Upgrading disks on existing RAID5

[Tom Giannoukakis]

Hi, currently we have an array with 5 x 36gb HDD. We would like to upgrade the disks to 72gb without deleting the array and creating a new one. I know if we replace one 36 with a 72, it downgrades the 72 to 36 in the array. Any ideas? thanks

[Torsten.]

Hi Tom,

what kind of array we're talking about?

[Tom Giannoukakis]

hi, it's logical drive with RAID5. thanks

[Torsten.]

RAID stands for technology, but I ask for hardware.

[Tom Giannoukakis]

hi, Server is a Proliant DL380 G3, card is a Smart Array 5i. thanks

[Volker Spies]

Hello Tom,

grab a 200GB IDE Harddrive, take an Image of the existing RAID Arry (with ghost or Acronis true image)

Remove the 36GB HDD's inser the 73GB HDD's build your new Array.

Take the image and ghost it back to the array. (Expanding the partitions to the new size)

Sounds stupid, but worked for me 20+ times.

If it doesn't work put your 36Gb Disk back in place and your server is up and running with the old configuration.

Depending on the RAID controller it could take several hours to ghost 100GB. So this is not an option if you have littel downtime. But I'm not aware of a raid controller where you can expand your array on the fly with a running OS.

Volker

[Steven Clementi]

Tom:


You can easily swap out each disk, one at a time ... waiting for each one to rebuild. The process can take a longer time, but your server stays up and running the whole time.

After you swap out and rebuild the last drive, you will have the extra space available to you for logical drive expansion and/or creation.


Steven

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

Steven is 100% correct about it
See the example from HP to do so.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=lpn14582

No doubt go for it

Regards,
Prashant S

[Volker Spies]

Hello all,

ok you are righ´t, but with this you have an extra logical drive. You have no additional free space on the existing partitions.

I don't know what Tom wants, but in most cases you want to have more free space on your existing partitions, rather then an extra drive.

Volker

[Steven Clementi]

Logical Disks/partitions can easily be expanded too.

Depending on Tom's current Logical Drive set up, he can either use a free utility from Microsoft (Diskpart) to extend data partitions or may have the need for some other 3rd party utility.


If you have a moment Tom, describe to us your current disk layout so that we can give you more options...

Do you have 1 Logical drive with partition in your OS? or do you have 2 logical drives? one for your System disk and a seperate one for data?



Steven