Migrating an existing SnapManager for Exchange configuration from using drive letters to using mount points
If you have an existing SnapManager for Exchange configuration that uses drive letters to map to Data ONTAP LUNs, you can easily migrate that configuration to a new configuration that uses volume mount points instead of drive letters to map to the Data ONTAP LUNs.
Overview
The migration process described in this topic uses both SnapDrive and SnapManager. Although this method will cause any affected storage groups to be taken offline briefly (due to the paths being changed), you will not need to copy the databases themselves from one LUN to another. This saves time and, as a result, minimizes the amount of time that the storage groups are off line.
Note
Not all drive letters are eliminated. A drive letter is used for the mount point root volume.
Configuration guidelines
The following paragraphs describe configuration guidelines for migrating an existing SnapManager for Exchange configuration that uses drive letters to map to Data ONTAP LUNs to a new configuration that uses volume mount points instead of drive letters to map to the Data ONTAP LUNs.
Mount point root
The mount point root can be any of the following:
- The local C:\ drive
- The LUN that stores the transaction log files
- A separate dedicated LUN
The best practice is to use the LUN that stores the transaction log files, as in the example that follows. Using a separate LUN as the mount point root adds an additional point of failure to the Exchange server.
Note
In Microsoft cluster configurations, the mount point root must reside on a shared storage device such as the transaction logs LUN.
Environments that use more than one storage group
For configurations using more than one storage group, consider using one LUN with a drive letter for the transaction logs of each storage group.
MSCS environments
In Microsoft cluster configurations, the entire Exchange virtual server will be brought offline during a migration even if only a single storage group is migrated. This is because the System Attendant cluster resources requires dependencies on the physical disk cluster resources and taking the the physical disk resource for the transaction logs offline for one storage group will still take the System attendant resource off line and therefore all other storage groups.
Example
Example scenario
The migration process is described in a procedure that uses the following sample configuration:
- A single storage group.
- A single database is located on LUN I:\.
- The Exchange transaction logs, MTA and SMTP system files, and the SnapManager SnapInfo directory are collocated on LUN L:\.
- The mount point root LUN will require a drive letter, and the LUN containing the transaction logs will be used as the mount point root.
Example procedure
To migrate an existing SnapManager for Exchange configuration from using drive letters to to using mount points, complete the following steps:
Step
|
Action
|
|---|
|
1
|
Launch the Windows Explorer, and then browse to the root of the transaction logs LUN (L:\).
|
|
2
|
Using the Windows Explorer, create a folder under the root of L:\.
In this example, we use a directory name of database.
|
|
3
|
Launch the SnapDrive MMC, right click on the database LUN I:\, and then select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
|
|
4
|
In Change Drive Letter and Paths, click Add.
|
|
5
|
When prompted, enter the path to the appropriate directory on your mount point root LUN.
In this example, we use the directory L:\database.
|
|
6
|
To verify that the additional LUN mappings have been successfully created, do one of the following:
- Verify that the multiple mappings are reflected in the SnapDrive MMC.
In this example, the LUNs show drive letters of L:\ and tL:\database\.
- Browse to the root of the mount point root LUN, drive L:\.
The icon for the folder database changes from the standard Windows folder icon to the Windows icon representing a mount point.
Double clicking the mount point (directory) name takes you to the root of the mounted LUN rather than to an empty directory on the mount point root LUN.
Note
Do not remove the original drive letter mapping I:\ yet. For the Configuration Wizard to function properly, SnapManager requires that the original drive letter mappings be in place along with the newly added mount points. Unneeded mappings are removed in a later step.
|
|
7
|
Launch SnapManager for Exchange, and then run the Configuration Wizard.
|
|
8
|
In the Welcome screen, click Next.
|
|
9
|
In the Database Verification Server screen, click Next.
Note
Though changes can be made here if desired, doing so is not part of this example.
|
|
10
|
In the Exchange Server to Configure screen, verify that you are about to configure the correct server, and then click Next.
|
|
11
|
In the Where to Move Databases screen, do the following:
- Select the storage group listed in the Database Location
Results field, and then click the Reconfigure button.
The storage group appears in the list of unconfigured databases, and you can reassociate it with any available disk.
- Select LUN L:\database\, and then click the move (<=>)
button to associate the database with the new path.
The storage group appears in the Database Location Results field again. The old drive letter LUN I appears under the From column. The new mount point path L:\database\: appears under the To column.
- Click Next.
|
|
12
|
In the Where to Move Transaction Logs screen, click Next.
|
|
13
|
In the Where to Move SMTP and MTA System Files screen, click Next.
|
|
14
|
In the Where to Put the SnapInfo Directory screen, click Next.
|
|
15
|
Keep clicking Next to proceed through the next few screens, making additional configurations if desired. At the final screen, click Finish.
Result
The Configurator Status window appeasr.
|
|
16
|
When you are ready to proceed, click Start Now.
Result
The databases are taken off line, and the migration proceeds.
|
|
17
|
After the SnapManager Configuration Wizard completes successfully, return to the SnapDrive MMC.
|
|
18
|
Using the SnapDrive MMC, right-click the database LUN I:\, and then select Change Drive Letter and Paths.
|
|
19
|
In Change Drive Letter and Paths, highlight the original drive letter for the database LUN (I:\) and click Remove.
Result
The SnapDrive MMC displays the two LUNs L:\ and L:\database.
|
Copyright © 1994-2006, Network Appliance, Inc. All rights
reserved.
Part No. 215-01873_A0
File: cfgdata4.htm
Last updated: 28-Mar-2006 11:30:58