SAN disk size expansion

• balasaukri

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  July 25, 2013 at 11:04 pm

  #276364

  Hi,

  We were trying to expand SAN disk size more than 2 TB as part our requirment. But it failed due to the limitation, NTFS can support maximum of 2 TB.

  Is it so?

  I am unaware such windows limitations! On the other way, how to work around and hot to expand a SAN disk more than 2 TB. Any suggesstion would be highly appreciated.

  My environment is: Windows Server 2008 R2, enterprise edition

  SQL Server 2008 R2, enterprise edition

  6 SAN disks are configured with >1 TB to < 1.5 TB. We want to expand those SAN disks to more than 3 TB each.

  Thanks!

• balasaukri

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  July 26, 2013 at 12:43 am

  #1636046

  Microsoft suggested solution:

  -Create new 4.8TB, convert this right away to “GPT disk” during first disk initialization at Windows 2008 R2 (assign as temporal drive letter say “X”)

  -Shutdown database

  -Robocopy the existing L drive (1.7TB) data to new drive 4.8TB

  -Dismount 1.7TB (MBR disk) from L drive

  -Mount 4.8TB (GPT disk) to L drive

  -Start-up database & perform application check.

  I have updated the MS solution here, if anyone encounters the same situation - they can use it.

  Thanks!

• Perry Whittle

  SSC Guru

  Points: 234013

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  July 26, 2013 at 6:30 am

  #1636115

  balasaukri (7/25/2013)

  ---

  Hi,

  We were trying to expand SAN disk size more than 2 TB as part our requirment. But it failed due to the limitation, NTFS can support maximum of 2 TB.

  Is it so?

  I am unaware such windows limitations! On the other way, how to work around and hot to expand a SAN disk more than 2 TB. Any suggesstion would be highly appreciated.

  My environment is: Windows Server 2008 R2, enterprise edition

  SQL Server 2008 R2, enterprise edition

  6 SAN disks are configured with >1 TB to < 1.5 TB. We want to expand those SAN disks to more than 3 TB each.

  Thanks!

  The limitation is not down to NTFS but down to the partition type.

  An MBR partition only supports up to 2TB, as already mentioned you need to set the disk up as GPT and then create your NTFS partition. See more here

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  "Ya can't make an omelette without breaking just a few eggs" 😉

• balasaukri

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  Points: 1443

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  July 30, 2013 at 2:41 am

  #1636875

  Thank you Whittle!