6.0.1

n
Dynamically add a new extent. The datastore can span over up to 32 extents with the size of each extent
of more than 2TB, yet appear as a single volume. The spanned VMFS datastore can use any or all of its
extents at any time. It does not need to ll up a particular extent before using the next one.
N Datastores that only support hardware assisted locking, also called atomic test and set (ATS)
mechanism cannot span over non-ATS devices. For more information, see “VMFS Locking
Mechanisms,” on page 149.
Increase VMFS Datastore Capacity
When you need to add virtual machines to a datastore, or when the virtual machines running on a datastore
require more space, you can dynamically increase the capacity of a VMFS datastore.
If a shared datastore has powered on virtual machines and becomes 100% full, you can increase the
datastore's capacity only from the host with which the powered on virtual machines are registered.
Procedure
1 In the vSphere Web Client navigator, select vCenter Inventory Lists > Datastores
2 Select the datastore to grow and click the Increase Datastore Capacity icon.
3 Select a device from the list of storage devices.
Your selection depends on whether an expandable storage device is available.
Option Description
To expand an existing extent
Select the device for which the Expandable column reads YES. A storage
device is reported as expandable when it has free space immediately after
the extent.
To add a new extent
Select the device for which the Expandable column reads NO.
4 Review the Current Disk Layout to see the available congurations and click Next.
5 Select a conguration option from the boom panel.
Depending on the current layout of the disk and on your previous selections, the options you see might
vary.
Option Description
Use free space to add new extent
Adds the free space on this disk as a new extent.
Use free space to expand existing
extent
Expands an existing extent to a required capacity.
Use free space
Deploys an extent in the remaining free space of the disk. This option is
available only when you are adding an extent.
Use all available partitions
Dedicates the entire disk to a single extent. This option is available only
when you are adding an extent and when the disk you are formaing is
not blank. The disk is reformaed, and the datastores and any data that it
contains are erased.
6 Set the capacity for the extent.
The minimum extent size is 1.3GB. By default, the entire free space on the storage device is available.
7 Click Next.
8 Review the proposed layout and the new conguration of your datastore, and click Finish.
vSphere Storage
166 VMware, Inc.