Expanding RAID 5 with different Hard Disk Space

[Joyce Lim]

we are running 3 units 36GB hard disk on RAID 5 with 642/64MB Smart Array Card.
Please advise how do we expand 3 more units of 72GB hard disk (due to availability)on the same RAID? without reinstalling the windows 2003 server.

[Oleg Koroz]

see some general rules

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c00142272/c00142272.pdf

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/software-management/acumatrix/index.html

add all three drives to System launch ACU Create new array and Create new Logical Drive. From Disk Manager create Partition and Format

[Colin_29]

The larger disks will add to the RAID5 array ok but as they are striping with 36GB drives, they will only use 36GB from each of the new drives. You will be adding just less than 108GB to your storage capacity.

Alternatively you could create a new RAID5 on the same array which would use all of the new disks capacity and this would add just less than 144GB.

HTH
Colin

[e4services]

Last, you could replace each drive, 36 w/ 73, one at a time, rebuilding the array between each swap, until all 3 36GB drives have been replaced with 73s. Then Expand the existing logical drive into the free space. You then could install the 36GB back into the system to create what ever new you can use as a new logical drive.

[Colin_29]

We are all wondering how you got on as this thread is still open and you have not replied or assigned and points ?????

[zigong]

there is another similar thread:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/247109-32-raid-upgrade-bigger-disks#t1762289