How to disk image a server RAID1

I want to image my server just by swapping the drives

I have one working server set up as RAID1 (Server 1)

So this is my theory - comments pls giys !

- remove one of the drives from the working servers (Server1)
- replace it with another blank drive and RAID 1 will rebuild - so
Server 1 will be back to normal
- configure Server 2 with RAID 1 and 2 blank disks
- turn off Server 2 (and unplug NIC)
- insert the disk taken out of Server 1 -and this should rebuild as an
image of Server 1
- run sysprep and now I have a working image of Server 1

<robertpclloyd@hotmail.com> wrote
>I want to image my server just by swapping the drives
Make youre you have a valid backup BEFORE you bugger up your RAID.
In fact, this is an excellent opportunity to test your restore procedure.
Which (of course) will be totally successful, therefore negating the need to
bugger about with RAID sets to do something they're not designed to do.

> I have one working server set up as RAID1 (Server 1)
HP Proliant server with SCSI disks running on a SmartArray controller with
Hot-Plug Disks???

> So this is my theory - comments pls giys !
Assuming the above...

POWER OFF THE SERVER
Drives might be Hot-Plug, but they are NOT Hot-UNPlug

> - remove one of the drives from the working servers (Server1)
> - replace it with another blank drive and RAID 1 will rebuild - so
> Server 1 will be back to normal
OK - Fine.

> - configure Server 2 with RAID 1 and 2 blank disks
Nah.
Put the disk in an UNCONFIGURED server, in the correct slot (Same slot the
disk came out of)
Server should grumble, then recover from the disk you've just inserted.
Then you can hot-plug a disk in the other slot and it should rebuild.

Expect this to fail. Then you won't be upset it it does fail, and you'll be
chuffed to bits if it works.

> - turn off Server 2 (and unplug NIC)
> - insert the disk taken out of Server 1 -and this should rebuild as an
> image of Server 1
> - run sysprep and now I have a working image of Server 1
>

Yes, this process works, but everyone I know who's ever done this has
buggered up at least one server. So take that as a warning.

And update all the firmware first...