Expanding a RAID10 array

[seba]

Hello everyone,

I am new to RAID and Im hoping to set one up in the coming days. I will be going with a 4 drive RAID10 setup most likely. I will partition the drive into 2 parts. One for the OS and the other for just User Data.

My question revolves around future expansion. If i try to add another 2 drives to the RAID10 and i have
partitioned drives, how does this affect the RAID? Is it as simple as just sticking the drives in? Or is there something Im missing?

Thanks!

 

[rozar]

It is possible to use more than 4 drives in a RAID 10 array if your controller would let you do it. However this is only a good idea in VERY VERY limited circumstances. This overhead cost is also very high. If you are going to use more than 4 drive you will want to use a different RAID level. Most likely RAID 5 or 6. The can you do it part depends on your controller card. You might need to change to RAID 5 first and then expand. Make sure you have a good backup before you start something like this. Most processes like online capacity expansion take a very long time. Possible 2-3 days in your case of 4 to 6 drives.

What controller do you have?

 

[seba]

Hi

I will be using the onboard controller on the MB
Intel® Entry Server Board S3200SH

why is it that RAID10 is not recommended for more than 4 drives?

 

[rozar]

2 answers really. The first is cost, since you lose the space of half the drives you use. The second is simply that most controllers do not even work with more than 4 drives in a RAID 10 array. I dont think your Snow Hill motherboard does. What is this system going to be used for? I have a Snow Hill myself in a system but have not tried it. Will you be adding a video card to this system or using the one on the mothertboard?

 

[seba]

Wow, thats news to me! thanks for letting me know that, all the research Ive done never mentioned these things about RAID10 and more than 4 drives. I knew about the cost, but I wasn't overly concerned with that....

Im not going to be adding any video cards , Ill use the one on board, this is a system strictly for our business ERP software (accounting, inventory etc. ) its basically a database system with some capacity for user data storage.