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linux:centos:software-raid1-setup

Create a software RAID 1 setup with two hard disks

Intro

RAID 1 = mirrored pair of two hard disks
If one disk fail, the raid will continue to be operational.
Read performance will be increased for parallel read operations.
Write performance will be likely the same (almost the same).

Prerequisites

  • Two hard disks of same size.
  • mdadm should be installed.
yum install mdadm

Setup

Format first hard disk (/dev/sda) with xfs (supports also hard disks higher than 2TB)

mkfs.xfs -f -L DISK1 /dev/sda

-f = force
-L = hdd label

Format second hard disk (/dev/sdb) with xfs

mkfs.xfs -f -L DISK2 /dev/sdb

Create the raid array

mdadm --verbose --create /dev/md0 --level=raid1 --raid-devices=2 /dev/sda /dev/sdb

Format the raid array as xfs

mkfs.xfs /dev/md0

Mount the raid array (in /data1 folder)

mkdir /data1
mount /dev/md0 /data1

Automatically mount the raid volume at startup

Edit /etc/fstab and add:

/dev/md0 /data1 xfs defaults 0 0

Load automatically the raid 1 configuration at startup

mdadm --detail --scan --verbose >> /etc/mdadm.conf

Check the raid configuration

mdadm -D /dev/md0
/dev/md0:
           Version : 1.2
     Creation Time : Mon Apr 13 03:07:50 2020
        Raid Level : raid1
        Array Size : 3906886464 (3725.90 GiB 4000.65 GB)
     Used Dev Size : 3906886464 (3725.90 GiB 4000.65 GB)
      Raid Devices : 2
     Total Devices : 2
       Persistence : Superblock is persistent

     Intent Bitmap : Internal

       Update Time : Mon Apr 13 15:24:47 2020
             State : clean, resyncing
    Active Devices : 2
   Working Devices : 2
    Failed Devices : 0
     Spare Devices : 0

Consistency Policy : bitmap

     Resync Status : 90% complete

              Name : medjavaro:0  (local to host medjavaro)
              UUID : 257d9837:5eda9e27:59a51c12:d139b615
            Events : 15822

    Number   Major   Minor   RaidDevice State
       0       8       16        0      active sync   /dev/sda
       1       8       32        1      active sync   /dev/sdb

Replace a failed hard disk in the raid configuration

Suppose the /dev/sdb hard disk failed.
To replace it with a good hdd, set it as failed and remove it from the array:

mdadm /dev/md0 --fail /dev/sdb --remove /dev/sdb

Add the new device to the array:

mdadm --add /dev/md0 /dev/sdb

Re-add a good hard disk (after cable disconnection for example)

After reinserting the hard disk, it may be mounted now on a different device letter.
Ckeck it by running:

fdisk -l

Output:

...
Disk /dev/sdd: 4000.8 GB, 4000787029504 bytes, 7814037167 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes

After identifying it, re-add it to the raid array with:

mdadm --manage /dev/md0 --add /dev/sdd
linux/centos/software-raid1-setup.txt · Last modified: 2023/07/26 16:06 by odefta