Home Lab Off-Host Backup Device
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@DustinB3403 said:
So the recommended solution is setup another XenServer host with this box, and build a VM that has full access to the RAID 10.
I'm curious, how would I build the array on a VM, since I don't have a hardware RAID controller to do it at the Host level.
No, do nothing of the sort. This is what I call "being weird." I can't define it but you can feel it. In SE it's called "smelling bad."
Why are you doing anything abnormal here? Install XenServer on a RAID 10 array, make a VM. Done. Never give VMs access to make RAID arrays. That's fundamentally not how virtualization is meant to work.
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@dafyre said:
You would configure the RAID 10 using XenServer's gui at the Hypervisor level...
Then just install the File Server VM as a regular single disk vm.
Exactly. Same way you would do this in any other instance. The problem comes, I assume, but feeling like this is a special case ... but it is not. It is just a normal VM on a normal hypervisor doing a normal task. Treat it like an normal VM.
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OK than how do you build the Software Array at the host level using XenServer? Any guides I can follow?
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@DustinB3403 said:
OK than how do you build the Software Array at the host level using XenServer? Any guides I can follow?
Identical to normal CentOS, as you will be doing it from the CentOS CLI.
Here are some guides:
https://blog.linuxnet.ch/xenserver-software-raid/
https://major.io/2012/01/16/xenserver-6-storage-repository-on-software-raid/ -
@scottalanmiller said:
@dafyre said:
You would configure the RAID 10 using XenServer's gui at the Hypervisor level...
Then just install the File Server VM as a regular single disk vm.
Exactly. Same way you would do this in any other instance. The problem comes, I assume, but feeling like this is a special case ... but it is not. It is just a normal VM on a normal hypervisor doing a normal task. Treat it like an normal VM.
Uh, I don't know about Dustin, But I've never used a hypervisor to make the array, I've always used hardware to make the array, and the hypervisor sees what the hardware presents as a single large disk.
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@Dashrender said:
Uh, I don't know about Dustin, But I've never used a hypervisor to make the array, I've always used hardware to make the array, and the hypervisor sees what the hardware presents as a single large disk.
Maybe because you are coming from the VMware world where that is the only option? The lack of enterprise software RAID is unique to VMware.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@Dashrender said:
Uh, I don't know about Dustin, But I've never used a hypervisor to make the array, I've always used hardware to make the array, and the hypervisor sees what the hardware presents as a single large disk.
Maybe because you are coming from the VMware world where that is the only option? The lack of enterprise software RAID is unique to VMware.
But you wouldn't use MS's software RAID either, right?
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@Dashrender said:
But you wouldn't use MS's software RAID either, right?
No, but that's a unique case in software RAID.
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Well, that's two of the three common hypervisors that don't have viable software RAID solutions.
It's easier to say that only XenServer has this function, than to say the others don't.
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@Dashrender said:
It's easier to say that only XenServer has this function, than to say the others don't.
I suppose. Except it is XenServer and KVM that have full enterprise software RAID and if you are on HyperV and don't have hardware then this is what you do regardless, so effectively it has it in the same way that Windows does. It's uniquely VMware that lacks software RAID conceptually.
People do HyperV software RAID quite commonly and Microsoft is pushing it hard. That's the entire drive behind Storage Spaces and Storage Spaces Direct.
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I've successfully used Windows Software raid on data drives on a number of servers... But I've had boot drives get out of sync somehow, I never did figure out what happened. But I never had a single issue with Windows Software Raid on Data drives.
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@scottalanmiller said:
@DustinB3403 said:
OK than how do you build the Software Array at the host level using XenServer? Any guides I can follow?
Identical to normal CentOS, as you will be doing it from the CentOS CLI.
Here are some guides:
https://blog.linuxnet.ch/xenserver-software-raid/
https://major.io/2012/01/16/xenserver-6-storage-repository-on-software-raid/Sorry playing catch up. So the first link is to build a Software RAID out of an existing system, correct? The second link is to create a new Array on XenServer.
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@DustinB3403 said:
The second link is to create a new Array on XenServer.
He takes an installed XenServer system (installed to the first disk) and makes a RAID array using that with additional disks.
If you install to USB, the steps are that much easier.
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In my case, I'd likely follow this process https://major.io/2012/01/16/xenserver-6-storage-repository-on-software-raid/
Being a new build, and I always install to USB if I have the choice.
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Right, so install to USB then just RAID the drives, no need to LVM or make partitions or anything. Do MD RAID right at the device level.
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You may need this if you're using 6.5 and not a USB.
https://techblog.jeppson.org/2015/02/convert-xenserver-6-5-to-software-raid-1/
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Did you get a chance to pursue this project yet?
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@scottalanmiller Planning to start it this week.
I'm still finding parts to use. Trying to be as cost conscious as possible as this is only my home lab. (and the significant other gets testy when I want to "buy toys")
