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Solved
Add Hard drive to Raid
Posted on 2012-12-24
I have a Raid 5 config on a backup server and I would like to know if there is a way to add another HD to the server. I know I cant add it to the raid array without reconfiguring the array and basically having to rebuild the server. I really just want to add the drive as a slave so that I can see it and use it just for a backup. Is this possible?
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14 Comments
Active 5 days ago
It depends completely on your controller.
Which server do you have?
Which RAID controller are you using?
Many controllers allow you to add a disk to a RAID array ON THE FLY, without the need for rebuilding the server ... we just need to know which you have to be able to tell you if it is supported.
Which server do you have?
Which RAID controller are you using?
Many controllers allow you to add a disk to a RAID array ON THE FLY, without the need for rebuilding the server ... we just need to know which you have to be able to tell you if it is supported.
Active 5 days ago
If you are running ESXi on a RAID 5 on a Dell server, then your controller does support "online expansion", or growing your RAID 5 by adding a disk ... whether you are using a PERC 6 or a PERC H700.
This cannot be done from the BIOS though, so you will either have to use the ESXi VIB for OpenManage Server Administrator, or use OMSA Live, or possibly even load OMSA on a Windows guest OS to intiate a Reconfigure of your existing x disk RAID 5 to an x+1 disk RAID 5.
This cannot be done from the BIOS though, so you will either have to use the ESXi VIB for OpenManage Server Administrator, or use OMSA Live, or possibly even load OMSA on a Windows guest OS to intiate a Reconfigure of your existing x disk RAID 5 to an x+1 disk RAID 5.
I agree with PoewerEdgetech, ESXI adds a leyer of complication. The proper menthing is to use Dell's Open Manage Server app on a client and expand in that manner.
T410 should be running PERC6i RAID card for buildin RAID, which support OCE
Step by step guide
http://blog.biztactix.com.au/content/perc-6i-online-capacity-expansion
Step by step guide
http://blog.biztactix.com.au/content/perc-6i-online-capacity-expansion
Active 5 days ago
You are using an H700, so this can be done. Another thing to consider ... how large are your drives? Your order details show a single 2TB disk, so I would imagine you added your own disks. Does ESXi still have a 2TB limit per store?
Active 5 days ago
If you currently have a RAID 5 with 2TB disks, that would give you a single 4TB store ... unless you have "sliced" (created multiple arrays across the disks) the disk into smaller virtual disks (arrays), in which case, OCE/expansion is no longer an option.
Just note that it is a H700 through. Also it can be directly extend in ESXi through the LSI utility
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cumt.org%2Fblog%2F510&act=url
PS. Google translated
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cumt.org%2Fblog%2F510&act=url
PS. Google translated
Active 5 days ago
Depending on how you set this up, you may or may not be able to do this:
Are the data stores individual disks/LUNS as seen by ESXi? If so, then you have multiple RAID arrays configured across your disks, so you cannot expand your RAID array (must be a single array across the disks).
Are the data stores simply partitions created within ESXi? (I don't know if this is even possible with ESXi) Does ESXi see a 6TB disk and then create smaller-than-2TB partitions (stores)? The only way you can add a disk to your RAID 5 on the controller is if there is a single RAID 5 across the disks.
"Just note that it is a H700 through. Also it can be directly extend in ESXi through the LSI utility"
OMSA can also do this ... subject, of course, to the results of the above.
Are the data stores individual disks/LUNS as seen by ESXi? If so, then you have multiple RAID arrays configured across your disks, so you cannot expand your RAID array (must be a single array across the disks).
Are the data stores simply partitions created within ESXi? (I don't know if this is even possible with ESXi) Does ESXi see a 6TB disk and then create smaller-than-2TB partitions (stores)? The only way you can add a disk to your RAID 5 on the controller is if there is a single RAID 5 across the disks.
"Just note that it is a H700 through. Also it can be directly extend in ESXi through the LSI utility"
OMSA can also do this ... subject, of course, to the results of the above.
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