VMware Communities: Message List - Expanding array - Smart array E200i HP ML350 G5 - ESXi 3.5

Re: Expanding array - Smart array E200i HP ML350 G5 - ESXi 3.5

Jackobli — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:46:40 GMT

MattStibb wrote:
vshpere license should be here in a few days, are there any features in new product that would have helped in this scenario of expanding drives....?

IMHO you need vCenter Server to use vStorage VMFS Volume Grow.
But first, you would need to hot add and reconfigure the LUN... not really with an E200i
Some people are going into NFS. As it can reside an a platform that does support growable filesystems and disk systems (Sun ZFS, NetApp filer, Linux and others). Also you don't got the «limitation» of a 2 TByte VMFS. (But perhaps other limations due to networking).

Re: Expanding array - Smart array E200i HP ML350 G5 - ESXi 3.5

MattStibb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:30:20 GMT

Thanks for the Replys!.

I have backed up VM's to a NAS; intime for shiny new ML350G6 to arrive; I will move VM's on to her expand the array and reinstall ESXi.

vshpere license should be here in a few days, are there any features in new product that would have helped in this scenario of expanding drives....?

Regards,

Matt

Re: Expanding array - Smart array E200i HP ML350 G5 - ESXi 3.5

Jackobli — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:09:39 GMT

AndreTheGiant wrote:
Remember to do a backup of your VMs before start extenting

I'd suggest him to backup even before expanding the array, really!

Re: Expanding array - Smart array E200i HP ML350 G5 - ESXi 3.5

AndreTheGiant — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:49:08 GMT

My Question is once the physical drive size is expanded, how can I increase the logical drive from ESXi??

This could be a problem.
You need a free partition number (and usually you do not have it) and then you have to play with vmkfstools command (is not possible extent using VIC a VMFS volume with another partition on the same disk).

I suggest you to create a NEW virtual disk and then simple add an extent.
Or (best solution) do not use extent, and simple reinstall your system.

Remember to do a backup of your VMs before start extenting

Andre

Re: Expanding array - Smart array E200i HP ML350 G5 - ESXi 3.5

MattStibb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:17:32 GMT

I can get past the Expanding array using the HP utility.

My Question is once the physical drive size is expanded, how can I increase the logical drive from ESXi??

Expanding array - Smart array E200i HP ML350 G5 - ESXi 3.5

MattStibb — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:12:42 GMT

We need to expand the Disk array on a HP ML350 G5 using the controller - E200i.

The server is ESXi 3.5.

Is there a procedure for expanding the array using the HP E200i and if so is there a procedure for expanding the ESXi data store to use the extra space.

TIA.

Matt