Add to existing volume (increase volume) using ZFS with RAID 5

[quantumtraveler]

How can I add a drive to an existing volume using ZFS with RAID 5? I mean, assuming I'm running 3x 2TB drives ZFS RAID 5. How can I add a new drive later without moving all my data to another location, adding the new (4th) drive, recreating the volume and then transferring his data back. I don't want to create a second volume, I want to increase the current volume. Is this possible without moving all the data..?

 

[sunflashx]

No, I've only seen that type of functionality come from the unraid nas.

The only real option with ZFS is to add a new RAIDZ to the existing pool, which would be another 3+ drives. Or copy all the data off and start over.

 

[Brand]

How can I add a drive to an existing volume using ZFS with RAID 5? I mean, assuming I'm running 3x 2TB drives ZFS RAID 5. How can I add a new drive later without moving all my data to another location, adding the new (4th) drive, recreating the volume and then transferring his data back. I don't want to create a second volume, I want to increase the current volume. Is this possible without moving all the data..?

There is no such thing as a ZFS Raid 5. There is a ZFS Raid-Z, ZFS Raid-Z2, and ZFS Raid-Z3. Perhaps are are talking about ZFS Raid-Z? With any current implementation of ZFS you can not add a single drive to a pool to expand the size. You can however replace all drives individually, one at a time, to grow the pool.

 

[quantumtraveler]

Perhaps are are talking about ZFS Raid-Z? With any current implementation of ZFS you can not add a single drive to a pool to expand the size. You can however replace all drives individually, one at a time, to grow the pool.

Sorry, I was talking about RAID Z. So if I replace the drives individually, like you mentioned i.e. one at a time, are you saying that will allow me to grow the pool without creating a new volume? Sorry for asking what may seem obvious, it's just that this is something we're debating at the office (we have a team of 5 guys that each have the same setup and planning for the future..)

 

[William Grzybowski]

Sorry, I was talking about RAID Z. So if I replace the drives individually, like you mentioned i.e. one at a time, are you saying that will allow me to grow the pool without creating a new volume? Sorry for asking what may seem obvious, it's just that this is something we're debating at the office (we have a team of 5 guys that each have the same setup and planning for the future..)

Correct, that or add a whole new raidz vdev (3 new disks)