On the fly disk space hardware enlargers?

Post by **Snelvuur** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 2:48 pm

Hi,

Does anyone know about more ways to enlarge a "raid-5" or similar without having to move your data?

I know http://www.drobo.com does this, but it only has usb which is bad.

The infrant nv+ (netgear) http://www.infrant.com/products/product ... S%20NVPlus
Does also have x-raid, this will allow replacing the disks with a larger version 1 by 1. Assuming that all 4 disks are replaced by a bigger one (still maintaining the raid-5, the array is as big as the smallest disk)

Also i know that windows home server, has funcionality to create a sort of raid-5, which will allow growth, but not 100% sure about it.

Are there any other solutions out there? The best would be a drobo with ethernet, because you can stick 1 bigger disk in it and it will grow your filesystem, regardless of the sizes of the other one. While maintaining integrity if 1 disks fails.

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **TANE** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:13 pm

In Vmware you have this...

Don't know any tool.
What you can do is try archiving with a special tool, The file link will stay on the original location the file self will than be moved to another place.
HP Tool FMA
http://h18006.www1.hp.com/products/stor ... index.html

Post by **Snelvuur** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 3:26 pm

Only want a hardware solution, no software. Software can go bad, hardware is at a different level which assures me better chance of integrity.

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **Niknik** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:44 pm

There are several raid NAS solutions, however most of them are more expensive than building a NAS computer of your own.
One of the most common is the Buffalo Tera Station:
http://www.buffalotech.com/products/net ... rastation/

Post by **Snelvuur** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 7:48 pm

Yes, but that does not allow growing without the need to place your files "temporary" on another location. Raid-5 cant grow, and most solutions does not allow it to grow "live" you have to make a new raid-5 ..

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **Niknik** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 8:05 pm

No, not really. There are raid-5 controllers than can expand its array dynamically (you just insert bigger HDs one at a time, and it will rebuild and expand the array).

However I didn't find any info on whether the Buffalo Tera Station does that or not.

Post by **Snelvuur** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 9:03 pm

well that is where my problems lies

// Erik (binkey.nl)

Post by **Digit** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:27 pm

This controller has a feature called "Online RAID capacity expansion":

http://www.webconnexxion.com/raid/produ ... 6a1300caca

And they're very fast too!

Post by **Snelvuur** » Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:38 pm

yes, but for this you need a computer again..

// Erik (binkey.nl)