md device: online resizing

StamPit · 03-16-2010, 02:19 AM

Hello!

I have md device (raid6), built on top of lvm. How to resize online md device, if i change lv`s size?

I found one solution: fail and resync each device in array (this procedure updates metadata), then grow md device with option -z max. But this way is dangerous and *very* slow.

Is there another way?

--
Sorry for my english =)

timvandijk039 · 03-16-2010, 02:52 AM

Hi StamPit,

To my knowledge it's the other way around. The LVM is on top of the RAID array.

Here's an URL on which the RAID "grow" process is explained without failing a device. Never tried it though so this could also be a slow process.

http://scotgate.org/2006/07/03/growi...5-array-mdadm/

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Tim

StamPit · 03-16-2010, 03:10 AM

Thanks, Tim.

But i need extreme flexibility and i don`t know how much disk space i need on each partition, so i decided to use strange scheme: physical device -> LVM -> md RAID -> another LVM.

timvandijk039 · 03-16-2010, 03:17 AM

StamPit,

You may also want consider using a commercial solution such as Netapp (expensive) or QNAP (relative cheap). Both solutions offer extreme storage flexibility and manageability.

http://qnap.com/

Hope this helps (and good luck!)

Tim