Server partitioning software ( 2 Views )

I've got to buy some partitioning software for a client's server- running Server 2003. What is everyone else using? I'd like to keep the price reasonable, since I have to eat this as part of my cost of doing business.

I've looked at Paragon Partition Manager 7.0 Server Edition.
http://www.partition-manager.com/comparison.htm

Anyone else used it? Thoughts? Other suggestions? Thanks.

(su, New Zealand)

What exactly do you need to do? Resizing Paritions isn't something that one does on a frequent basis.

(göksu, Guinea)

It is when you're adding drives to Raid arrays. :D

(bilgen, Cayman Islands)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

It is when you're adding drives to Raid arrays. :D

Paritioning software is not going to help in this case. Check the documentation of the raid controller to see if it supports onlin expansion.

Unless of course your trying to replace *all* smaller drives with larger, in that case you'll want to check out Ghost.

(O_K_T_A_Y, Oman)

It does- but will (of course) not extned the partition. I'm asking for opinions on what software others are using- not for advice on what my project is. Thanks anyway though.

(umut, Eritrea)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

It does- but will (of course) not extned the partition. I'm asking for opinions on what software others are using- not for advice on what my project is. Thanks anyway though.

I'll quote you on your first post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

Anyone else used it? Thoughts? Other suggestions? Thanks.

If your not open to someone asking about your project and how to handle it, then don't ask for other suggestions.

Futhermore if you can't provide details on exactly what your trying to accomplish with a few details, then how do you expect anyone to provide any help to you or offer other suggestions? :rolleyes:

(damla, New Caledonia)

My asking about "Anyone else used it? Thoughts? Other suggestions?" pertains to other brands of partitioning software, thoughts on the software I asked about, and if anyone had used it. Not to be a dick, but I know what I need to do- I just need to buy the software. It's as simple as that.

Get yourself into a tizzy if you wish, but if you read my post, I did not ask for thoughts on how I should do my project- only about the software, and if someone else had any other brands of server compatible partitioning software they preferred.

(ismilazým deýl, Nepal)

Can't you just use the disk management built into server 2k3?

(muzaffer , Korea, Democratic People's Republic of)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mtt83

Can't you just use the disk management built into server 2k3?

Wish I could- but no. The array controller handles that. You can add physical disks and extend the array, and create new volumes, but you need partitioning software to extend existing partitions across the enlarged array. I need to extend the existing partitions, not create new ones.

(hayat, Jamaica)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

Wish I could- but no. The array controller handles that. You can add physical disks and extend the array, and create new volumes, but you need partitioning software to extend existing partitions across the enlarged array. I need to extend the existing partitions, not create new ones.

Perhaps if you had mentioned this little known information in the first place, you would get more qualified responses. In fact I believe I mentioned about "online expansion" in my first response, but you seemed to have glossed over that in haste to put down my apparent attempts to help you with the little information you posted.

Disk management in Windows *does* allow extending paritions provided you are using dynamic disks, but I am sure Ice Czar has reservations (or at least a link) as to why dynamic disks should not be used.

Asfor use of any server partitioning software, I can't help you with that, however if your open to a "suggestion" then you should figure out if extending the existing parition is a "band-aid" to the storage problem, or if simply replacing all the drives in the raid array with larger drives is a viable option. I only mention this because you could simply ghost from one array to another.

But there again, not knowing any details of the drive space your dealing with makes it that much more difficult to make any suggestions at all.

(x, Virgin Islands, British)

OMG SJ.... do you ever listen? LISTEN CAREFULLY......

I need partitioning software OK? If you know of none, then please stop now. I have not asked for your advice on how to do this. I have use for server partitioning software from time to time, including now. I wish to buy some. I've asked for opinions of this brand, and of any other brands people have used and had success with.

Period.

I am not, repeat NOT.... asking for your opinions on how I plan on doing this job. I am simply asking for opinions on the software.

(ugur, Suriname)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

OMG SJ.... do you ever listen? LISTEN CAREFULLY.......

Yes I do listen, it's part of what I do in my line of work, but hey it's kind of hard to listen to you when forums are text based. :p

But hey don't get in a tizzy over it. :D

(volkan, Kuwait)

gparted

(mattraax, Mayotte)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whatsisname

gparted

I've heard of this app before, but never used it. The documentation seems so geared toward IDE disks, and single drives- have you used this on a Raid array with a controller? I am no Linux guru, so it and its documentation are a little intimidating for sure.

(cansu, Anguilla)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

I've heard of this app before, but never used it. The documentation seems so geared toward IDE disks, and single drives- have you used this on a Raid array with a controller? I am no Linux guru, so it and its documentation are a little intimidating for sure.

He's not going to tell you anything you need to know anyway. It's all downhill once Microsoft is mentioned. Then some vehement backing of OSS and other even more obscure acronyms.

Why can't you backup, recreate the array, create the newer, larger, sexier partition, then restore the backup?

(ipek, Comoros)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

It's graphical, and it's on the knoppix live CD. However, I really can't say anything about how well it will work for what you're trying to do, and "just try" really is the wrong advice here.

(*_*..((((L€YL@))))...*_*, Greenland)

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHunt

It's graphical, and it's on the knoppix live CD. However, I really can't say anything about how well it will work for what you're trying to do, and "just try" really is the wrong advice here.

Yeah- just try isn't too good for a client :D . I might give it a shot on one of my own office servers though, just to feel it out. Can't beat the price.

Quote:

Originally Posted by feigned

Why can't you backup, recreate the array, create the newer, larger, sexier partition, then restore the backup?

Technically, sure- that's a solution. But it's definitely more time consuming, and tedious. A little redundant too, since part of the reason for an array is its scalability. Sure- I could pop the new drive in- expand the array, and just add it as new volume and drive, but that is not practical. I NEED to expand the existing partition. I also have had opportunities where this would have been a practical solution in the past, and anticpate it to be in the future.

There are several products available in addition to the one I've listed that will all do the same thing. Again, I'm just asking if anyone has used them and has a preference.

(ankara, Gambia)

Its functionality depends on what the raid hardware is. If the raid system is pretty nice and only presents the abstracted logical drive to the operation system, then gparted should work fine. If its a fake-raid like a nForce raid, i am not sure how well it will work.

Either way, you're almost required to bring the server offline, why not just back everything up and recreate the array using the software provided with the raid system

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

(DERBEDER, Argentina)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whatsisname

Its functionality depends on what the raid hardware is. If the raid system is pretty nice and only presents the abstracted logical drive to the operation system, then gparted should work fine. If its a fake-raid like a nForce raid, i am doubtful it will work.

Either way, you're almost required to bring the server offline, why not just back everything up and recreate the array using the software provided with the raid system

Agree with the first part. If it looks like a single drive, it should theoretically work fine.

Disagree with the latter part. Resizing a partition is a very much smaller operation than a full bakcup/recreate/restore. (Besides, he said in the previous post that he doesn't want to.)

(yasin, Ghana)

:rolleyes:

not only have you not answered the posters real question, I was the first person to offer a valid software to solve his problem. So until you can disprove my arguments or provide a superior alternative, why don't you just shut up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by feigned

(fulya, Hungary)

I can add the additional drive to the array easily, and its additional capacity will be seen as unallocated space on the virtual disk. This is a 3-drive raid5 array on a Perc4/Di. The array utilities allow me to add to the virtual disk, but not extend the partition, which is what I need to do. I do not wish to delete the 2nd partition, and recreate it with the additional space. I also don't want to use the additional space as an additional new partition and drive letter. I want to extend the existing partition into the new unallocated space after the array rebuild, which will occur online, with no downtime. I realize I can wipe it, recreate it, and restore it. But I don't want to.

Honestly, I can't fathom how so many of you insist on analyzing what I intend to do, instead of answering my original question (which some of you have- thanks guys). It's almost comical.

Kind of like saying.... "I'm looking at Sears white house paint- anybody use it? Or what brands do you like?". And getting answers of "Why don't you put siding on it??" "how big is your lot?" Why are choosing white?" :If you'd tell us why you want white paint instead of gray, we could tell you a better color that we prefer". "Do you have a shingle roof?". "I'm in the painting business, and if you'd just explain what you're trying to accomplish by using white paint, maybe I could offer you some other suggestions."

And all I want is white paint. My decision. For whatever reasons I choose- it is irrelevant.

This is the most amazing twist of a question I've ever seen. Thanks to those that have actually offered answers to my question, and lets just drop it now. All done.

(TOL, French Southern Territories)

The reason people don't like to outright answer your question is because noone knows your specific application. Your application is what you are trying to solve, and is the most important part of the equation. What you think is the only way to solve something isn't necessarily true. There might be an angle you haven't considered that we know about.

Furthermore, many times people take the attitude that if you're not willing to go ahead, do a little extra typing, and give the whole story, then why should they be willing to think about whatever your real problem might be?

To carry on your paint example, white house paint. If thats all the information you are willing to disclose, noone can accurately give you the right answer. Should it be exterior or interior paint? Continue that line of reasoing to something vastly more complicated and mission critical.

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

I can add the additional drive to the array easily, and its additional capacity will be seen as unallocated space on the virtual disk. This is a 3-drive raid5 array on a Perc4/Di. The array utilities allow me to add to the virtual disk, but not extend the partition, which is what I need to do. I do not wish to delete the 2nd partition, and recreate it with the additional space. I also don't want to use the additional space as an additional new partition and drive letter. I want to extend the existing partition into the new unallocated space after the array rebuild, which will occur online, with no downtime. I realize I can wipe it, recreate it, and restore it. But I don't want to.

Honestly, I can't fathom how so many of you insist on analyzing what I intend to do, instead of answering my original question (which some of you have- thanks guys). It's almost comical.

Kind of like saying.... "I'm looking at Sears white house paint- anybody use it? Or what brands do you like?". And getting answers of "Why don't you put siding on it??" "how big is your lot?" Why are choosing white?" :If you'd tell us why you want white paint instead of gray, we could tell you a better color that we prefer". "Do you have a shingle roof?". "I'm in the painting business, and if you'd just explain what you're trying to accomplish by using white paint, maybe I could offer you some other suggestions."

And all I want is white paint. My decision. For whatever reasons I choose- it is irrelevant.

This is the most amazing twist of a question I've ever seen. Thanks to those that have actually offered answers to my question, and lets just drop it now. All done.

(mümin, Argentina)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

I can add the additional drive to the array easily, and its additional capacity will be seen as unallocated space on the virtual disk. This is a 3-drive raid5 array on a Perc4/Di. .

I have done online expansions with Perc4/Di, such reconfigurations typically will rebuild the array with the additional drives added, but it will require a reboot in order for Windows to recognize the added drive space.

Is the array manager software not giving you the option to "reconfigure" the virtual disk when the additional drive is in the server?

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

Honestly, I can't fathom how so many of you insist on analyzing what I intend to do, instead of answering my original question (which some of you have- thanks guys). It's almost comical.

Maybe because there are those of us who have actually done this sort of thing in the past and did not require any additional software in order to do the job that was already included with the server utilities.

What is more comical is your incessant need to downplay everyone who is asking questions in order to help you.

(ercan, Niue)

Quote:

Originally Posted by twwabw

Honestly, I can't fathom how so many of you insist on analyzing what I intend to do, instead of answering my original question (which some of you have- thanks guys). It's almost comical.

You seem to be in the IT industry, so the only comical part is that you want the answer you want to here, not what might be the best way of doing it. Of all people, IT folks know aggravating this is. We in IT get told all the time how a "customer" wants something done...but the best people go with the best solutions...not just the first ones suggested. If someone suggests a better way to do this, then do it....don't continue to argue because it's not the solution you wanted. What is right and what's desired don't always match.

(tuna, Luxembourg)

As an update for anyone who may be interested..... Paragon Partition Manager Server Edition was what I went with. Seamless and easy- This server also had an undersized 12Gb system partition. After installing the new drives and adding them to the array and the virtual disk, it was simple choose how I wanted to reallocate the new unallocated space. I left the diagnostic partition alone; extended the system partition to 24Gb; and added the balance of the space to the data extended partition. No restores; no reformats; no dynamic disks.

I just used it again last week to extend a system partition on another W2k3 server.

Cost was $299; which seemed pretty reasonable. Has already paid for itself the first time I used it. Highly recommended.

(engin, Svalbard and Jan Mayen)

Server partitioning software ( 2 Views )

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