Increase shared space by adding drives

[biggsy]

Hi,

I've been using N4F under ESXi for some time but only as a means to backup my desktop to a CIFS/SMB share.

I have been trying to build a new N4F that can provide the space on one disk as a single CIFS/SMB share but, more importantly, allow for the space on one or more disks (of different sizes) to be added later.

As an example, start with a single 500GB disk and maybe add a 320GB and/or a 1TB disk later - without losing or recopying what is stored on the 500GB.

As the purpose of this is just to provide backup storage, redundancy isn't really a requirement.

I've experimented with both ZFS and JBOD (and read everything I can) but can't see how to increase the shared space without losing what is already there.

Is this even possible or am I dreaming?

Thanks.

[raulfg3]

Create a zfs pool with only one disk, and add disk one at time like vdevs to existing pool.

If only one disk fail, you lose all data in your pool, but if is a backup, it is not a problem.

[biggsy]

Thank you raulfg3,

Here is the process I followed:

First Disk
-----------
Disks|Management
+
Disks|Management|Disk|Add
Select ada1
Descr: ada1
ADD, APPLY CHANGES

Disks|Format
Select ada1
FS: ZFS storage pool device
FORMAT

Disks|ZFS|Pools|Virtual device
+
Name: Vdev1
Type: Stripe
Select ada1
ADD, APPLY CHANGES

Disks|ZFS|Pools|Management
+
Disks|ZFS|Pools|Management|Add
Name: Pool1
Select Vdev1
ADD, APPLY CHANGES

Second Disk
-----------
Disks|Management
+
Disks|Management|Disk|Add
Select ada2
Descr: ada2
ADD, APPLY CHANGES

Disks|Format
Select ada2
FS: ZFS storage pool device
FORMAT

Disks|ZFS|Pools|Virtual device
+
Name: Vdev1
Type: Stripe
Select ada2
ADD, APPLY CHANGES

Here is where I get stuck. I can't see how to add the second disk, except as a separate pool.

[raulfg3]

In disk zfs pools tools use option vdev add, and add second vdev to existing pool.

http://wiki.nas4free.org/doku.php?id=do ... ools_tools


PD: second disk name must be vdev2 , not vdev1 That you use in disk 1

[biggsy]

Thank you again.

Second Vdev1 was a typo.