StorCLI RAID5 Online Expansion: Source Lab Setup, Migration and Capacity Checks
This source is a lab demonstration on an AVAGO MegaRAID SAS 9361-8i, not a sequence to copy onto a production VD. Its first phase force-deletes a VD and creates a fresh RAID5 before the expansion example; deletion is destructive and is not required merely to expand an existing eligible array. Confirm backup/recovery, controller support, free qualified drives and the actual VD identity first. Controller 0, enclosure 252, slots 4–7 and VD0 below are source examples, not target selection for another server.
1. View current logical and physical disk status
./storcli64 /c0 show
2. Source lab setup: destructive VD deletion
This step removes the source’s selected VD0. The following output shows the separate remaining RAID0 VD1 at 893.75GB. Do not use del force on the existing VD whose data should be retained.
./storcli64 /c0 /v0 del force
3. Command to view virtual arrays
./storcli64 /call /vall show
4. Source lab setup: create a new RAID5 VD
The command uses three 3.637TB-class drives in enclosure 252, slots 5–7 and reports a 7.276TB RAID5 VD. Other pictured rows are a separate 893.75GB RAID0 VD; do not confuse the VD-number reassignment after delete/create with a new physical-drive identity.
./storcli64 /c0 add vd type=raid5 size=all drives=252:5-7
5. Add slot 4 hard drive to expand capacity in RAID 5
The source adds the previously Unconfigured Good drive at 252:4 using start migrate with option=add. A successful start message confirms the operation was accepted, not that expansion or data synchronization is complete. This feature must be supported by the actual controller/firmware.
./storcli64 /c0 /v0 start migrate type=raid5 option=add drives=252:4
6. View the status of the expanded hard drive
./storcli64 /call show
7. View array information after online expansion
./storcli /call /vall show
The intermediate capture still shows 7.276TB because migration has not completed; the newly added drive is already Online in its physical list. A current VD size by itself is not a migration-progress check.
8. View the synchronization time for the online expanded hard drive
./storcli64 /c0/v0 show migrate
The migration-progress screenshot reports 1% and an estimated 1 day 17 hours 10 minutes. The final screenshot subsequently reports a 10.914TB Optimal RAID5 VD. The source gives no independent application-level data verification or OS/filesystem expansion procedure.
9. Precautions
VD expansion does not automatically enlarge every partition, logical volume or filesystem. The original alternates storcli64 and storcli in its displayed command text, and includes both /c0 /v0 and /c0/v0 forms; use the executable/path syntax supported by the actual package.
1. The source’s 4TB ≈ 40 hour observation is a case estimate, not a duration guarantee. Workload, controller policy, drive condition/capacity and configuration affect migration time.
2. There is a risk of data loss during online hard drive expansion; it is recommended to perform data backup before expansion.