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user1330287
Asked: 2016-03-27 14:14:03 +0800 CST

Server 2012 R2 -- Using Storage spaces with hardware RAID?

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I'm studying for MCSA using Server 2012 R2. I'm running a Dell r610 rack server with a perc6/i controller for hardware raid. Hardware raid is set up with a virtual array in a RAID 10 configuration.

For learning purposes, can I go ahead and play around with Storage Spaces (which I understand is Server 2012 R2's software RAID solution) on top of the hardware RAID or do I have to disable and wipe out the Perc/6i hardware RAID for this to work? Beyond educational purposes, can software and hardware RAID be combined in general and what is the advantage of doing so?

I appreciate any insight. Thanks.

windows

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    Storage spaces should not be implemented on top of a hardware raid.

    That means:

    • Using the hardware controller like a HBA without any raid configuration is fine, storage spaces must always have direct access to the physical disks without any additional layer of abstraction

    • Setting up a raid on the hardware (like two mirrors) and setting up a storage pool upon the resulting raid-disks/luns is not supported

    In your case: Dump the hardware raid configuration for the disks you want to use with storage spaces and setup any configuration within the storage spaces / virtual disks and so on.

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