If you have a Rackspace Cloud Server that is Boot-From-Volume(BFV) and is nearing it's storage limit - or you just want to scale the drive up - you can increase the size of the Cloud Block Storage volume without needing to build an entirely new Cloud Server.

This article shows you how to accomplish the task of scaling your server's bootable volume up by detaching the boot volume, cloning it to a larger size, and then swapping the volumes out.

NOTE: This requires downtime. The server cannot run while System Disks are being swapped out.

Shut off the Cloud Server

1. Before you detach the volume that contains the operating system (OS), you need to shut off the Cloud Server.
2. To perform this action, use Secure Shell (SSH) and Remote Desktop (RDP) to log in to the server, then shut it down by using its respective shutdown method.
3. After you shut off the server, it will display as Shutoff in the Rackspace Cloud Control Panel. This status update may take a few minutes to complete.

Detach the Volume From the Cloud Server

1. Log in to the Cloud Control Panel.
2. In the top navigation bar, click Select a Product > Rackspace Cloud.
3. Select Storage > Block Storage Volumes.
4. Within Block Storage Volumes, click the gear icon next to the volume name and select Detach Volume.
5. In the pop-up dialog box, click Detach Volume.

Scale the Volume by Cloning to a Larger Version

Use the following steps to size up the volume:

1. In the Cloud Control Panel, click Select a Product > Rackspace Cloud.
2. In the top navigation bar, select Storage > Block Storage Volumes.
3. Find the volume that was the system disk for your server.

Note: It might have a name similar to System disk for 0123abcd-1988-4eva-bad2-dabone987, or the name might be something unique.

4. Click the gear icon next to the volume, then select Clone Volume.
5. In the window that appears, enter the Name, Region, Type, and Size that you want to use for the cloned volume, then click Clone Volume.
6. When the volume is ready, you receive a notification, and the status bar to the left of the volume name on the Block Storage Volumes page displays as green.

Attach the New Volume to the Cloud Server

1. In the Volume Details screen, click Attach Volume.
2. Click the dot next to a server name to select it.
3. Click the Attach Volume button.

Reboot the Cloud Server

1. In the Cloud Control Panel, under the 'Actions' menu for your server, select the Reboot command.
2. After the Cloud Server is in 'Active' status, you can log in again by using SSH, RDP, or the Emergency Console.
3. Your server will now be booting from a clone of your original volume - but with the new size you selected.