Bigger Aggregates (was Re: HSM/ILM for Netapp)

I would really, really, really like to see a utility in DOT 8.x
where one aggregate can "assimilate" another aggregate.  In other
words I want to combine aggrA and aggrB into a new aggrA that
contains all of the raid groups (and volumes) of the two aggregates,
with aggrB disappearing.

I don't see why this would be difficult to do.  Just move the raid
groups (and hence volumes) from aggrB to aggrA.  I understand that
there need to be restrictions (all RGs need to have the same raid
type, and no mixing of FC and SATA disks, etc.)  Anything to avoid
massive data copies.  It would even be fine if this had to be done
from a maintenance boot.

Right now I have 11 identical 10T aggregates on my snapmirror destination
filer (Each consists of 1 raid-dp RG of 16 1TB SATA disks.  I would have
built slightly smaller RGs, but the 16T limit made that too wasteful.)
It's a pain to figure out where to snapmirror a new source volume, since
everyone seems to want at least 5T volumes now. I occasionally need to
reshuffle to make room.  I would LOVE to be able combine all these "little"
10T aggrs into one or two bigger aggrs.

I also hope they set the limit way bigger than 100T, which seems like
just kicking the can down the road to me.

Steve Losen   scl@...    phone: 434-924-0640

University of Virginia               ITC Unix Support