File System Expansion Overview

You can expand a mounted UFS by using DiskSuite Tool. Only UNIX file systems can be expanded using the DiskSuite Tool software.

Expanding a file system occurs in two steps.

1. Disk space is added at the end of the metadevice by using the DiskSuite concatenation facilities.

2. The file system is expanded using the DiskSuite Tool.

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Note - Once a file system is expanded, it cannot be shrunk.

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When you add space to mirrors, expand each of the submirrors before the file system. If an error is reported while expanding any of the submirrors, you must resolve that error before you can expand the file system.

For trans devices, only the logging device or master device can be expanded; not the trans device itself.

Nonexpandable File Systems

A mounted file system cannot be expanded if any of the following conditions exist:

• When acct(1M) is activated and the accounting file is on the target file system.
• There is a local swap file in the target file system.
• C2 security is activated and the logging file is on the target file system.
• The file system is root (/), /usr, or swap.

Growing File Systems

When a component is available, DiskSuite Tool can be used to add the slice to the existing metadevice without interrupting service.

If more than one component is added, those components can be striped. This stripe is then concatenated onto the metadevice.

Disk space can be expanded by one or all of the following:

• Adding a slice (physical partition) to a metadevice.
• Adding a slice to a RAID metadevice.
• Adding a slice (physical partition) or stripe to a submirror.

To expand disk space, use the instructions in the following subsections.

Adding a Slice to a Metadevice

The following example provides step-by-step instructions for adding a slice to an existing metadevice. The metadevice will be a Concat/Stripe object that contains a mounted file system.

The steps for adding a slice to the existing metadevice follow:

1. Start DiskSuite Tool.

# metatool

2. Open the Concat/Stripe object on the Metadevice Editor canvas.

   Scroll through the device list on the Metadevice Editor to find the Concat/Stripe object that will receive an additional slice. In this example, the d9 Concat/Stripe object contains one slice, c3t0d0s0.

3. Open the Slice Browser.

   Click on Slices on the button panel.

4. Select a slice to be added to the Concat/Stripe.

   Select a slice of the appropriate size to add to the d9 metadevice. In this example, slice c2t1d0s1 is selected. (You can select additional slices at the same time that can be added to the Concat/Stripe.)

5. Drag the slice into the Concat/Stripe object.

   Point to the c2t1d0s1 slice, press down the middle button, and drag the slice to the top of the d9 Concat/Stripe object.

The following validation dialog box is displayed when the slice is added to the Concat/Stripe. Click on the OK button.

6. Commit the Concat/Stripe object.

   Click inside the top rectangle of the d9 Concat/Stripe object. Then click on Commit on the button panel.

7. Expand the file system.

   When the following dialog box is displayed, you can either expand the file system now or grow it manually later. In this example, Grow Now is selected.

The following dialog box lets you terminate the expansion. If you do not click on the Terminate GrowFS button, the expansion takes place.

8. The file system begins to use the added space.

   The file system is using the additional space. For additional information about growfs(1M) and file system expansion, refer to Chapter 11 of the Solstice DiskSuite 4.0 Administration Guide.

Adding a Slice to a RAID Metadevice

The following example provides step-by-step instructions for adding a slice to an existing RAID device. The RAID device contains the /disk file system.

The steps for adding a slice to an existing metadevice follow:

1. Start DiskSuite Tool.

# metatool

2. Open the RAID device on the Metadevice Editor canvas.

   Scroll through the device list on the Metadevice Editor to find the RAID device that will receive an additional slice.

3. Open the Slice Browser.

   Click on Slices on the button panel,

4. Select a slice to be added to the RAID device.

   Select a slice of the appropriate size to add to the d3 RAID device. In this example, slice c1t0d0s0 is selected. (You can select additional slices at the same time that can be added to the RAID device.)

5. Drag the slice into the RAID device.

   Point to the c1t0d0s0 slice, press the middle button, and drag the slice to the top rectangle of the d3 RAID device.

The following validation dialog box is displayed when the slice is added to the RAID device. Click on the OK button.

When you click on the OK button, the slice is added to the RAID device.

6. Commit the RAID device.

   Click on the top rectangle of the d3 RAID device. Then click on Commit on the button panel.

7. Grow the file system.

   When the following dialog box is displayed, you can either expand the file system now or grow it manually later. In this example, Grow Now is selected.

The following dialog box lets you terminate the expansion. If you do not click on the Terminate GrowFS button, the expansion takes place.

8. The RAID device begins to use the added space.

   The RAID device is using the additional space. For more information about growfs and file system expansion, refer to Chapter 11 of the Solstice DiskSuite 4.0 Administration Guide.

Adding Slices to Submirrors

The following example provides step-by-step instructions for adding a slice to an existing mirror. In this example, the d0 mirror contains two submirrors, d1 and d2.

The steps for adding a slice to an existing mirror follow:

1. Start DiskSuite Tool.

# metatool

2. Open the d0 mirror on the Metadevice Editor canvas. Scroll through the device list on the Metadevice Editor to find the d0 mirror object that will receive additional slices.

3. Open the Slice Browser.

   Click on Slices on the button panel.

4. Select a slice to be added to the d2 Concat/Stripe (submirror). Select a slice of the appropriate size to add to the d2 Concat/Stripe (submirror). In this example, slice c1t0d0s0 was selected. (You can select additional slices at the same time that can be added to the d2 Concat/Stripe.)

5. Drag the slice into the d2 submirror.

   Point to the selected slice (c1t0d0s0), press the middle button, and drag the slice to the top of the d2 submirror. The slice is concatenated to the bottom of the Concat/Stripe.

When the slice is dropped, the following warning dialog box is displayed because the submirror will be a different size after adding the slice. Click on the Continue button.

6. Select a slice to be added to submirror d1.

   Scroll through the list of slices in the Slice Browser and locate a slice that is equal in size to the slice you just added to the d2 submirror. In this example, slice c2t0d0s0 is selected.

7. Drag the slice into the d1 submirror.

   Point to the selected slice (c2t0d0s0), press the middle button, and drag the cursor to the top of the d1 submirror. The slice is concatenated to the bottom of the Concat/Stripe.

When the slice is dropped, the following Validation dialog box is displayed. Click on the OK button.

8. Commit the mirror.

   Click on the top rectangle of the d0 Mirror. Then click on Commit on the button panel.

9. Grow the file system.

   When the following dialog box is displayed, you can either expand the file system now or grow it manually later. In this example, Grow Now is selected.

The following dialog box lets you terminate the expansion. If you do not click on the Terminate GrowFS button, the expansion takes place.

10. The file system begins to use the added space.

    The Mirror is using the additional space. For more information about growfs and file system expansion, refer to Chapter 11 of the Solstice DiskSuite 4.0 Administration Guide.