Breaking a Mirrored Set...

I have a client who wants to run two environments (one at a time) on
our HPUX box ( 11iv1 and 11iv2 ). I recommended she buy two new drives
(73 Gb mirrored). We then install 11iv2 on the second pair of drives.
then we can shut the machine down and swap drives to change
environments.

What she proposed is to buy one drive (concerned about cost). Then she
would:

1. Pull one of the drives (we will call it "A" ) for 11iv1 out and put
in the new drive in (drive "C"). Install 11iv2 on the mirrored set of
drive C and the other half of the mirrored set (drive "B").

2. Once 11iv2 is installed. To switch back to 11iv1 she wants to take
the original drive ("A") and put it back in with it's original mirror
(drive B) and rebuild the mirror.

So changing environments would be using this drive as a mirrored drive
for both environments.

I hope that is not too confusing.

So my questions are:

1. Is this as crazy/dangerous an idea as it sounds?
2. Any better way to have one machine host 2 different OS versions (
one at a time)?
3. Any place I can get the drives for less than $600 each? (HP 9000, 73
Gb)

On 21 Dec 2006 16:47:49 -0800, Jason wrote:

>I have a client who wants to run two environments (one at a time) on
>our HPUX box ( 11iv1 and 11iv2 ). I recommended she buy two new drives
>(73 Gb mirrored). We then install 11iv2 on the second pair of drives.
>then we can shut the machine down and swap drives to change
>environments.
>
>What she proposed is to buy one drive (concerned about cost). Then she
>would:
>
>1. Pull one of the drives (we will call it "A" ) for 11iv1 out and put
>in the new drive in (drive "C"). Install 11iv2 on the mirrored set of
>drive C and the other half of the mirrored set (drive "B").
>
>2. Once 11iv2 is installed. To switch back to 11iv1 she wants to take
>the original drive ("A") and put it back in with it's original mirror
>(drive B) and rebuild the mirror.
>
>So changing environments would be using this drive as a mirrored drive
>for both environments.
>
>I hope that is not too confusing.
>
>So my questions are:
>
>1. Is this as crazy/dangerous an idea as it sounds?
>2. Any better way to have one machine host 2 different OS versions (
>one at a time)?
>3. Any place I can get the drives for less than $600 each? (HP 9000, 73
>Gb)
>


1. Yes, it is.

2. If your client will only buy one drive, it might be better to just take
out the present two drives, and install the new drive by itself. That is
risky, but you could make a tape backup. The risk is still less than
trying to constantly rebuild a mirrored set.

3. No ideas.

Aidan Grey

"Jason" <> wrote in message
news: oups.com...
>I have a client who wants to run two environments (one at a time) on
> our HPUX box ( 11iv1 and 11iv2 ). I recommended she buy two new drives
> (73 Gb mirrored). We then install 11iv2 on the second pair of drives.
> then we can shut the machine down and swap drives to change
> environments.
>
> What she proposed is to buy one drive (concerned about cost). Then she
> would:
>
> 1. Pull one of the drives (we will call it "A" ) for 11iv1 out and put
> in the new drive in (drive "C"). Install 11iv2 on the mirrored set of
> drive C and the other half of the mirrored set (drive "B").
>
> 2. Once 11iv2 is installed. To switch back to 11iv1 she wants to take
> the original drive ("A") and put it back in with it's original mirror
> (drive B) and rebuild the mirror.
>
> So changing environments would be using this drive as a mirrored drive
> for both environments.
>
> I hope that is not too confusing.
>
> So my questions are:
>
> 1. Is this as crazy/dangerous an idea as it sounds?
> 2. Any better way to have one machine host 2 different OS versions (
> one at a time)?
> 3. Any place I can get the drives for less than $600 each? (HP 9000, 73
> Gb)

1. Yes, it is. RAID is for availability of production systems. This is not
an 'available' system. No RAID is required. A good backup is. DO NOT risk
screwing the whole thing up by doing what they suggest though - leave a step
out of the procedure, and both your systems end us screwed.

2. a) VMWARE
b) Ask HP
c) not at a cost that your client will accept
d) Try an extra box from Ebay

3. Ebay. Search for the part number

wow ****
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regards, Erjo8