--- name: vpc-file_storage_vpc_expandable_shares title: Expanding file share capacity description: Expand File Storage for VPC file share capacity up to 32,000 GB without downtime or data migration. Billing is automatically updated to reflect the new capacity. last-updated: 2026-07-08 --- > ## Documentation Index > The table of contents for this documentation set is at https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?format=markdown > The index for all IBM Cloud docs is at: https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/llms.txt > Use these files to discover more information as needed. # Expanding file share capacity {: #file-storage-expand-capacity} Expand File Storage for VPC file share capacity up to 32,000 GB without downtime or data migration. Billing is automatically updated to reflect the new capacity. {: shortdesc} Billing for the file share is automatically updated to add the pro-rated difference of the new price to the current billing cycle. The new full amount is then billed in the next billing cycle. ## Expandable file share concepts {: #expandable-share-concepts} You can increase the capacity of the file share. The file share size cannot be less than the current file share size. Capacity can be increased for file shares that are in a `stable` state. Your user authorization is verified before the file share is expanded. You can use the UI, the CLI, the API, or Terraform to increase file share capacity. You can expand a file share multiple times up to its maximum capacity limit. After you expanded the file share, you can't reduce the capacity. Expanded capacity is determined by the maximum that is allowed by the file share profile. [Select availability]{: tag-green} The regional file shares that are created with the `rfs` profile, can be increased up to 32 TB without restrictions. Zonal file shares that are created with the [dp2](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-profiles&format=markdown#dp2-profile) or the [Deprecated]{: tag-red} [custom](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-profiles&format=markdown#fs-custom) profile can be expanded within the allowable IOPS range for that file share size. Zonal file shares that are created with one of the [Deprecated]{: tag-red} [IOPS tier profiles](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-profiles&format=markdown#fs-tiers) can be expanded to the maximum size for its IOPS tier: * A general-purpose, 3 IOPS/GB profile can be expanded up to 32,000 GB. * A 5 IOPS/GB profile can be expanded up to 9,600 GB. * A 10 IOPS/GB profile can be expanded up to 4,800 GB. IOPS is automatically adjusted for the deprecated tiered file share profiles, based on the size of the file share. For example, if you expand a share with a 5 IOPS/GB profile from 250 GB to 1,000 GB, it has a maximum IOPS of 5,000 IOPS (1,000 GB capacity _x_ 5 IOPS). Because a 5 IOPS/GB file share can potentially expand to 9,600 GB, the max IOPS is adjusted to 48,000 IOPS. The capacity and the IOPS are immediately changed, and you don't need to restart the instance. You can monitor the progress of your file share expansion from the UI or CLI. You can also check the [Activity tracking events](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-at_events&format=markdown) to verify that the file share was expanded. After a file share is expanded, you can't reduce capacity. ## Requirements {: #expandable-share-prereqs} The file share must be in a `stable` state before you can request the capacity to be increased. ## Limitations {: #expandable-share-limitations} The following limitations apply to this release. * File shares can expand, with the following restrictions: * If the file share was created with a [Tiered profile](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-profiles&format=markdown#fs-tiers) that limits capacity to less than 32,000 GB, it can expand only to the allowed capacity for that tier. * If the file share was created with the [Custom profile](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-profiles&format=markdown#fs-custom) in an IOPS range that doesn't allow expanding to 16,000 GB, the share can expand only to the maximum capacity of the specified range. * If the file share was created with the [dp2 profile](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-profiles&format=markdown#dp2-profile) in an IOPS range that doesn't allow expanding to 32,000 GB, the share can expand only to the maximum capacity of the specified range. * File shares can expand multiple times until maximum capacity is reached. * IOPS increase to the maximum allowed by the profile. * You can't independently modify IOPS for a file share that was created from an IOPS tier profile. IOPS is adjusted when you expand capacity. * When you expand a file share that was created from a custom or dp2 profile, the capacity is increased, but the IOPS remains the same unless you choose to [adjust the IOPS](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-adjusting-iops&format=markdown). * The maximum IOPS for a zonal file share is capped at 48,000 IOPS if it is accessed by a single host. For a zonal file share that is accessed by multiple hosts, IOPS can reach up to 96,000 IOPS. * After a file share is expanded, you can't reduce its size. ## Expanding file share capacity in the console {: #expand-vpc-shares-ui} {: ui} Follow these steps for expanding file share capacity in the console: 1. In the [IBM Cloud console](https://cloud.ibm.com/login){: external}, click the **Navigation menu** icon ![menu icon](../icons/icon_hamburger.svg) **> Infrastructure** ![VPC icon](../icons/vpc.svg) **> Storage > File storage shares**. 2. The File Shares for VPC list page shows all file shares that were created in that zone. Click the name of the file share to get to the details page. 3. On the file shares details page, expand the **Actions** menu. 4. Select **Expand file share**. The Expand file share size panel shows the current size of the file share (in GBs), and the profile to which it is associated. Alternatively, you can also click the edit icon next to the file share size information. 5. Enter a larger file share size, based on the maximum allowed for the [file share profile](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-profiles&format=markdown). The default is the current size + 1 GB. 6. Review the estimated monthly order summary for your geography and new pricing. 7. If you're satisfied, click **Save and continue**. Your new file storage allocation is available in a few minutes. If your requirements change, you can increase capacity again after the file share size is increased and when it's in `stable` state. You can't change the file share to a smaller size after you expand its capacity. {: important} ## Expanding file shares from the CLI {: #expand-vpc-shares-cli} {: cli} To increase the capacity of a file share from the CLI, use the `share-update` command with the `--size` option and indicate the new size of the file share in GBs. 1. Locate your share from the CLI by listing your file shares in the region with the `ibmcloud is shares` command. ```sh ibmcloud is shares ``` {: pre} ```sh Listing shares in all resource groups and region us-south under account Test Account as user test.user@ibm.com... ID Name Lifecycle state Zone Profile Size(GB) Resource group Replication role Accessor binding role Snapshot count Snapshot size r006-a8d6af48-0c97-4c6b-bab1-fbefdc1e1e03 my-file-share stable us-south-2 dp2 10 defaults none none 0 0 r006-aaf4bfe9-358c-4faa-a4ec-0b955090b940 my-file-share-2 stable us-south-2 dp2 10 defaults none none 0 0 r006-a60bfa90-a893-40ad-be34-28ab51a963f9 replica-dal-2 stable us-south-2 dp2 10 defaults replica none 0 0 r006-3f21e3c3-e12d-425f-ab77-810cabfde8df source-dal-1 stable us-south-1 dp2 10 defaults source none 0 0 r006-455b601c-8fc1-4476-8771-4708c49c8ef7 my-replica-share-dal-1 stable us-south-1 dp2 10 defaults replica none 0 0 r006-4dadac27-cd17-42df-a5fe-1388705d33e0 my-source-share-dal-2 stable us-south-2 dp2 10 defaults source none 0 0 ``` {: screen} 1. View the details of the file share that you want to modify with the `ibmcloud is share` command. ```sh ibmcloud is share my-file-share ``` {: pre} ```sh Getting file share my-file-share under account Test Account as user test.user@ibm.com... ID r006-b696742a-92ee-4f6a-bfd7-921d6ddf8fa6 Name my-file-share CRN crn:v1:bluemix:public:is:us-south-2:a/a1234567::share:r006-b696742a-92ee-4f6a-bfd7-921d6ddf8fa6 Lifecycle state stable Access control mode security_group Accessor binding role none Zone us-south-2 Profile dp2 Size(GB) 1000 IOPS 1000 User Tags docs:test Encryption provider_managed Mount Targets ID Name r006-dd497561-c7c9-4dfb-af0a-c84eeee78b61 my-cli-share-mount-target-1 Resource group ID Name db8e8d865a83e0aae03f25a492c5b39e Default Created 2023-10-18T22:15:15+00:00 Replication role none Replication status none Replication status reasons Status code Status message - - Snapshot count 0 Snapshot size 0 Source snapshot - Allowed Access Protocols nfs4 Availability Mode zonal Bandwidth(Mbps) 1 Storage Generation 1 ``` {: screen} 1. Run the `ibmcloud is share-update` command to increase the capacity of your file share. ```sh ibmcloud is share-update my-file-share --size 1500 ``` {: pre} ```sh Updating file share my-file-share under account Test Account as user test.user@ibm.com... ID r006-b696742a-92ee-4f6a-bfd7-921d6ddf8fa6 Name my-file-share CRN crn:v1:bluemix:public:is:us-south-2:a/a1234567::share:r006-b696742a-92ee-4f6a-bfd7-921d6ddf8fa6 Lifecycle state updating Access control mode security_group Accessor binding role none Zone us-south-2 Profile dp2 Size(GB) 1500 IOPS 1000 Encryption provider_managed Mount Targets ID Name r006-dd497561-c7c9-4dfb-af0a-c84eeee78b61 my-cli-share-mount-target-1 Resource group ID Name db8e8d865a83e0aae03f25a492c5b39e Default Created 2023-10-18T22:15:15+00:00 Latest job Job status Job status reasons succeeded - Replication share ID Name Resource type r006-6d1719da-f790-45cc-9f68-896fd5673a1a my-replica-share share Replication role source Replication status active Replication status reasons Status code Status message - - Snapshot count 0 Snapshot size 0 Source snapshot - Allowed Access Protocols nfs4 Availability Mode zonal Bandwidth(Mbps) 1 Storage Generation 1 ``` {: screen} For more information about the command options, see [`ibmcloud is share-update my-file-share`](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-vpc-reference&format=markdown#share-update). ## Expanding file share capacity with the API {: #expand-vpc-share-api} {: api} You can expand existing file shares by calling the VPC API. Make a `PATCH /shares/{id}` request and specify the ID of the file share for which you want to increase the size. This request example expands a file share with a capacity of 50 GB to 2500 GB for a 5 IOPS/GB profile. ```sh curl -X PATCH \ "$vpc_api_endpoint/v1/shares/$share_id?version=2023-08-08&generation=2" \ -H "Authorization: Bearer $iam_token" \ -d '{ "size": 2500 }' ``` {: codeblock} The file share status shows `updating` while the capacity is increased. The current capacity is shown while it's updating. ```json { "created_at": "2023-08-08T23:31:59Z", "crn": "crn:[...]", "encryption": "provider_managed", "href": "https://us-south.iaas.cloud.ibm.com/v1/shares/199d78ec-b971-4a5c-a904-8f37ae710c63", "id": "199d78ec-b971-4a5c-a904-8f37ae710c63", "iops": 12500, "lifecycle_state": "updating", "name": "share-name1", . . "size": 2500, . . . } ``` {: codeblock} When the file share expansion completes, the new value displays, and the status is `stable`. ```json { "created_at": "2023-08-08T23:31:59Z", "crn": "crn:[...]", "encryption": "provider_managed", "href": "https://us-south.iaas.cloud.ibm.com/v1/shares/199d78ec-b971-4a5c-a904-8f37ae710c63", "id": "199d78ec-b971-4a5c-a904-8f37ae710c63", "iops": 12500, "lifecycle_state": "stable", "name": "share-name1", "profile": { "href": "https://us-south.iaas.cloud.ibm.com/v1/share/profiles/dp2", "name": "dp2", "resource_type": "share_profile" }, "resource_group": { "crn": "crn:[...]", "href": "https://resource-controller.cloud.ibm.com/v2/resource_groups/875623bcde2b4ebda924d32640908845", "id": "875623bcde2b4ebda924d32640908845", "name": "Default" }, "resource_type": "share", "size": 2500, . . . } ``` {: codeblock} ## Expanding file shares with Terraform {: #expand-vpc-shares-terraform} {: terraform} To increase the capacity of a file share, use the `ibm_is_share` resource. When applied, the following example updates the share capacity to 300 GB. ```terraform resource "ibm_is_share" "example" { name = "my-new-share" size = 300 iops = 5000 profile = "dp2" zone = "us-south-2" } ``` {: codeblock} For more information about the arguments and attributes, see [ibm_is_share](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/IBM-Cloud/ibm/latest/docs/resources/is_share){: external}. ## Next steps {: #next-step-expandable-shares} Mount and use your file shares: * [Mounting file shares on Red Hat Linux](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-mount-RHEL&format=markdown) * [Mounting file shares in CentOS](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-mount-centos&format=markdown) * [Mounting file shares on Ubuntu](https://cloud.ibm.com/docs/vpc?topic=vpc-file-storage-mount-ubuntu&format=markdown)