Hi Andre,
 
Thanks for the information.  I'll definitely look into the tool.  We may be forced to go the paid route as it may pay for itself in the long run.  
 
However,  the preference is to use a free alignment procedure for physical machines.   So, to rephrase my question, are there any free procedures and/or utilities to correct lun alignment on a phyiscal machines?   A host based copy to a new LUN is one free solution but just wondering if there are any other procedures to correct alignment issues on physical machines that are not as tedious as the host based copy?
 
Thanks,
Phil 


On Fri, Jun 7, 2013 at 2:57 PM, Clark, Andre <aclark@insightinvestments.com> wrote:

Phil,

 

Take a look at the Paragon Alignment Tool (http://www.paragon-software.com/home/partition-alignment/).  It fixes alignment issues on both physical and virtual disks. 

Regards,

André M. Clark | Sr. Consulting Engineer, Team Lead | Insight Integrated Systems | 917.388.8236

Tell me I will forget... Show me I may remember... Involve me I WILL UNDERSTAND!!!

Start by doing what's necessary, then what's possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible!!!

 

 

 

From: toasters-bounces@teaparty.net [mailto:toasters-bounces@teaparty.net] On Behalf Of Philbert Rupkins
Sent: Friday, June 07, 2013 11:54
To: toasters@teaparty.net
Subject: Fixing LUN Misalignment on Physical Machines

 

Hello Toasters,

 

I found a ton of information regarding fixing misalignment issues in virtual environments.    However, I am interested in how to resolve misalignment on a physical machine.   The only way I am aware of is to create a new LUN and perform a host based copy of the data to the new LUN.   Is this my only option or are there any other methods that require less overhead/downtime?

 

Here is the situation:

 

Server OS = Windows 2008 Server

LUN Type = Windows 2008

Partition Type = MBR (W2K3)

 

How did we get a W2K3 MBR partition out of a Windows 2008 server?   We didnt.  The LUN was originally created by a W2K3 machine while using an EMC storage array.   The W2K3 server was eventually retired and the LUN was presented to the W2K8 machine.     

 

The LUN was then migrated to a NetApp array using a block for block mirror of the data from the EMC LUN to the NetApp LUN.    Unfortunately, the NetApp LUN was created as a windows_2008 lun type because it was going to be used by a Windows 2008 server - this is where the mistake was made.    So now, we have a Windows Server 2008 box with a disk using a 2003-MBR partition type on windows_2008 lun type.

Again, I'd like to fix the misalignment issue in the easiest way possible.  Creating a new lun and performing a host based copy of the data is doable but requires a fair amount of overhead.   Just wondering if there is a more efficient way to resolve lun alignment issues with physical machines.

 

Thanks!

-Phil