vSphere 6.0 storage expansion and/or add new datastore problem

[hatragyi]

Hello!

Our client uses vSphere 6.0 and vCenter.
They setup:
- 2x Dell PowerEdge servers as a HA cluster.
- 1x Dell PowerVault storage with 1x raid 6 array (5x300 GB sas disks) what is the vmware cluster single datastore. On the datastore sit 1x vCenter appliance VM + 3x other VMs.
The powervault storage connection to the servers is sas connections.

Our client run out the storage space, therefore we replaced the 5x300 GB sas drives to 6x600 GB sas drives (one by one) in the storage, everything is okay, the storage appear the extra free capacity.

We would like to expand the storage raid 6 volume with the free capacity (which is the single datastore of the vmware HA cluster), but then the Dell array manager app display a warning message (attached), that not every operating system will handle the storage expansion.
The vmware datastore filesystem type is: VMFS 5.61

The first question:
If we expand the storage volume of the datastore on the Dell powervault, this operation is safety? Can the vmware handle this storage and the datastore expansion, and see everything, every VMs after this operation?

The second question:
We tried an alternative way. We don't expand the storage, leave it the original state. But we created a second r6 volume in the storage from the free space. Everything is ok in the powervault, the new storage was created and it has same settings as the original volume, and we tried to add this volume as a second datastore in the vmware.
But in the vcenter (vSphere web client, or vSphere clinet) we didn't find any new storage. We think, we tried every possible methods to add a new datastore, but not suceeded. Not appear the new volume. Tried rescan, refresh storage every possible part of the vcenter.

What could be the problem? Can anyone help with the solution?

Thank You!

[a_p_]

ESXi is able to recognize LUN expansions on the fly. Once a LUN has been expanded, you'll have to rescan the storage HBA on the ESXi host (or through vCenter), then you will be able to expand that datastore, i.e. the VMFS partition.

Creating a second LUN on the storage - like you did - is also an option. In order for the host to see that new LUN, you need to present it to the host from the storage system. Once presented, rescan the HBA, an create a new datastore on the new LUN.

André

PS: It's always a good idea to have an up-to-date backup in case something doesn't work as expected!

[hatragyi]

Thank you for your answer.

So, the second way. We created a second raid volume in the dell storage, everything is fine. We tried to add this in vcenter for the HA cluster or for the hosts. We also tried to use the installed esxi client, what is manage just the hosts.

We tried rescan/refresh storage adapters, what is presented for the vmware, also rescan disks, but the new storage was not appear. Is there any other method that present the new storege to the host?

[a_p_]

Did you assign (present) the new LUN to the host from within the storage system's management?
A newly created LUN does not get presented to hosts/initiators by default. That's a task that has to be performed on the storage system.

André