Question : Problem: Upgrading 34GB RAID 1 Drives to 70GB Drives - Using IBM ServeRaid 8.25 - IBM X Series 336

I have a IBM X Series 336 Server - Type 8837 - Model 21U that has a hardware RAID 1 using 2 - 34GB SCSI Drives.
It is using ServeRaid Manager 8.25 and a LSI Controller.

I'd like to upgrade both drives to 70GB Drives.

So far we have replaced one drive and let it be rebuilt, then we replaced the other drive and let it be rebuilt. At this point everything is functioning and both drives have been properly rebuilt, however we are unable to expand or extend the array to utilize the entire 70GB.

From past experience there should be this option using the ServeRaid Manager or the Controller BIOS, however I can find no way of doing this. This is my first experience with the server so I'm wondering if I'm missing something simple.

Thanks.

Answer : Problem: Upgrading 34GB RAID 1 Drives to 70GB Drives - Using IBM ServeRaid 8.25 - IBM X Series 336

Many controllers do not allow in-place array expansion;  that may very well be the case here.   In that case you have two options:

(1)  Create another array using the rest of the new drives; then create a drive in that array and use it for the additional storage you want (you could even merge it with your current drive using dynamic disks if you want).

(2)  Save an image of your current system on yet another drive (I'd use Boot-It NG from www.bootitng.com to do this);  then delete your current array and rebuild the array using all of your new space; and then restore the image.

Note that there is a different between "unpartitioned space"  (space within an array that you have not used for a partition) and the additional space on the drives that is not part of the defined RAID array.   So unless your controller supports in-place expansion there is simply no way to use the space unless you create another RAID array (on the same drives) and then create partitions on that array -- which will "look" like another physical disk to Disk Manager.

Caveat:  I don't have access to the same controller, so I can't state for certain whether or not it supports in-place expansion; but based on your comments it apparently does not.