Can I add more 2 HD's in RAID 1?

[SIWX]

Hi you all,

Currently I have 2 HD`s in RAID 1, but I need to make an upgrade by adding more 2 HD`s. Will I have to redo the RAID to to add them or does not support? What do I have to do?

Motherboard: Intel Rainbow Pass S1200RP

RAID Controller: RAID SATA C600 Series Chipset Intel(R)

thank you in advance.

Regards,

IWX Tecnologia da informação

[n_scott_pearson]

You currently have two drives in a RAID1 array, which means that one drive is maintaining a mirror (copy) of the other drive. If you add two more drives, you can do one of two things:

1. If you don't mind having two separate logical drives (two separate RAID1 arrays), you can just take the two new drives and place them in a separate RAID 1 array. In this case, you do not have to touch the old logical drive at all.
2. If you want all of the drives to be used in one big array, this can be done using RAID5 or RAID10. Using RAID 5 block-stripes the data with distributed parity across the set of drives utilized. This is safe as long as you don't have two drives fail at the same time (if one fails, it can be replaced and the array rebuilt without data loss). Alternatively, using RAID10, data is striped across two drives and a mirror is kept on the other two drives. This is slightly safer in that the array can sustain multiple drive losses so long as the mirror doesn't lose both of its drives. Either of these choices will require the removal of the existing RAID1 array. The data in this array currently will need to be backed up elsewhere while creating the RAID5 or RAID10 array.

Hope this helps,

...S

[idata · Accepted solution]

Hello IWX,

What you are trying to accomplish is known as RAID Online Capacity Expansion (OCE) process.

You can follow the instructions detailed on the following article: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/server-products/000023761.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/server-products/000023761.html

Please give it a try and if you have any questions let us know.

Regards

Jose H.

[SIWX]

Hello Jose,

I read the article you sent to me and helped a lot, but I still have some questions about it.

If I follow this procedure all the data that I have inside the existing disks will be deleted, right?

This procedure only fits to migration. Do you know how to just increase the capacity of the actual RAID 1?

Regards,

Felipe Rezende

[idata]

Hello IWX,

I am glad to hear that you found helpful the info we sent you. Answering your questions the online capacity expansion (OCE) does not delete the existing data on the current HDDs and that is the whole purpose for this feature. The capacity increase process on RAID 1 could only be done with 2 HDDs by swapping 1 at the time. If what you want to accomplish is to add HDD to a RAID 1 then that process it a migration to a RAID10. For more info you can check the following document on page 9: https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/motherboards/server/sb/g40440_005_rste_swug_r1_5.pdf https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/motherboards/server/sb/g40440_005_rste_swug_r1_5.pdf Regards Jose H.

[SIWX]

Hello Jose,

Thank you for the help and information. Helped a lot!

Regards,

Felipe Rezende