Disk Partitioning/RAID recommendations

Just a quick one. Repartitioning drives as we move from Exchange 2000 to
2003 with 20 users.

The Exchange server has 6 x 16Gb SCSI drives that are all in a single RAID5
set. (No, I didn't set it up this way)

I am considering changing to:

2 drives Mirrored to be used as the OS drive and Program files drive,
Probably split into C: and D: since our current Exchange installation is on
the D: drive.

3 drives in a RAID5 array for the database and logs (Is this normally the G:
drive)

1 drive as a spare, perhaps to be used as temporary storage if needed.
(Maybe put logs here?)

Is this a good plan, or is there a better way to do it? Thanks for your
suggestions.

Probably the best thing you can do is to separate the databases and logs
because if you lost the databases, you could still recover to the point of
failure by restoring the previous night's backup and then replaying the logs
into it. So, probably a better idea would be to include the logs on the
first mirror set and leave the databases on their own R5 array.

However, you may be tight for space on the mirror this way, so you could
also consider a mirror for the o/s and program files, a mirror for the logs,
and a mirror for the databases. Again, though, this may leave you tight for
space on the databases. If you can add another drive to the server, you
could have a mirror for the o/s and program files, a mirror for the logs and
a R5 array for the databases.

Failing all that, put it as you state below. It will certainly work.

--
Neil Hobson
Exchange MVP

For Exchange news, links and tips, check:
http://www.msexchangeblog.com

"Els" <Els@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:1793D690-7041-4E4A-BE10-855663585992@microsoft.com...
> Just a quick one. Repartitioning drives as we move from Exchange 2000 to
> 2003 with 20 users.
>
> The Exchange server has 6 x 16Gb SCSI drives that are all in a single
RAID5
> set. (No, I didn't set it up this way)
>
> I am considering changing to:
>
> 2 drives Mirrored to be used as the OS drive and Program files drive,
> Probably split into C: and D: since our current Exchange installation is
on
> the D: drive.
>
> 3 drives in a RAID5 array for the database and logs (Is this normally the
G:
> drive)
>
> 1 drive as a spare, perhaps to be used as temporary storage if needed.
> (Maybe put logs here?)
>
> Is this a good plan, or is there a better way to do it? Thanks for your
> suggestions.