set. In RAID 50, up to one disk in each RAID 5 set can go down, and
data reads and writes continue on the remaining disks.
RAID protects against failure of disks within a storage system, but not against failure of an entire
storage system. For example, if network connectivity to the storage system is lost, then data reads and
writes to the storage system cannot continue.
NOTE:
If you plan on using clusters with only a single storage system, use RAID 1 and RAID 10, RAID 5, or
RAID 6 to ensure data redundancy within that storage system.
Using Network RAID in a cluster
A cluster is a group of storage systems across which data can be protected by using Network RAID.
Network RAID protects against the failure of a RAID disk set within a storage system, failure of an
entire storage system or external failures like networking or power. For example, if an entire storage
system in a cluster becomes unavailable, data reads and writes continue because the missing data
can be obtained from the other storage systems.
Using disk RAID with Network RAID in a cluster
Always use Network RAID in a cluster to protect volumes across storage systems. The redundancy
provided by RAID 10, RAID 5, RAID 50, or RAID 6 ensures availability at the storage system level.
Using Network RAID for volumes in a cluster ensures availability at the cluster level. For example:
Using Network RAID, up to three copies of a volume can be created on a cluster of three storage
systems. The Network RAID configuration ensures that two of the three storage systems can go
offline and the volume is still accessible.
Configuring RAID 10 on these storage systems means that each of these three copies of the volume
is stored on two disks within the storage system, for a total of six copies of each volume. For a 50
GB volume, 300 GB of disk capacity is used.
RAID 5 and RAID 50 use less disk capacity than RAID 1 or RAID 10, so they can be combined with
Network RAID and still use capacity efficiently. One benefit of configuring RAID 5 or RAID 50 in
storage systems that use Network RAID in a cluster is that if a single disk goes down, the data on that
storage system can be rebuilt using RAID instead of requiring a complete copy from another storage
system in the cluster. Rebuilding the disks within a single set is faster and creates less of a performance
impact to applications accessing data than copying data from another storage system in the cluster.
RAID 6 provides similar space benefits to RAID 5, with the additional protection of being able to
survive the loss of up to two drives.
P4000 SAN Solution user guide
57