Expand Local Datastore

[carfra]

Hello,

I have an ESX 3.5 Update 2 with a local datastore (RAID5) within virtual machines.

I want to enlarge the datastore, I don't have enough free space to creat more virtual machines.

To do it:

-Buy a new hardisk

-Shutdown my virtual machines and my ESX

- Add the new hardisk to the Raid5 with the hardware tools

- Start my ESX and . . .

I want to know if I can do an extend with the new unpartitioned space on the existing datastore without lose my virtual machines o I have to create a new datastore with this unpartitioned space or what can I do ¿?

Can anybody help me ?

Regards

[weinstein5]

You will have t create a new datastore - you can not expand an exisitng VMFS datastore by adding a new disk

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[AndreTheGiant]

Add the new hardisk to the Raid5 with the hardware tools

If your RAID card can create another virtual disk, this will be the best solution.

Otherwise you will have unpartitioned free space, but no free primary partition (cause of ESX 3.x default partitioning). In this case the best solution is rebuild your system.

Andre

[nanair01]

I guess this is what you were looking for :

1. Start ESX

2. Click on Configuration tab on the ESX Server on VI Client.

3. Click on storages

4. Scan it

5. Click on Add Storage and then add ur newly attached RAID storage.

It will be added as a new VMFS volume and you can start building VM's on them.

Guru's, Please correct me if I am wrong anywhere.

[Box293]

Depends on your existing RAID controller.

For example, with a Dell server I can:

Add a hard disk while the ESX server is running

Using Dell OpenManage I can then add the new disk to the existing RAID 5 set

This simply extends the size of the RAID5 set (but not the VMFS volume)

This happens all while the server is running (with VM's running on it) however depending on the speed, size and number of disks, this operation can take 2 days (but with no downtime)

Once the RAID 5 set is extended, the extra disk space will be available to add as either a) a new VMFS volume or b) an extent to the existing VMFS volume (regardless of option a or b, the extra space still gets the benefits of redundancy because it is part of a RAID 5 volume)

So now I'll take off my Dell hat. It all depends on your hardware. If it is not a generic whitebox then contact the support line and they can explain how you can achieve the steps I've listed above. If it is a generic whitebox then you may not have some of the bonus features of being able to extend the RAID 5 set while the server is running production machines.

Let me know if this helps.

VCP3 32846

VSP4 VML-306798

[carfra]

Thank you all yours replies.

I think, I can create a new Virtual Disk with the unused space on the RAID5 and create a new datastore.

I will update the case.

Again thanks to all