From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2001 17:57:38 +0200 From: Hugo Lombard Subject: Re: [linux-lvm] expanding physical disks Message-ID: <20010615175738.F21571@hal.mailgate.net> References: <20010612212804.P1658@pc.ilinx> <200106130710.f5D7AhaX005430@webber.adilger.int> <20010613152032.A18554@colombina.comedia.it> <20010615161151.B9980@hal.mailgate.net> <20010615165135.A4266@sistina.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20010615165135.A4266@sistina.com>; from Mauelshagen@sistina.com on Fri, Jun 15, 2001 at 04:51:35PM +0200 Sender: linux-lvm-admin@sistina.com Errors-To: linux-lvm-admin@sistina.com Reply-To: linux-lvm@sistina.com List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Id: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit To: linux-lvm@sistina.com On Fri, Jun 15, 2001 at 04:51:35PM +0200, Heinz J. Mauelshagen wrote: > On Fri, Jun 15, 2001 at 04:11:51PM +0200, Hugo Lombard wrote: > > > > If you're using LVM primarily as a way to make it possible for you to > > expand your storage space on-line (and on-mount-point) wouldn't it be > > "easier" to _just_ use the RAID? i.e. expand the RAID volume on the > > controller, so basically the "disk" is bigger now, and the just "grow" > > your partition, extend your filesystem, and that's it? > > I think you're right in case you can live with the restrictions involved. > I'm right!?!?! Mother would be so proud!! ;) > If the amount of resizable volumes a single smart controller can support is > enough, you can surely go with that solution. When it comes to more storage > you need a logical volume manager to group multiple disk subsystems together > in order to support large storage configurations. > *nod* As usual, there's no universal answer, and it depends on you needs/configuration/preference/phase of moon... > > > > It's a thought I've been toying with since seeing the IBM ServeRAID's > > capability to grow volumes. I've not attempted any testing though, so > > this is pure speculation... > > > > (PS: All this means nothing if you're using LVM for it's other > > features, like striping, but then the RAID can do that too...) > > Plus LVM's features to move data around online in order to relocate it to > faster/bigger/newer disk subsystems, to have more that just a couple of > resizable devices, support for hardware block device reconfiguration without > any changes in the namespace of the logical volumes, snapshot support etc. > Very important features to consider, for sure. -- Dorothy: But how can you talk without a brain? Scarecrow: Well, I don't know... but some people without brains do an awful lot of talking. -- The Wizard of Oz --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hugo Lombard Infoline (Pty) Ltd System Administrator ---------------------------------------------------------------------------