Adding Free Capacity to an Array

Use the Add Free Capacity option to expand the capacity of a selected by adding . The expansion causes additional to be included in the array. You can use this free capacity to create additional .

Choosing the Number of Disk Drives

Keep these guidelines in mind to determine the number of unassigned disk drives to add to the array:

Considering Disk Drive Candidate Capacity

Keep these guidelines in mind when you consider the disk drives to be used for additional capacity:

Adding Free Capacity to an Array

Keep these guidelines in mind when you add free capacity to an array:

  1. In the Logical pane, select an array, and select Array >> Add Free Capacity (Disk Drives) .

    Based on the RAID level and on the enclosure loss protection of the current array, a list of unassigned disk drives appears.


    Note:

    If the RAID level of the array is , , or and the drive expansion enclosure has enclosure loss protection, Display only disk drives that will ensure enclosure loss protection is selected by default.

  2. Select disk drives up to the allowed maximum number of disk drives in the list.


    Important:

    Mixing different disk drive types within a single array or logical drive is not permitted.

  3. Click Add.
  4. To add the capacity to the array, click Yes.

    Logical Pane Changes

    These changes take place in the Logical pane:

    • Each logical drive in the array shows an Operation in Progress icon while the data blocks are physically reorganized.
    • A defragment array operation automatically takes place.
    • If a did not previously exist, a new Free Capacity node is added at the bottom of the tree, showing the capacity calculated for the RAID level.
    • If one or more Free Capacity nodes previously existed, they are consolidated during the defragment array operation to create one Free Capacity node.
    • The Unconfigured Capacity node updates to reflect the subtraction of the usable capacity of the unassigned disk drives that were added to the array.

    Physical Pane Changes

    The disk drives selected for addition to the array were previously represented in the Physical pane with an Unassigned Disk Drive icon. They now appear with an icon.

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