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RAID Expansion

Started By pcdoc, Oct 31 2011 12:07 AM
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#1 pcdoc

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Posted 31 October 2011 - 12:07 AM

Recently decided to change my RAID array from a 2 array configuration to a single large array. I had a 5x2T=8T volume and a 3x2T=4T volume on my Highpoint 2680 controller card. As you know, a RAID 5 uses 1 parity drive for each array so this configuration would basically use 1 parity drive for each array for a total of 2. This means I would be giving up a total of 2x2T drives for parity. By making one large array I would have only 1 parity drive therefor gaining 2T in my total storage. After I deleted the smaller array, I used the drive expansion capabilities of the 2680 and changed the 8T into a whopping 14T single volume in one step. The 8T was 90% full and the process went without a hitch. Adding 3 drives at a one time took about 35 hours in high priority setting and still allowed me to use the server for my needs during that time. Overall I am pleased with this method and the performance is actually a bit faster than with the smaller volume. Here is a summary of the results I got when I finished.



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Main Server - WHS 2011, Core I5-2500, 12T RAID 5 (5x3T) + 2T of Mirror + 2T of backup
Second Server - 2008R2, Core I5-2500, 12T RAID 5
Main Systems - Core I7-2600k, 16 Gigs DDR3-1600, 180 Gig Intel 330 SSD Max IOPS 240 Gig Vertex 3, 2T Sata 3 for local Backup
Other systems - Core I7-2600, Core I3-530's, Core I5-2500, Core I7-920, Core I3-2100, and G620 (see System List)
My Blogs - The Docs Blog and Tablet Resource
BYOB Videos - TheBYOBPodcast
For a complete system List: Computer Systems

#2 jmwills

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Posted 31 October 2011 - 12:38 AM

With the price of drives not likely to come down anytime soon, a wise and thrifty decision.
Windows 7 Desktop - Antec 100 Case, Intel D8H67BL, OCZ 550W PSU, Intel i3-530 CPU w/16GB G-Skill DDR3 1333 RAM
Server 2012 - Fractal Arc Midi, CoolerMaster M600 PSU, ASUS P8H67V, Intel i5-2500 CPU w/32GBG-Skill DDR3 1333 RAM, 90 GIG OCZ SSD OS Drive – Roles: Hyper-V (WHS-SharePoint-DC-SQL-Exchange-WSE 2012), Print Server - Rocket RAID 2720 5x2TB
HTPC Build - Silverstone GD05 Case, ASUS P7H55-M PRO, CoolerMaster M600W PSU, Intel i3-530 CPU w/4GB G-Skill DDR3 1333 RAM. OCZ 60GB SSD Drive for the OS with a 120GB WD 2.5" Blue drive for data storage.
Travel Laptop: Dell XPSL502X 15.6"

#3 pcdoc

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Posted 31 October 2011 - 12:46 AM

With the price of drives not likely to come down anytime soon, a wise and thrifty decision.


Good point. I have a few spare drives but not more case room so I had maximize what I have.

Main Server - WHS 2011, Core I5-2500, 12T RAID 5 (5x3T) + 2T of Mirror + 2T of backup
Second Server - 2008R2, Core I5-2500, 12T RAID 5
Main Systems - Core I7-2600k, 16 Gigs DDR3-1600, 180 Gig Intel 330 SSD Max IOPS 240 Gig Vertex 3, 2T Sata 3 for local Backup
Other systems - Core I7-2600, Core I3-530's, Core I5-2500, Core I7-920, Core I3-2100, and G620 (see System List)
My Blogs - The Docs Blog and Tablet Resource
BYOB Videos - TheBYOBPodcast
For a complete system List: Computer Systems

#4 jmwills

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Posted 31 October 2011 - 01:22 AM

Consolidation will be the name of the game for awhile. From what I have read, WD will have the hardest time because of their OEM contracts at the old prices so it looks like the average guy (no pun intended) will make up the difference.
Windows 7 Desktop - Antec 100 Case, Intel D8H67BL, OCZ 550W PSU, Intel i3-530 CPU w/16GB G-Skill DDR3 1333 RAM
Server 2012 - Fractal Arc Midi, CoolerMaster M600 PSU, ASUS P8H67V, Intel i5-2500 CPU w/32GBG-Skill DDR3 1333 RAM, 90 GIG OCZ SSD OS Drive – Roles: Hyper-V (WHS-SharePoint-DC-SQL-Exchange-WSE 2012), Print Server - Rocket RAID 2720 5x2TB
HTPC Build - Silverstone GD05 Case, ASUS P7H55-M PRO, CoolerMaster M600W PSU, Intel i3-530 CPU w/4GB G-Skill DDR3 1333 RAM. OCZ 60GB SSD Drive for the OS with a 120GB WD 2.5" Blue drive for data storage.
Travel Laptop: Dell XPSL502X 15.6"

#5 JediTim

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Posted 31 October 2011 - 05:01 AM

Nice to see that the 2680 works flawlessly. I 5x2T=8T volume which has around 2T free...I will probably just add a drive to this in the future. Sadly, I don't have any spare drives for expansion at the current time...I do have five 2T drives available for the Lian Li 503 that I will be receiving tomorrow...I plan on backing up the HighPoint 2680 array at this point for offsite storage.

#6 pcdoc

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Posted 31 October 2011 - 06:38 AM

Nice to see that the 2680 works flawlessly. I 5x2T=8T volume which has around 2T free...I will probably just add a drive to this in the future. Sadly, I don't have any spare drives for expansion at the current time...I do have five 2T drives available for the Lian Li 503 that I will be receiving tomorrow...I plan on backing up the HighPoint 2680 array at this point for offsite storage.


Look forward to hearing about you experiences with the lian li. Hopefully prices and supply will return in the next 2-3 months and you will be able to add the additional storage if you need it.

Main Server - WHS 2011, Core I5-2500, 12T RAID 5 (5x3T) + 2T of Mirror + 2T of backup
Second Server - 2008R2, Core I5-2500, 12T RAID 5
Main Systems - Core I7-2600k, 16 Gigs DDR3-1600, 180 Gig Intel 330 SSD Max IOPS 240 Gig Vertex 3, 2T Sata 3 for local Backup
Other systems - Core I7-2600, Core I3-530's, Core I5-2500, Core I7-920, Core I3-2100, and G620 (see System List)
My Blogs - The Docs Blog and Tablet Resource
BYOB Videos - TheBYOBPodcast
For a complete system List: Computer Systems

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