Dell Default Server Partitioning Scheme – SBS Installers Beware

This is the default partitioning scheme that we encountered via a support call with someone having problems with their SBS 2008 install:

If the factory OEM install was used, or if the Dell preparation utility disk was used and the utility was allowed to install the Dell Utility Partition, the above is what we would end up with.

In our case, we always flatten the RAID arrays and start fresh without the utility partitioning schemes and set up our default partitioning for SBS 2008 (SBS 2008 Setup Checklist post).

The catch with the setup above is that the SBS 2008 Backup will fail out of the box. That FAT32 partition will break it.

Using the Diskpart command we can convert that partition to NTFS and at least get the SBS 2008 Backup to run successfully.

In the end, the above leads to a messy partitioning scheme along with the possibility of causing problems in the event of a failed RAID array.

We prefer to keep things simple. :)

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)

Windows Live Writer

SBS 2008 – Using SBS Backup to Expand an Array and Partition

When we set up our SBS 2008 installs, we use a RAID 1+0 configuration with three partitions on the RAID array.

We do this because of the extra throughput we get for both reads and writes. RAID 5 takes a pretty good performance hit on writes, while reads are similar to a RAID 0 stripe.

Our partitioning is done as follows:

• System C: 100GB
• Swap File S: 25GB (2.5 * RAM)
• Data Partition L: GB Balance

Now, since we do keep the Exchange databases on the system partition, the size of the organization is an important consideration when it comes to the size of it.

For some RAID controllers, there is the ability to add disks to the array on the fly. From there, we can open the Disk Manager and Extend the last partition on that array.

To resize, move, or modify any of the other partitions with the newly acquired space will require a third party utility that can work with server partitions.

In the case where the RAID array cannot be expanded on the fly, we have the built-in SBS backup to use as an intermediary. The catch is the need to delete the existing array and create a newer and larger one in the RAID controller’s BIOS.

The whole process is actually quite simple and will take a few hours depending on the size of the backup being used.

1. We take a backup just prior to downing the server.
2. Shut down the server.
3. Insert the new drives.
4. Reconfigure the RAID array by deleting the existing one and creating a new one incorporating the new disks.
5. Boot from SBS 2008 DVD 1.
6. Click the Repair link.
7. Restore my PC.
8. Choose the backup just made for the restore.
9. Make sure to load the RAID drivers just in case during the backup restoration steps.
10. Run the restore.
11. Go have coffee, tea, or take on another short project.

The restore process is set to automatically reboot into the newly restored OS once it finishes.

From there, head into the Disk Manager in the SBS Native Tools Management Console and extend that Data partition.

The new SBS 2008 Backup is phenomenal. The more we experiment with its abilities, the more we grow in confidence using it as our default backup program.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

*All Mac on SBS posts will not be written on a Mac until we replace our now missing iMac! (previous blog post)

Windows Live Writer

SBS - Hard Drive Partitioning Schemes

There doesn't seem to be one guideline out there as far as how to partition a hard drive, or hard drives for Small Business Server.

Do we RAID our drives? Most certainly! We need that extra level of redundancy.

Surely no one puts together servers with only one hard disk or two hard disks without redundancy in it anymore?

Over the years, we have come up with a number of different hard drive setups depending on our client's business size and data volume needs.

A small client, say 5 to 15 seats, with a small volume of data would be setup as follows (physical disk properties & setup first with partitioning sub'd) :

• 2 x 320 GB RAID 1 array (non-hot swap)
• Primary System Partition: C: (310 GB)
• Swap and URL Cache Partition S: (10 GB)
• 2 x 320 GB RAID 1 array (non-hot swap)
• Data Partition I: (320 GB)

In the above setup, VSS snapshot data would be stored on the C: partition leaving the I: partition totally to client data.

We have clients with higher data volume demands, some growing as fast as 15 GB per month during their peak seasons.

For some of them, and our larger firms in the 25-45 seat range we would configure the following:

• 2 x 320 GB RAID 1 array (hot swap)
• Primary System Partition: C: (310 GB)
• Swap and URL Cache Partition S: (10 GB)
• 3 x 320 GB RAID 5 array - 620 GB usable (hot swap)
• Data Partition I: (620 GB)
• 1 x 320 GB Global Hot Spare (hot swap)

We keep all of the drives the same size for the principle reason of having the hot spare available for either of the arrays. That is why it is considered Global, because it can be inserted into any array on the RAID controller. A hot spare can also be dedicated to any one of the specific arrays.

For the larger data volume clients:

• 2 x 500 GB RAID 1 array (hot swap)
• Primary System Partition: C: (480 GB)
• Swap and URL Cache Partition S: (10 GB)
• 5 x 500 GB RAID 5 array - 2.0 TB usable (hot swap)
• Client Data Partition I: (500 GB)
• 2 x 500 GB RAID 1 array (hot swap)
• VSS & Server Data Partition J: (500 GB)
• 1 x 500 GB Global Hot Spare (hot Swap)

We put the swap file and ISA's URL cache (99.9% Premium installs) on a separate partition to prevent them from being fragmented on the system C: partition. It facilitates increased system speed.

The same reason is used for setting up the VSS (Volume Shadow copy Service) snapshot files on a different drive/partition than the volume that is being shadow copied.

Relative to the other components that are being configured in a server, hard drive storage is cheap. Seagate's ES Series Enterprise SATA drives command a 10% premium over their desktop drives for extra reliability built in. That figure is a small price to pay for drives designed to be always on and serving huge chunks of data on a daily basis.

At this point, SCSI/SAS does not provide the cost/size ROI benefit for pretty much all of our clients that SATA does. There are a few exceptions to that rule though not many in our SMB environment.

Of course, your mileage will vary! ;)

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists