How to increase my RAID storage

[scottsd]

I have ba RAID-5 server (Linux) with 4 @ 18 GB SCSI drives in RADI-5, yielding some 50+ GB. One of the drives just died.
I noticed replacement 18 GB drives are not much cheaper than 36 GB. I wonder if I can buy new 36's and somehow upgrade
the entire reaid array to get more storage ?

I understand if I replace one of the drives with a larger one,
that drive's capacity would be reduced to that of the others
(eg only 36 GB). So even if I replace each old drive one at a time with a larger drive, rebuilding each time, I still won't get a higher capacity. Correct ?

So is it true the only way to upgrade the capacity is to remove all the old drives, put in the new drives, anbd restore from tape ? Ort is there another way that does not depend on restore from tape?

Thanks in advance
Scott

 

[tim4558]

You will have to blow away the RAID and start again I'm pretty sure. what type of card is it ?

 

[technome]

Dependant on the raid card and the OS, as to expansion possibilities.
If the smaller drives are replaced with the larger drives, the original array volume size will remain the same but you should be able to create another volume from the unallocated space remaining. I would recommend this if 2 volumes can be used. If you do this, replace one drive at a time, and be absolutely sure the rebuild of each drive has completed before inserting the next 36 gig drive.

I have little Linux experience.. if a restore will easily get the system going I would scrap the array, and reconfig the array for the 36 Gig drives.