Creating Software Raid1

Jimi_l · 04-29-2005, 03:49 AM

Hi all,

I have two WD 250GB SATA drives, one of which has SUSE E.S. on it and the other having nothing.

I wish to build a RAID1 array using this second drive but for the life of me cannot understand the manual or find any tutprials online that make any sense. RAID1 should be a mirror, having the exact same data on both drives yet all the manuals refer to things like-

"For RAID 0 and RAID 1, at least two partitions are needed — for RAID 1, usually exactly two and no more."

And

"The RAID partitions should be stored on various hard disks"

HUH??

Using Yast or the partition manager I can make RAID partitions but what kind (the manual does not say) logical or extended and where? One would think make two partitions identical to the drive with the O/S on it and build the array on it OR turn the O/S partitions into RAID partitions but I really don't feel like trying 30 different combonations to find out.

Any ideas or tutorials would be appreciated.

Jimi_l

jschiwal · 04-29-2005, 04:37 AM

Raid 1 is the mirroring raid. However if the partitions are not of type raid, I don't know if you can convert. Normally what you do in yast, is create a partition, do not format, and select the raid type in the drop down box. Then create an identical parition on the second drive. Once this is done, you can go to the bottom of the Yast partition program and select to create a Raid partition. At this point you will add the partitions you just made to the raid device. Then you format the raid partition itself.

Jimi_l · 04-29-2005, 04:41 AM

I can start over with a new install, that is no big deal. I still am a little fuzzy on the concept.

So you are saying that essentally RAID becomes a new partition? So I would have a swap, a main partition and a RAID partition and on both disks?

Format the RAID partition after? How and why?

Thanks,

Jimi_l

jschiwal · 04-29-2005, 04:54 AM

After you create a raid partition, it shows up in the graphical partitioner probably as md0 for the first raid parition. Select it and format it as if it were a regular parition.
You probably don't want you /boot parition on a raid device. Since it is small, what I did was create the /boot partition on the first drive, and an equal sized swap partition on the second drive. You might want to make sure you back up this partition in case you need to restore it.
The swap partition(s) also isn't(aren't) raid.