Overview

A hot spare is an idle drive kept online in a pool so the system can start a rebuild immediately after a failure.

When to use hot spares

Consider spares when arrays are large or when downtime risk is costly.

• Pools with many high capacity drives
• Sites with limited after hours access to swap drives
• Workloads that require fast return to protected state

Sizing and drive selection

Match or exceed the capacity and performance of data drives.

• Choose the same model series when possible
• Keep at least one spare per large pool, more for very large arrays
• Label spares with install dates and firmware versions

Assigning spares to pools

Decide whether to dedicate a spare per pool or keep a global spare.

• Dedicated spares for critical pools that need immediate rebuilds
• Global spares for smaller pools where risk is lower
• Review assignments after expansions or drive migrations

Setup steps

Add the spare and confirm assignment in Storage Manager.

• Install the drive and run a quick health check
• Assign as a hot spare to the target pool or keep global
• Verify spare status and test a simulated failure in a lab if possible

Inventory and logistics

Keep records and rotate spares prudently.

• Store spares in anti static packaging in a cool place
• Cycle older spares into service before warranty expiry
• Track serials, purchase dates, and firmware

Monitoring and alerts

Make sure alerts go to the right people.

• Enable email alerts for drive failures and rebuild start events
• Review logs after any automatic spare activation
• Reassign or replace the spare after a rebuild completes

FAQs

Short answers to common spare questions.

• Do spares need to be pre cleared - a quick health check is sufficient on modern drives
• Will a global spare serve multiple pools - yes but only one rebuild at a time
• Is a cold spare enough - fine for home, hot spares suit business uptime needs