Re: Adding a disk to a RAID array

You've got a couple of issues here.

First, adding a drive to a controller and adding a drive to an array are two different things.

Some RAID controllers allow you to add a new drive and have that drive become part of an existing array where "array" is their definition and not necessarily something useable by an O/S without additional work. Others don't - you have to destroy the array and rebuild it with the added capacity to realize a larger array.

Every RAID controller I know if will let you build more than one array per the controller. i.e. 3 existing drives in the first array, add 3 more drives and create a new array from them. The controller now has 2 arrays. Via Linux, format the second "array" and use the normal mount point technique to mount this capacity where ever you need it.

Adding one drive to an array controller is counterintuitive to me unless that controller has the smarts to dynamically add that capacity into an existing array or if it is willing to run that drive as a non array entity in which case you can then just add that lonely drive to a mount point and it has no RAID capability.

Bill Gradwohl
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(817) 224-9400 x211
www.ycc.com