Questions concerning multiple OS and RAID-1

[Rick Stevens]

Fred Nussbaum wrote:
> Hi I hope someone has the answer to the next question.

I'll try.

> I'm looking for a way to use a server with three OSes,
> WITH ALL OSes USING (software) RAID-1. 
> To be specific: Windows 2003 server, SuSe Professional
> and Fedora Core 3.

Oh, gawd!  W2K3.  Using their software RAID?

> The machine works with an Intel SE7520JR2 board and
> two SATA disk of equal size.
> 
> The options I've come up with are as follows:
> 
> A)
> 
> 1)
> 
> - Install Windows 2003 on the first 'simple' disk with
> a system/root partition and a data partition.
> - Upgrade this disk from 'simple' to 'dynamic'.
> - Mirror both partitions to the second disk.
> 
> This will create a dynamic disk database which
> contains the 'simple' disk partition table info and
> ONE 0x42 partition table entry in the MBR at sector 0.
> Reverting to an 'simple' disk involves breaking the
> mirror and deleting the partitions on the second disk!

No one but Microsoft understands their disk database.  It won't work on
FC3 or SuSE, AFAIK.

> 2) Create a boot, root and swap partition for SuSe on
> the first (now windows? 'dynamic') disk and mirror
> those on the second disk and install the software
> after this.
> 
> 3) The same for Fedora Core 3.

Uh, I don't think so.

> B)
> 
> 1) Install Windows 2003 on the first 'simple' disk
> with a system/root partition and a data partition.
> 
> 2) Create a (mirrored) boot, root and swap partition
> on the first disk for SuSe, but do not install!
> 
> 3) Create a (mirrored) boot, root and swap partition
> on the first disk for FC, but do not install!
> 
> 4) Upgrade the (windows) 'simple' disk to 'dynamic'.

As soon as you invoke the Windows stuff, you're stuck.

> C)
> 
> Make use of the RAID-1 option on the motherboard.

If that does a true hardware RAID, then that's the option to take.  To
all OSes, it will appear as a single drive.  But again, ONLY if that's
a hardware RAID.

> If I do so, will I still be able to install SuSE and
> FC linux?

If it's a hardware RAID, yes.  The controller will only present one
"logical" drive to the OS, representing the RAID 1 you set up.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-    Admitting you have a problem is the first step toward getting   -
-    medicated for it.      -- Jim Evarts (http://www.TopFive.com)   -
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