Resize a volume

You can grow a Block Storage volume from its current size up to the 5 TB maximum at any time. The resize is online — the volume stays attached to the server while it grows. After the platform-side resize completes, you extend the filesystem inside the guest so the OS can use the new space.

Before you begin

• An existing Block Storage volume (Create a volume)
• The new size must be larger than the current size and ≤ 5 TB
• A recent backup or snapshot of the volume is recommended before any resize

Resize the volume in the portal

At this point the block device is larger, but the filesystem inside the guest still reports the old size. Continue with the steps below to grow the filesystem.

Grow the filesystem (Linux)

SSH into the server and run the appropriate commands for your filesystem.

ext4

$
# 1. Confirm the block device is the new size
$
lsblk
$
# /dev/vdc should show the new size (e.g. 200G)
$
$
# 2. Resize the filesystem online
$
sudo resize2fs /dev/vdc
$
$
# 3. Verify
$
df -h /mnt/data

XFS

$
# XFS grows the mounted filesystem in place
$
sudo xfs_growfs /mnt/data
$
$
# Verify
$
df -h /mnt/data

LVM on top of the volume

If you placed the volume in an LVM physical volume, you have one extra step:

$
# 1. Tell LVM the PV is bigger
$
sudo pvresize /dev/vdc
$
$
# 2. Extend the logical volume to use the new space
$
sudo lvextend -l +100%FREE /dev/<vg-name>/<lv-name>
$
$
# 3. Grow the filesystem on the LV (ext4 example)
$
sudo resize2fs /dev/<vg-name>/<lv-name>

After the filesystem grow, df -h /mnt/data should report the new capacity.

Verify

$
# Block device size
$
lsblk /dev/vdc
$
$
# Mounted filesystem size
$
df -h /mnt/data

Both should reflect the new size.

Best practices

• Snapshot before resizing. Online resizes are safe but a snapshot is the cheapest insurance.
• Resize in smaller steps during business hours rather than huge jumps so you can verify each grow before moving on.
• Don’t shrink. The platform doesn’t shrink, and shrinking a filesystem under data is risky even when the OS supports it.
• Match the filesystem command to the filesystem. resize2fs is for ext2/3/4; xfs_growfs is for XFS. Running the wrong tool fails safely but wastes time.

Troubleshooting

Resize button is disabled The chosen size isn’t larger than the current size, or you’ve hit the 5 TB cap. Pick a strictly larger value within the limit.

Block device shows new size but df -h still shows old size You haven’t grown the filesystem yet. Run resize2fs (ext4) or xfs_growfs (XFS) — the section above.

resize2fs: Bad magic number in super-block You ran resize2fs on a non-ext filesystem. Check the filesystem type with lsblk -f /dev/vdc or sudo blkid /dev/vdc and use the matching grow command.

Resize stuck in the portal Refresh the volume page. If it doesn’t return to In Use / Ready within a couple of minutes, contact IBEE support.

Need to shrink Create a new, smaller volume, attach it to the server, copy the data over (rsync -aHAX), update mounts, then detach and delete the original.

Related pages

• Create a volume
• Attach and detach a volume
• Volume backups
• Performance tiers