Extending VPLEX Virtual Distributed Volume online

If you've paid enough for a VPLEX then you probably don't want an outage to extend a virtual distributed volume.  It's not quick and it's a bit fiddly, but here's how I did it (with help from some great folks at EMC).

Shown below is a distributed volume “DB_13_1_1” in consistency group “Cluster-2”.

1.  Check consistency group as it should be cluster-2 for this volume

and Check the Rule Set as it should be "Cluster-2-detaches"

 2.  Verify the distributed volume is assigned to both cluster-1 and cluster-2 storage views as the non-active side will be removed to rebuild the extended mirror:

Cluster-1 DB13:

3.  ESX Visibility of Volumes before extending

cluster-2  host that runs active database on cluster-2 DB_13:

4.  Remove cluster-2 DB13 from Cluster-2 consistency group:

5.  Remove inactive volume (mirror with no I/O) from storage view not needed:

6.  ssh into VPLEX and run vplexcli username/password again so you can break the mirror, removing the side that is inactive and that will be added back with a new larger size:

device detach-mirror --device DB_13_1_1 --mirror device_VNX_DB_13_1_1 --discard --force device detach-mirror --device EU01_Exch_DB_13_1 --mirror device_VNX_DB_13_1_1  --discard --force

7.  Refresh list of Distributed Devices and confirm the removed side of the mirror is gone

8.  Click on Cluster-1 devices and delete the device that's been removed from the mirror

9.  Click on Cluster-1 extend and delete the extent that's been removed from the mirror

10.  on Cluster-1 click on Storage Volumes, highlight the claimed volume that's been removed from mirror and click on "Unclaim"

11. collapse the live volume that's serving I/O to get it ready to give it a new larger mirror:

VPlexcli:/clusters/cluster-1/devices> device collapse --device DB_13_1 _1 drill-down device device_ VNX_DB_13_1_1

12.  Type the set visibility local command to change the visibility of the device to local and then validate the change with another ll.

set visibility local DB_13_1 cd  /clusters/cluster-2/devices/device-VNX_DB_13_1_1  ll

13.  Expand active/live (non-mirrored) volume in GUI

Remember the storage that's being added into the live volume to make it a raid-c cluster needs to have a physical volume but not a virtual volume or extent or device.

14.  Add Capacity from Virtual Volume in Cluster-2 choosing the new 50 Gb IWB_ExchDB13_EXT device

15.  Confirm whether needed to rescan hosts at Cluster-2 as DB13 on vSphere

16.  Expand the datastore to use the new space in as added to the lun from vSphere
17.  Create a Virtual Distributed Volume with the newly extended 300+50 Gb Cluster-2-DB_13 volume and the new 350 Gb Cluster-1DB_13_1_EXT

18.  Confirm  Consistency Group (Cluster2) is as should be when done

19.  Add volume back into Storage View (Cluster-1)

20.  Rescan hosts in Cluster-1 and Cluster-2  vCenter as needed.