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VMMyke
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Local Disk Space on ESX 4.0 Server

I have a Dell 2950 GEN III 2 x Quad Core 2Ghz 16GB Ram and 6 x 2TB SATA Hard Drives and 6 Nics

I am only able to create a small single data store. I have the 6 Drives in a Hard ware RAID 5 Configuration. How can I use 100% of the apx 10TB of Drives space for local Guests Windows and several flavors of Linux. I understand that I am going to likely have to have several data stores.

Feel free to ask questions I look forward to working this out to take advantage of this local storage

This issue I am having is ESX installs great yet I can only see enough space to make one Data store apx 1 TB why does the rest of the free space not show up as it’s all one local disk in hardware is RAID 5 via the SATA Controller.

Thank you,

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rManic
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If it is ESX /ESXi4.0

try with multiple RAID 1 volumes and create multiple VMFS datastore each with 2TB size

regards

Manic

Regards Manic

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rManic
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vSphere 4 will support max datastore size of 2T-512 B

which version of ESX are you using?

regards

Manic

Regards Manic
rManic
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ESXi or ESX?

4.0 or 3.5 ?

regards

Manic

Regards Manic
rManic
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If it is ESX /ESXi4.0

try with multiple RAID 1 volumes and create multiple VMFS datastore each with 2TB size

regards

Manic

Regards Manic
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VMMyke
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vSphere 4 is what I am using.

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rManic
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so

Remove RAID 5

Create RAID 1 with first two disk,Install ESX

Create another two RAID 1 volumes with the remaining disks,then create 2 VMFS datastore or Create 1VMFS datastore then extend to another RAID 1 volume

this is the only way to utilize max of 6TB with reduntancy at disk level

Note:

do not create RaID volume with more then 2TB-512 Bytes becase ESX cant not address more then that.

regrds

Manic

Regards Manic
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VMMyke
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What about going with a single RAID 5 across the 6 Physical hard drive and creating 5 logical drive 1.8TB in Size. We still have RADI 5 and we get 9TB of usable space across 5 1.8TB data stores?

What are your thoughts?

Reguards,

VMMyke

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rManic
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good idea but i havn't tried that

you try it update me

above one which I mentioned in the above discussion is already tested here in our lab

if you wnt to use space rather then redantacy you also try with no RAID i.e RAID 0

regards

Manic

Regards Manic
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VMMyke
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Manic,

I starte puting this idea to the test as i thought of it after your posting. So far so good I will let you knwo ESX is going on now..

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rManic
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great

I am awaiting for your response !

regrds

Manic

Regards Manic
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VMMyke
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Looks like both of our ideas paned out just fine i can access all the 5 datastores and still have RAID 5 and MAX usable DiskSpace.........

keep on with your ideas they foster good things and thank you for checking back with me !

VMMyke

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rManic
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superb and thanks for update

regards

Manic

Regards Manic
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