Replace SSDs with larger ones on a RAID 6 array

Question

Hello,I'm searching the forums and Internet but I can't find a post that answers this with confidence. I have an R730x with a PERC H730 Mini (firmware version 25.5.0.0018) with 12 480 GB SSDs in a RAID 6 configuration. The SSDs are already getting close to their TBW limit so I need to replace them and I'm planning to do this one by one.  Taking the opportunity, I would like to replace the SSDs with 2TB drives so I can increase the size of the virtual disk. Is this possible with this controller? I was reading that usually the spare space after all disks are replaced can be used to create a second virtual disk but my goal is to enlarge the already existing virtual disk. Can this be accomplished wih this hardware? Can it be done on-line within the IDRAC (IDRAC 8 Enterprise)? In the past I've already added more disks of the same size to this array and was able to enlarge the VD size. I just want to make sure that the VD in this hardware can be enlarged using larger disks and it can be done on-line. Thanks a lot for your input!

DELL-Chris H · Accepted Answer

GuilhermeO,

You can expand the virtual disk, but to start I would say that when doing anything with the virtual disk you always start with getting a complete backup of the data. The process you are referring to is called Online Capacity Expansion, using the Replace Member function, as explained here.

Let me know if this helps.

GuilhermeO · Answer

Thank you Chris. A few years ago, I had to expand this array quite urgently and I used a hot spare that was sitting there. Everything went well, and now I don't have a hot spare anymore So I'm comfortable following this procedure using extra disks of the same size. I haven't tried the procedure using larger disks though. This will also work with SSDs not containing the proprietary firmware from DELL? I'm planning to use some "Datacenter" model for the task, but I'm not buying from Dell as the price is way above my budget.

Thanks

DELL-Chris H · Answer

You can use larger disks, but to expand it needs to be the only Virtual Disk, as it has to expand it. As far as the drives, It should work, but them not being Dell I can't be certain. Either way though I would recommend having a backup before doing anything.

theflash1932 · Answer

AND don't buy Dell drives from Dell - they are overpriced.

BUT DO buy Dell drives from pretty much anywhere else for mission-critical application - serversupply.com, xbyte.com, etc. You don't have to pay Dell's markup for Dell-certified drives. There may be a small premium for a Dell-branded drive, but it should only be in the neighborhood of about 10% over a generic / retail version of the same drive, instead of 50-100% buying direct from Dell.

theflash1932 · Answer

This operation isn't dependent on firmware. If it works at all - and if the drives have been working otherwise - then the reconfigure should work fine.

The downside to doing this is that rebuilds are intensive operations for the disks, so the more you subject them to it, the more you increase the chance of something happening.

But, once you replace all the drives, instead of showing 100% "used RAID space", it will show you are using ~25% RAID space, with some amount "available". When you reconfigured, that available RAID space will be an option to integrate into your RAID 6.

GuilhermeO · Answer

I really appreciate all the input I've got from this thread. Thank you very much to @DELL-Chris H and @theflash1932 for your valuable information.

PowerEdge HDD/SCSI/RAID

Replace SSDs with larger ones on a RAID 6 array

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