How to create RAID 5 with 6 disks ?

[sdiaby]

I am new to vmware. My machine is presently running ESXi 4.1 but the RAID set up does not give me more disk space I was advice to redo the disk layout at the physical level to have all 6 disks at RAID 5 then reinstall ESXi. I am in the process of doing so but I need a direction how create RAID 5 with the 6 disks. Can someone please help with that?

Thanks

SD

[MRSIT]

I believe this is follow up from one of your previous post.

When the server boots you should see an option prompt to go in RAID setup. Mostly will be Ctrl+A.

You then have to destroy RAID 10 and select option to create RAID5 if you card supports it. (some cannot)

You then select all 6 HDD and initialize the RAID container getting all available space.

You will get about 700-730GB of space.

[sdiaby]

Yes this is the follow up of my previous post. i am getting there with you guys help.

Thanks very much.

[AndreTheGiant]

This depends by your RAID card.

Most support a disk hot-add to an existing RAID group.

Check vendor documentations.

Andre

[sdiaby]

i am installing my vmware ESXi i came to screen asking if i want standard set up or custom set. What's the difference ?

[a_p_]

This sounds as if you are installing ESX instead of ESXi. If not, do you have a chance to take a screen shot or a picture of the screen and post it here?

André

[sdiaby]

i am installing ESXi 4.1

[sdiaby]

yeah you're right it is ESX 4.1 i am trying to destroy RAID 10 and recreate RAID 5 when i boot up the server it says Ctrl+S to go to configuration menu when i do that nothing happen the server keeps booting. looks like the key is not responding i don't know.

From: André Pett <[e-mail]>

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Sent: Sunday, August 28, 2011 5:17 PM

Subject: New message: "How to create RAID 5 with 6 disks ?"

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How to create RAID 5 with 6 disks ?

reply from André Pett<http://communities.vmware.com/people/a.p.> in ESXi - View the full discussion<http://communities.vmware.com/message/1818341#1818341>

This sounds as if you are installing ESX instead of ESXi. If not, do you have a chance to take a screen shot or a picture of the screen and post it here?

André

Reply to this message by replying to this email -or- go to the message on VMware Communities<http://communities.vmware.com/message/1818341#1818341>

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[a_p_]

Assuming you are using the built-in Smart Array 6i controller this should no problem. If you can't make it into the conreollers BIOS, you can alternatively boot from the Smartstart CD and use the ACU (Array Configuration Utility). Using the ACU has the advantage that you can split the RAID into multiple logical drives. I usually create a small logical volume (~10GB) for the installation of the Hypervisor (ESXi) and another large logical volume for the VMFS datastore.

André

PS: When replying via email, please don't include the original post.

[sdiaby]

Thanks for the information. i was able access bios i deleted and recreated new logical drive using RAID 5. Now i have 702 GB which enough to create my VM and load my application.

Thanks

SD

[a_p_]

Great to here it worked.

Don't forget about the VMFS block size I mentioned in your other discussion!

André

[sdiaby]

Andre,

i am using this server just for my CCIE Voice lab preparation i am going to create 5 separate VMs each VM with its own application (UCM Pub, UCM Sub, Unity and CUCCX). each application require 2048 Mb of memory and 80 Gb of disk space except CUCCX which require 100Gb of disk space that was the reason i wanted to use RAID 5. i am not going to use this server for anything else, now for the VMFS block size, do i need that ? do i create the VMFS block size while creating my VMs?

Thanks

Souley

[a_p_]

From your other post I understood you needed to create a VM with ~400GB, that's why I mentioned the block size. If the VM's don't need more than ~256GB of disk space there's no need to re-create the datastore.

The reason I mentioned the block size here again is, that there's no way to modify it for an existing datastore. It can only be set when creating a new datastore.

André