[mythtv-users] Hard Disk Upgrade Options with LVM - Raid 5 with Autofs

[Joel Turner]

Several months back I wrote regarding upgrading my storage space on  
my myth system. I'm getting ready to proceed.  I've been researching  
my options and I have some other questions. I currently have a 250GB  
and 150GB drive as one logical LVM volume running the xfs file  
system. I'd like to replace the 150GB with a 320GB drive.  Am I  
correct in thinking that I can add the 320GB to my system, add it to  
the current LVM volume group, do a pmove to move the data off from  
the 150GB and then remove it from the volume?  The end result is that  
I'd like to have about 520GB of space for current recordings.

Second question.  I have a Silverstone case that can handle up to 6  
internal drives but only has 4 Sata ports.  With my setup outlined  
above I will have three of the bays occupied with my boot drive  
(IDE)  and the two recording drives (SATA).  I'd like to add a Raid 5  
array to the mix. I see my options as:

1) Add a controller card, 3 drives and go software raid 5
2) Add a 3Ware card, 3 drives and go hardware raid 5
3) Setup a NAS, Raid 5
4) Direct attached e-Sata storage, Raid 5

I'm personally leaning towards 1 or 2. From what I've read in the  
archives it is possible through mdadm to grow a raid array and add  
disks in the future.  I think a 3 raid array is fine to start but  
would like room to expand.  I'm pretty sure I can take my 3 drive  
internal array and move it out of the box if I need to with option 3  
if I want it to grow.  Because the raid array serves as archive  
storage, can I use autofs to mount and unmount it as needed?  I'd  
like to keep down heat and power usage if possible.

Comments on this setup are welcomed as well as suggestions to  
alternatives.

Thanks.

--Joel