I have a question about backing up and restoring a server

probably won't work since the hardware is different... may be a way to restore it to VM though

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probably won't work since the hardware is different... may be a way to restore it to VM though

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Unfortunately our product is not validated on in a VM right now.

My customer runs an IBM shop, our application is on a Dell server and we have since moved to HP for our deployments. Their server has zero storage left so they are down. I am going to suggest moving forward with EMC's diskXtender product to utilize their SAN to increase their storage but needed a short term solution to get them up and running and trying to think of easiest solutions.

Ideas:
1. Have them build a new server with additional storage and figure out if there is a way to migrate a backup to a new brand (IBM) This isn't looking good.

2. Send them a second production server which would be an obvious headache as their new data and old data would be on separate instances thus requiring having to go back and forth (i don't like this option)

3. move some image files over to a secondary storage for a short time. Implement diskXtender and slowly move the images back to the primary folders so that Xtender and index them and archive.

4. Adding additional HDD's to the current server. This would require backing up everything, installing hdd's and redoing the RAID array. (i dont like this either.


Are there other possibilities that I havent thought of?

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ETA: It looks like you're trying to figure out the easiest way out...Build a new machine..Set it up...Transfer the folder structure over...

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TBH I am looking for the least risky approach and sometimes for a short term fix, easy is the best way. I just didnt know if there were tools out there that could do what I am looking at doing.

I should have simply said "If a server's storage is at capacity so that it is unusable, the main heft of the storage is 500 meg image files, what is the fastest/smartest way to get them up and running as soon as possible while working on the long term diskXtender storage plan?

OS boots, the application is one that utilizes d: for image storage. It is at capacity so there is the application throws up error messages. I do not feel confident that the IT shop is comfortable/able to expand the RAID in the current server. Utilizing the SAN will be the endgame project but that takes time and looking at other options until the SAN solution will be available.

Robocopy to a NAS..We do this with our overweight/underused GIS files..They can be several gigs each..

yea not being able to pull up a few images is better than not being to launch the app...that will buy you the time to get more storage.

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convincing the doctor that short term inability to pull up cases is worth it.

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You're looking at this wrong...The odds that he is looking at all of the files at once are astronomical...Tell him "hey man..for the next few hours, you can't look at ..files."

OR

do it overnight...

(1) to customer "I'm going to temporarily move these older files to a NAS..It will take a few hours"

(2) in the meantime, I suggest you migrate to a larger server/storage solution

(3) one weekend, we're going to migrate everything to that one

I get that he wants to view all things at all times, but that isn't whats happening here...You can move the things he isn't using..He isn't using all 500 Gbs at the same time..

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the client sounds like he wants the short-term impossible.

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Ding ding ding

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they should have planned ahead

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Ding ding ding

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your job it to put out the fire and give them a long-term solution

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Ding ding ding



I would normally have no problem doing that although them being hard headed about having a portion of their images not available for a few weeks is impacting patient care, because they can't scan new cases, which really gets to me, so I am trying to find any other possible short term solution available to bridge the gap until the longterm solution is in place. That is why i came in asking about if doing a full backup and restore. I have been down a ton of roads so just throwing things at the wall.

The key piece in all this is that since this is technically their IT departments territory, I can't do much more than suggest things (which IT agrees with) while this doctor wants to fold his arms and say no unless it is exactly the way he wants it done. He see's it as our problem and knows that this issue is causing a lot of higher ups in my company to be looking at me since there are impending sales that will not move forward until he is happy with the finished project.

If nothing else coming on here has let me vent.

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Final point on migrating to a different server, they are on an older version of our software and if we provide a new server for them it will only come in a much newer version which is not compatible so an even larger headache is in store.

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This was going to be one of my questions. Your new HP box/app combo is probably Windows Server 2012 and updated app?

I had more questions typing a previous response, but the 2 most pertinent would be:
1) What RAID level is in the Dell and how many drives?
2) How much storage would be necessary for a full backup of the Dell and do they have network storage for it?

My reasoning:

Let's say assuming Raid 5 with 3 drives, backup the entire Raid array off the server. Insert 1 or 2 new drives into the Dell. Break up the old array and build a new RAID array with all 4/5 drives. Image backup on the new RAID setup.

This would require off-hours work and IT approval, but as long as you backup the data, if all fails, you can re-set the old array and image the data back.

Side note: App not being able to run in VM environment and not backwards compat? You guys need new developers.