Upgrading from single 1 TB disk to additional 2 more and wanted them to be in raid, without disrupting existing setup

[RAbes]

Hi Team,

I'm seeking assistance with upgrade my current  Esxi on running multiple VMs on a single 1 TB  drive to an additonal 2 more of the same drives I bought.

Right now I have the first disk in slot 0 and I have placed the other two in slots 1 &2.

I haven't started up the server yet.

Could you help me with configuring these disk in raid configuration and the best way possible, considering data availability in case of disk failures.

What settings needs to be done in the bios and how to move files...etc..

Thank you

Kind regards,

Rin

[Deso1ator]

You will lose all data on disk 0 if you add the two other disks and strip across all 3 disks.

[RAbes]

I can't afford to loose data.

What is a better workaround to this ?

[sjesse]

You cannot use the existing disk in a new raid group without it being wiped. You need to move the data somewhere else first, so either to more disks in the same server, or move any servers to external storage like nfs and then rebuild the host. You can't go around technical limits unfortunatly.

[RAbes]

Could I possibly, have disk 2 and 3 configured in Raid. and then move the data over from disk 1  to disk 2/3 later ?

[sjesse]

You can move any vms, just not the esxi host os,

[RAbes]

I think that would be sufficient enough ?

Have the VM os on disk 1, while disk2/3 would host the VM itself.

Could you let me know any downside of having this type of setup and if so, what I  could do to avoid any issues associated with it.

Also could you please help the steps on how to configure disk 2/3 into a raid and what RAID config will be the best.

Would be great if it would include screenshots.

Kind regards,

Rin

[VysakhNair]

RAbes​

You can't configure RAID by keeping the data in one disk

Do have vCenter and other ESXi host ? - if yes move the VMs(Cold vMotion) to other ESXi host

Configure RAID according to your requirement and install ESXi on same and migrate back the VMs

[RAbes]

I donot have any of the above said option.

Why don't I keep the VM OS on disk 1 itself, while moving the VM  and ISO files over to the disk2/3  after configuring just the disk 2/3  in Raid mode ?

[daphnissov]

Look, here are your options which others have been trying to explain.

• If ESXi is installed on disk0, you cannot move this to other disks/virtual volumes
• If you want to create a RAID array from disks 1 and 2, your only option should be RAID-1 unless you like losing data
• You cannot join an existing disk0 with disks 1 and 2 to create a 3-disk-wide RAID volume (presuming RAID-5)
• Regardless of whatever option(s) you choose, you had better have some sort of VM backup strategy in mind unless, again, you just like losing your data for fun periodically

[RAbes]

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Let me try this out :

-> I don't need to move the esxi out from Disk 0

->I prefer to have only Disk 1 & 2 in RAID.

->Disk 0 can be as it is running the ESXi s/w.

Is this configuration possible ? If so how ?

Thanks

Rin

[daphnissov]

Yes, it's possible. What do you mean, how? You're doing it already aside from configuring a simple RAID-1 volume for disks 1 and 2.

[RAbes]

I'm not, I haven't had the DISK 1 & 2 in the slots yet. But will be placed in and start configuring.

So now you saying it is possible to have he esxi os on DISK 0, while once the DISK 1 & 2 is configured in Raid data (the VMs) can be moved from Disk 0 to Disk 1/2 ?

Do you have any documentation on how to configure disk 1/2 in RAID . Also what type of RAID will be good ? I intend to have more disk added in the future too ...

--Rin

[daphnissov]

So now you saying it is possible to have he esxi os on DISK 0, while once the DISK 1 & 2 is configured in Raid data (the VMs) can be moved from Disk 0 to Disk 1/2 ?

Yes, because ESXi will use the remainder of the free space on disk0 (presuming it is not flash media) to create a VMFS datastore. This should already be done for you and visible in your client.

Do you have any documentation on how to configure disk 1/2 in RAID .

No, because this depends on your RAID controller. You should look at your manufacturer's documentation for that. ESXi itself cannot construct RAID volumes in software.

Also what type of RAID will be good ? I intend to have more disk added in the future too ...

Your only option with two disks if you wish to have some level of redundancy is RAID-1. You cannot expand this into another form of RAID later if you add disks.

[RajeevVCP4]

How many host in the cluster or it is single host