Debian OS Installation with Software RAID
- Ramarajan P
This article describes steps for disk configuration if you elect to install the Debian OS to a software-based RAID1 Array.
Executive Summary
Description: Configure Debian OS Installation disk Software-based RAID array, including installation of GRUB bootloader. This guide will walk you through the simplest RAID1 setup. Ensure the disk(s) you intend to install the Debian OS to have at least 20GB of space for this guide. This guide presumes you followed the "Step By Step Debian 12 Installation" guide until step 10 (This guide replaces steps 11 through 15 of the "Step By Step Debian 12 Installation" guide).
Procedure
Note :
For advanced users, there are other options that are theoretically possible but were not tested by our team:
Software BIOS RAID: https://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller/SataRaid
Hardware RAID: Check your raid controller settings.
Manual Partitioning Method
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Manual" within the "Partitioning method" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the first drive to utilize in the Debian OS installation RAID array, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Yes" when prompted to create a new empty partition table on the first drive, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the second drive to utilize in the Debian OS installation RAID array, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Yes" when prompted to create a new empty partition table on the second drive, then click the "Continue" button.
Configure Software RAID
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Configure software RAID" from the listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Yes" radio button to confirm writing the partition tables to the previously selected disks, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Create MD device" from the "Software RAID configuration actions" listbox in order to begin the process of creating the "multiple device" software RAID, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "RAID1" from the "Software RAID device type:" listbox in order to create a mirrored array for redundancy purposes, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, enter '2' in the "Number of active devices for the RAID1 array:" text box, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, enter '0' in the "Number of spare devices for the RAID1 array:" text box, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the check-boxes next to both devices in the "Active devices for the RAID1 array:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Yes" radio button to confirm writing the partition tables to the previously selected disks, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Finish" item from the "Software RAID configuration actions" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
Configure Logical Volume Manager
LVM (Logical Volume Manager) allows you to resize partitions, add new disks, and manage storage more dynamically. We are using LVM in RAID setup system as LVM can add an additional layer of flexibility on top of your RAID setup, allowing you to manage your logical volumes more efficiently. Combining RAID with LVM can provide both redundancy (through RAID) and flexibility (through LVM), which can be beneficial for both performance and data recovery
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Configure the Logical Volume Manager" from the "overview of your currently configured partitions and mount points" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Yes" radio button to keep the current partition layout and configure LVM, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Create volume group" from the "LVM configuration action:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, enter your desired name in the "Volume group name:" text box.
From the "Partition disks" screen, place a check next to the multiple device Software RAID group created earlier, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Yes" radio button to keep the current partition layout and configure LVM, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Create logical volume" from the "LVM configuration action:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the previously-created volume group from the "Volume group:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, enter the name "root" for the first logical volume in the "Logical volume name:" text box, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, enter an amount in Gigabytes for the size of the root volume in the "Logical volume size:" text box, then click the "Continue" button.
We recommend this amount to be a percentage of the capacity of one of your OS drives. e.g. If you are using 250G drives this value can be set at 200G.From the "Partition disks" screen, select "Create logical volume" from the "LVM configuration action:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the previously-created volume group from the "Volume group:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, enter the name "swap_1" for the second logical volume in the "Logical volume name:" text box, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, enter "4G" (4 Gigabytes) for the size of the swap_1 volume in the "Logical volume size:" text box, then click the "Continue" button.
The recommended size for swap space can vary based on your usageFrom the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Finish" item from the "LVM configuration action:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
Configure Partition Usage
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "#1" item below the "LVM VG sangoma-vg, LV root" (the root logical volume created earlier) item from the "overview of your currently configured partitions" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Use as: do not use" item from the "Partition settings:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Ext4 journaling file system" item from the "How to use this partition:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Mount point: none" item from the "Partition settings:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "/ - the root file system" item from the "Mount point for this partition:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Done setting up the partition" item from the "Partition settings:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "#1" item below the "LVM VG sangoma-vg, LV swap_1" item (the swap_1 logical volume created earlier) from the "overview of your currently configured partitions" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Use as: do not use" item from the "Partition settings:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "swap area" item from the "How to use this partition:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Done setting up the partition" item from the "Partition settings:" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Finish partitioning and write changes to disk" item from the "overview of your currently configured partitions and mount points" listbox, then click the "Continue" button.
From the "Partition disks" screen, select the "Yes" radio button from the "Write the changes to disks?" prompt, then click the "Continue" button.
Install the GRUB Boot Loader
Note :
The Debian OS installer by default only installs the GRUB boot loader to the main hard disk in the software-based RAID array. It is best to install this boot loader to all disks in the RAID1 array in the event that (1) a drive failure occurs and you need to boot from the secondary drive or (2) due to swapping hard drive connections physically in the chassis, the other drive becomes the primary drive.
Please refer to "Install the GRUB boot loader" for necessary steps to install the GRUB boot loader.
You may now proceed with the "Step By Step Debian 12 Installation" guide at step 16.