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James White
Asked: 2015-08-02 08:38:15 +0800 CST

Tips on manually rebalancing data across a Parity Storage Space pool in Windows Server 2012 R2

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On my HP Microserver N54L which acts as file server, I have a parity storage spool consisting of the following:

  • 4x 2TB WD Caviar Green
  • 1x 3TB WD Caviar Green (Recently added)

The OS (Server 2012 R2) is run on an SSD.

The 2TB drives are all over 70% used, I added the 3TB drive recently because of low capacity warnings. What I didn't realise until finding out now is there is no data rebalancing system in 2012 R2, so the new drive I have added is not being used as I thought it would once introduced into the pool.

Storage Spaces Setup with warnings

Furthermore I am now getting the prompt to add two additional drives to the pool, even though there is plenty of capacity since the upgrade, I'm assuming because all 4 of the 2TB drives are over 70% used, this warning is being generated.

Are there options available to manually rebalance the data across all the drives, reducing the usage on the 2TB drives, and sharing it across the new 3TB? Would Windows correct the issue overtime, simply by new data being introduced to the pool, its apparent there isn't any PowerShell commands available to do it, though apparently Microsoft have introduced this in Windows Server 2016, but this doesn't help my situation and its doubtful this feature would be added to 2012 R2.

I'm wondering if similar situations have happened to others and what the best action is to resolve it?

windows

2 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    I know this an old thread. But maybe create a VHDX file in "disk manager" on the storage space. Then mount it move all your data into it.

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  2. 70% is simply the default warning.

    A 3-column parity space requires free space on at least 3 drives in order that you can write data to it.

    You are being asked to add 2 new disks because pretty soon only one disk will have free space, not the required 3.

    You can manually rebalance by moving data off the parity space, and then moving it back on. When it gets written back to the parity space, it will do its best to distribute the chunks in a more balanced way taking into account the new 3TB drive. However due to the size mismatch you are always going to 'waste' some.

    If you don't have somewhere to move the data to, you can likely achieve a limited rebalance by creating a simple (unprotected) storage space on the same storage pool. Move a couple of gigs of files there, then move it back to the parity space.

    Naturally the files will be unprotected while on the simple space so only do this if you have a backup.

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