combine 2 datastore in esx4i

[msanjay196]

Hi,

I had added an additional hard drive. this created a second datastore. the server is hp and the storage is DAS.

how do I combine the new datastore with the existing one, so I can utilize the space from both stores?

Thanks

[a_p_]

Usually you can use the add storage wizard to either create a new datastore on a new disk/LUN or add the new disk/LUN to an existing datastore as an extent. However, it depends on the controller and storage whether the add storage wizard will allow you to add an extent. Actually I wouldn't recommend to do this anyway. Better leave the 2 datastores separate, unless there's a real need to combine them.

André

[msanjay196]

The server is Hp DL 380G6; and Smart ArrayP410i

I was thinking to combine them so can use free space from Datastore1 (around 200GB) and  Datastore2 (just added which has 300GB).

As I am trying to p2v a machine which is around 500GB

thanks

[a_p_]

How did you configure the disks/the RAID?

Do you already have some VM's on this host? How many datastores do you have and what's the block size they are formatted with?

André

[msanjay196]

I do have some VM's on the existing (datastore1); RAID is 5

block size is 4MB;

currently datastore 1 has total of 838GB plus 300GB (approx) from Datastore2

thanks

[a_p_]

What about the new disk? Did you add this to the existing RAID set and present the disk space as a new logical volume (using the ACU) or did you add it as a JBOD disk?

It might be possible to grow an existing datastore using fdisk and vmkfstools, however this is risky. Wouldn't it be an option to e.g. migrate some of the existing VM's to the new datastore to free up the needed space on datastore1 for the new VM?

André

[msanjay196]

I did add this using ACU. Yes, that is a good idea to move some existing VM's to new datastore.

thanks

[a_p_]

If migrating some of the VMs is possible, go for it.

André