ESXi

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  • 1.  Install another HD in raid

    Posted Dec 14, 2012 12:58 PM

    Hi Guys,

    I have a ESXi configured with 4 disks on raid 5, and i would install more 1 disk in this raid, is this possible?

    Or, only install how new storage?

    Thanks



  • 2.  RE: Install another HD in raid

    Posted Dec 14, 2012 01:04 PM

    Whether it is possible to add the disk to the RAID set depends on your RAID controller. If it is possible, please keep in mind that VMware does not support growing the local datastore, so you may consider to create a new logical volume on the additional disk space (in the RAID controller's BIOS/utilites) and then create an additional datastore on it within ESXi.

    André



  • 3.  RE: Install another HD in raid

    Posted Dec 14, 2012 01:16 PM

    That´s great! Thanks!

    My server is a HP Proliant DL 360 G7, i think that my controller supports this expansion...

    I thought it might increase the current datastore.

    Then, i will stay with two datastores?



  • 4.  RE: Install another HD in raid

    Posted Dec 14, 2012 01:28 PM
    My server is a HP Proliant DL 360 G7, i think that my controller supports this expansion...

    HP controllers support adding disks and even changing RAID levels, provided you have BBWC/FBWC attached to the controller.

    I thought it might increase the current datastore.

    Well, take a look at e.g. Can't increase Datastore capacity VMFS 5.54 to see if you want to take the risk and go through manual expansion.

    Then, i will stay with two datastores?

    To add the disk and create another logical volume on the RAID set, you need to use the ACU (Array Configuration Utility) on the Smartstart CD. The controller BIOS does not support this.

    André



  • 5.  RE: Install another HD in raid

    Posted Dec 14, 2012 01:54 PM

    I have 2 servers alike, and must deploy a third.

    at each server, i have four disk with raid 5, can i take one disk each server and install on third server that i will deploy?



  • 6.  RE: Install another HD in raid

    Posted Dec 14, 2012 04:11 PM

    I'm afraid that won't work, unless the 4th disk is configured as a Hot Spare disk. In addition to this I don't recommend a RAID5 with 3 disks as this is one of the slowest RAID configurations you can have, due to the way RAID5 works.

    You can certainly pull a disk from a RAID5 set, but this would leave the RAID in an unprotected state, i.e. if another disk failed you'd loose your data.


    André