Moving data from storage spaces on WS12R2 essentials to drivepool

[asdaHP]

Hi,

I posted this question about 10 days back on hss forum but was told I may get a response here. I have edited it a little. Thank you for reading my message.

 

 

I am currently running an evaluation version of server 2012 r2 essentials on a dell T20 and have three drives for data (1 , 2 and 4 TB) and an SSD with the OS on it. Total storage is about 0.84TB (mirrored 2 way) but unevenly spread between the initial 1 TB drive (came with server) and the later added drives. Storage spaces doesnt apparently rebalance and the data in storage spaces is not readable in other windows computers; as in if the server were to crash, I could not just attach the drive by usb/sata to another windows PC and read the data. As a result i am looking into drivepool.

 

I was google searching for a built in technique to migrate from storage spaces to drivepool and saw one mention about copying files over but wanted to confirm.

Since posting this message, I found that it is not easy to remove a drive from SS either. Googling it suggests using powershell to retire a disk, repair the virtual disk and then extract. Complicating matters, storage spaces is now reporting low hard drive space despite having a total of 4+2+1 TB (so atleast 3.5TB duplicated) in the dell t20 storage spaces while i only have 0.84 TB of data in total!! Doubling that should be 1.68 TB (as reported by file explorer). Essentials dashboard claims i am using 4.27 of 6.36 TB space!

 

 

1. In any case, my current plan is physically remove the 1 TB drive using powershell or just manually pull it out, then add a new 4T drive in its place and assign it to drivepool. I will then copy the client backup folders and photos, videos etc to this new drive from the other drives. Is this the best way? And can i just drag them using file explorer or does one have to use the essentials dashboard to reassign folder location? Then i will delete the storage space and reclaim the remaining two drives (2 and 4t) and add them to drivepool to permit mirroring.

 

2. Alternatively, I can delete storage spaces completely (though that option worries me even though i have been backing up the server!!), then use veeam that has been backing up daily the server and hopefully extract the client backups and video, photo shared folders from it to the new drivepool.

 

Pleas advice me if these are the best options or if there is an easier way around. thank you.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

I didn't see the post on the HSS forums, which is odd.... must be one of the sections i'm not manually subscribed to.

 

 

[...] and the data in storage spaces is not readable in other windows computers; as in if the server were to crash, I could not just attach the drive by usb/sata to another windows PC and read the data. As a result i am looking into drivepool.

 

As long as it's a Windows 8+ machine, it *should* be able to read the drive, but I'm not too familiar with that, as I haven't tested out that scenario in a long while. 

 

But yeah....

 

 

I was google searching for a built in technique to migrate from storage spaces to drivepool and saw one mention about copying files over but wanted to confirm.

Since posting this message, I found that it is not easy to remove a drive from SS either. Googling it suggests using powershell to retire a disk, repair the virtual disk and then extract. Complicating matters, storage spaces is now reporting low hard drive space despite having a total of 4+2+1 TB (so atleast 3.5TB duplicated) in the dell t20 storage spaces while i only have 0.84 TB of data in total!! Doubling that should be 1.68 TB (as reported by file explorer). Essentials dashboard claims i am using 4.27 of 6.36 TB space!

 

Unfortunately, yeah, it's not a simple thing to do so.  Using the Server Manager to do this is the ONLY way I'd recommend, as you get more options, but even then....

 

As for the low space, that's because of the 1TB drive, and how it splits up the blocks of data.  

 

Thoough, it may also be from VSS storage, which can be pruned. Run "control sysdm.cpl", Open the "System Protection" tab, and delete the snapshots from the Storage Spaces pool. 

 

 

1. In any case, my current plan is physically remove the 1 TB drive using powershell or just manually pull it out, then add a new 4T drive in its place and assign it to drivepool. I will then copy the client backup folders and photos, videos etc to this new drive from the other drives. Is this the best way? And can i just drag them using file explorer or does one have to use the essentials dashboard to reassign folder location? Then i will delete the storage space and reclaim the remaining two drives (2 and 4t) and add them to drivepool to permit mirroring.

 

2. Alternatively, I can delete storage spaces completely (though that option worries me even though i have been backing up the server!!), then use veeam that has been backing up daily the server and hopefully extract the client backups and video, photo shared folders from it to the new drivepool.

 

 

If you're getting a new drive here, then my recommendation would be to install StableBit Drivepool, add both the new disk and the Storage Spaces pool to a StableBit DrivePool pool.  

 

Then use the "seeding" guide to move the data in the Storage Spaces "disk" into our pool. 

 

Then ... well, remove the Storage Spaces "disk" from our pool, and this should move the contents off of the Storage Spaces "Disk" and onto the 4TB drive. 

 

Since that sounds like it should be plenty of space, once it's completed, there should be no "real data" on the Storage Spaces disk. From there, you can break it up completely, and then add the disks to the StableBit DrivePool pool. 

 

 

Details on how to "seed" the pool:

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_Q4142489

 

Also, you will want to change the drive letter of the pool to whatever Storage Spaces was using, and then reboot. Doing this *may* "fix" everything so that the dashboard is happy and all of the shares are visible on the network. 

 

And changing the pool's drive letter is how you normally would change any disk's drive letter:

http://wiki.covecube.com/StableBit_DrivePool_Q6811286

(caveat, ignore the reported size here, it's an artifact of the driver we use)

[asdaHP]

Thank you for replying.

 

I didn't see the post on the HSS forums, which is odd.... must be one of the sections i'm not manually subscribed to.

 

It was under the server 2012 r2 essentials subforum. Thank you in any case.

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, yeah, it's not a simple thing to do so.  Using the Server Manager to do this is the ONLY way I'd recommend, as you get more options, but even then....

 

As for the low space, that's because of the 1TB drive, and how it splits up the blocks of data.  

 

Thoough, it may also be from VSS storage, which can be pruned. Run "control sysdm.cpl", Open the "System Protection" tab, and delete the snapshots from the Storage Spaces pool. 

 

 

Server manager.. aah i was looking at the essentials dashboard and did not see a remove drive option there within the storage pool disk list...I see one under server manager in storage pools withing physical disks so i will do that. Thanks.

 

by the way, The "control sysdm.cpl" in command prompt (admin or otherwise) opens system properties and under that i dont see a system protection tab. I only see hardware, advanced and remote tabs with no system protection under any. By the way, as may have been apparent, i dont know much about applets etc and am learning server 2012 r2 essentials, so sorry if I am asking something basic! My previous good old server was the much easier HP EX490!

 

 

I

If you're getting a new drive here, then my recommendation would be to install StableBit Drivepool, add both the new disk and the Storage Spaces pool to a StableBit DrivePool pool.  

 

Then use the "seeding" guide to move the data in the Storage Spaces "disk" into our pool. 

 

Then ... well, remove the Storage Spaces "disk" from our pool, and this should move the contents off of the Storage Spaces "Disk" and onto the 4TB drive. 

 

Since that sounds like it should be plenty of space, once it's completed, there should be no "real data" on the Storage Spaces disk. From there, you can break it up completely, and then add the disks to the StableBit DrivePool pool. 

 

 

Ok, so i will plan to remove the 1TB, add the 4TB physically, install drivepool and assign both the new 4TB and the existing virtual drive (called drive E:) into drivepool? Didnt realize i could add a virtual drive into drivepool. Ok, reading the seeding guide...currently i have storage spaces called drive E: and under it "Server Folders" which in turn contains the client backups and videos and all other folders. So i just copy all these folders into E:\PoolPart.xxxx\Server Folders\ ?

 

Then remove the Storage spaces virtual drive from drivepool. You said rename the new drivepool as E:? But does that not happen from when drivepool creates the hidden folder or does it initially assign a different letter?

 

Then reboot computer? And hope for the best

 

 

Thank you. Lastly, I was thinking as an alternative to these steps to just destroy the storage spaces pool and then using the veeam recovery function, recover the folders but i can see that drivepool uses a hidden folder and that may not work out.

 

 

 

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Ah, I keep on forgetting about the dashboard options.  The main two are the server manager and the control panel. And the control panel is complete crap for managing Storage Spaces. And the only option in Windows 8+.

 

And IIRC, the dashboard is even worse. 

 

As for the "control sysdm.cpl", yeah, I'm not surprised, as I believe it's disabled in server OS's unless you specifically enable system restore.

 

Otherwise, it's running "vssadmin list shadowstorage", from an administrative command prompt. 

 

 

 

Ok, so i will plan to remove the 1TB, add the 4TB physically, install drivepool and assign both the new 4TB and the existing virtual drive (called drive E:) into drivepool? Didnt realize i could add a virtual drive into drivepool. Ok, reading the seeding guide...currently i have storage spaces called drive E: and under it "Server Folders" which in turn contains the client backups and videos and all other folders. So i just copy all these folders into E:\PoolPart.xxxx\Server Folders\ ?

 

Then remove the Storage spaces virtual drive from drivepool. You said rename the new drivepool as E:? But does that not happen from when drivepool creates the hidden folder or does it initially assign a different letter?

 

Then reboot computer? And hope for the best

 

 

Yup. because the Storage Spaces pool shows up as a single, physical drive, it can be added to the pool without any issues. 

 

And yes, copy/move the "Server Folders" folder into the PoolPart.xxxx folder on the E: drive. (once it's added to the pool). 

This will cause it to IMMEDIATELY show up on the pool, actually.  

 

You may need to stop the "Server" and "WIndows Server Essentials Client Backup" services, though. At least temporarily.

 

Rebooting will start them back up, and if you've changed the drive letters, it shouldn't realize that anything has changed.

 

 

Thank you. Lastly, I was thinking as an alternative to these steps to just destroy the storage spaces pool and then using the veeam recovery function, recover the folders but i can see that drivepool uses a hidden folder and that may not work out.

 

That would probably work too, but I'm not 100% sure about it.  The method I've outlined, I've had the "fun" of doing before, and know it works. 

[asdaHP]

Thank you again.

Came back to add, that I could not remove the 1TB drive from server manager. When i chose to remove the disk, i got a warning about compromising redundancy etc, to which I said yes, then another popup turned up stating that I needed to add a drive before removing one!! Wow! So i went into powershell adm prompt and was able to retire the disk and am currently repairing the virtual disk. Once thats done, i probably will be able to remove the disk (whether via server manager or powershell). It sounds like some functions like retiring a disk are only in powershell.

 

 

Yup. because the Storage Spaces pool shows up as a single, physical drive, it can be added to the pool without any issues. 

 

And yes, copy/move the "Server Folders" folder into the PoolPart.xxxx folder on the E: drive. (once it's added to the pool). 

This will cause it to IMMEDIATELY show up on the pool, actually.  

 

Aah i reread what u said and realized that I have to actually copy/move the server folders contents within the same drive. So basically from the E: to E:\PoolPart.xxxx\ and then when i remove the storage spaces, drivepool will move it into the new 4TB drive. So it is effectively two moves. OK! Can i not just move the folders directly to the new 4TB drive under its hidden folder say F:\PoolPart.xxx\ and then rename the drive to E:? or does that mess up the server?

 

 

You may need to stop the "Server" and "WIndows Server Essentials Client Backup" services, though. At least temporarily.

 

Rebooting will start them back up, and if you've changed the drive letters, it shouldn't realize that anything has changed.

 

Can you expand how do i "stop the server"? Is there a simple command to stop server and client backup (though i suspect there is no imminent backup currently). There are multiple things running under task manager, many starting with server host. Do i individually shut them down?

[asdaHP]

 

Otherwise, it's running "vssadmin list shadowstorage", from an administrative command prompt. 

 

 

Good call on VSS. Wow, I had 910 Gb in shadow copies!! I had to delete them as otherwise i could not remove the 1 Tb disk. I deleted the shadows from cmd and then changed size of shadow copies to 300MB. I was able to remove disk and replace with 4 TB

 

I did everything else as you suggested including seeding and removing the E drive from pool (took a few hours to copy the 860 GB) and finally renaming new drivepool drive and rebooting. Drivepool is working.

 

EDIT: Solved (see below)

Only problem is that after i deleted the original storage pool through server manager (deleted underlying volumes and then deleted the virtual disk), drivepool can no longer see the underlying physical 2 TB and 4TB drives. In fact, i cant see the drives in disk management but I can see them in device manager under disk drives and I can also see them when i run the powershell command Get-PhysicalDisk. They seem fine there with Health Status Healthy and usage as Auto-Select. What am I missing?

 

I saw a message on a similar topic on a drivepool forum from 2015 that a couple others could not find their drives. Someone said they had to add drive names and then reboot. How do I add drive names if i dont see it in disk manager? Thanks again

 

 

EDIT: I was scratching my head and looked at essentials dashboard and noticed they was still a function called manage storage spaces. When I clicked it, found both the drives under them as empty. I removed both the disks here and voila, I could see them in disk management and drivepool!! So I guess deleting the virtual disk (after deleting volumes) in server manager is not enough. It removed the virtual disk (as the Get-virtualdisk command brought up nothing) but still leaves the storage space! Learnt something new

[Christopher (Drashna)]

Well, as long as the files end up in the "PoolPart.xxxxx" folder on one of the pooled disks, it's all good.

 

As for stopping the "Server" service, run "services.msc", and you can do that from there. 

 

 

As for storage spaces, yeah, you have to remove the volume, and then remove the "unused" disks from the pool.  

And as you've noticed, Storage Spaces is overly complicated to manage. Initially, it looks simple, but the more you need to do, the more complex it gets, and needlessly so in some places. 

[asdaHP]

Thanks Drashna for all your help in the migration . Hopefully, someone facing a similar issue can read this thread.

 

Also, great call on VSS. I still cant believe that i had over 900gb in shadows on the storage space drivepool. I suspect since windows presets a 16 TB drive, the shadows are a percentage of this fictional number and so this high. From now on il watch out for any ballooning of drives. Hopefully drivepool does not have that issue.

[Christopher (Drashna)]

You're very welcome!

 

And yeah, the VSS storage is set to 15% by default, so if the drive was set as 16TBs, that would give it up to 3TB of room to use, and a LOT of "lost" space. 

 

You can disable this, actually, or limit it to a hard number. 

vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=X: /on=X: /maxsize=150GB

Or whatever size you want.  

[asdaHP]

You're very welcome!

 

And yeah, the VSS storage is set to 15% by default, so if the drive was set as 16TBs, that would give it up to 3TB of room to use, and a LOT of "lost" space. 

 

You can disable this, actually, or limit it to a hard number. 

vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=X: /on=X: /maxsize=150GB

Or whatever size you want.  

 

Hi Drashna,

I was away and just logged in and found a new problem!!

 

Veeam has stopped backing up for the past 5 days ie since the migration claiming that a VSS snapshot is not occurring. eg of message: 9/9/2016 12:23:21 AM :: Creating VSS snapshot Error: Failed to create snapshot: Backup job failed. Cannot create a shadow copy of the volumes containing writer's data. VSS asynchronous operation is not completed. Operation: [shadow copies commit]. Code: [0x80042306].

 

When i read up more, veeam says this has error has something to do with the snapshot size or drive size. Since drive size is a non issue (using 1 among 4TB), i looked under file explorer, and i see that in addition to the drivepool virtual drive E:, the two physical discs (F and G) are also visible, unlike say storage spaces where they were not listed. When i right click the E drive and configure shadow copies, it is listed as disabled but under shadow copy size, E: size limit is 763063 MB, while F and G are 381531 ie. exactly half the size of the virtual drive. I didnt set this so the software must have. i run the command line u listed above, (i presume the X: is replaced by E: correct?, as in vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for=E: /on=E: /maxsize=150GB) . After running the above command, while the E drive shadow copy size has changed, the F and G are still the original number. Am i supposed to run it for the individual physical drives also?

 

After all this i still get the same Veeam error. By the way, there are shadow copies on the OS drive C:.

 

Thanks as always

 

 

 

[Christopher (Drashna)]

For the Veeam error, set the size to something larger then.  

 

Aside from that, just remember that the larger size means more "other" usage on the disk.