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ReadyNAS 312 swapping HDD for SSD, filesystems, data transfer
Hi, i am looking for the easiest solution.. ReadyNAS 312, only 2 bay NAS device having only primary HDD for ages in slot 1 so it contains ReadyNAS OS install + data recently i have connected ...
I am unclear on what you are trying to accomplish. Sometimes it sounds like you are trying to expand capacity, and sometimes it sounds like you are wanting to increase performance. If the latter, it would be useful to know what performance you are getting now, and also what disks you are using (or planning to use).
As far as SSDs go, both SSDs and quality HDDs are faster than your network connection. The main performance benefit in using SSDs in a NAS is that there is no seek time. So random access speeds increase, but large sequential transfers will not. The performance benefits are in activities like browsing large directories, copying folders with a lot of a small files, in-place video editing, and database access - all of those do some random access.
Personally I am ok with the performance of my mechanical disks, so I haven't deployed SSDs in any of my NAS.
ddewrbbdg wrote:
Then transfering data.. from old HDD1 to HDD2 i would probably use ssh and linux commands or samba and total commander ..
SSH works, but the built in NAS backup jobs also work, and are more convenient. You'd need to use different share names on HDD2. Then you can delete the shares you move on HDD1, and rename them on HDD2.
ddewrbbdg wrote:
but it would be probably transfer speed of half of network speed, doing this from PC with windows via network?
If you do this from the PC, you are reading from NAS to the PC and then writing back from the PC to the NAS. If you are using wifi to connect the PC, then network throughput is 1/2 the actual wifi speed (not nearly has high as the wifi link speed). With ethernet, it would be 1 gbps, since ethernet is full duplex.
Still, I'd just use the built-in NAS backup jobs if both drives are in the NAS.
Thank you for further information.
Intention is to replace old low capacity HDD in slot1 with new one (HDD2). I'm currently having empty but formatted SSD in slot2 connected just for testing. Both are JBOD using Flex Raid.
Final goal is to have slot 1 with SSD and booting from this drive, slot 2 with HDD2. Scrapping old HDD.
Im awared of transfer speeds we talk about ethernet and internet cable / optic / wired connections up to .. limited by 1gbps at LAN and even more / less than 1gbps at WAN.
Got NAS with only 2 slots. (ReadyNAS 312)
Purpose is having OS at SSD along with APPS. I had/have Pi-Hole for dns filtering, HTTP+PHP+MySQL for hosting some basic stuff, used to TeamSpeak and these very not consuming very much resources. But every of these could put NAS under heavier load, mostly hosting stuff. But main resources consumer is probably smart house controller app from Ubiquiti that services and mantains large DB (database), thats why im gonna try SSD.
The only thing i need to achieve and be sure about is, that system boots from SSD when 2 drives connected, but can recheck this using SSH. Another big advantage im glad of is having OS that i could reinstall if necesarry or some linux updates or installs fail on standalone SSD that is / files / regularly backuped to HDD.
Also i'd prefer keeping above on SSD with some scheduled backup ops to HDD and leaving HDD only for marginal data of low importance but big volume. Gonna start the job during today or tomorrow.
ddewrbbdg wrote:
The only thing i need to achieve and be sure about is, that system boots from SSD when 2 drives connected, but can recheck this using SSH. Another big advantage im glad of is having OS that i could reinstall if necesarry or some linux updates or installs fail on standalone SSD that is / files / regularly backuped to HDD.
No idea how you can check that from ssh as there isn't any logging until the system has booted..
The system will boot up from the first disk it finds. Normally that disk is in slot 1 (unless that disk has failed or the slot is empty).
But the NAS is designed to mirror the OS on every disk. That allows the system to boot if disk 1 fails. That mirroring is done using RAID-1, and the OS is mounted as a RAID-1 volume. As Sandshark points out, RAID-1 isn't just using the your second disk as a backup. It will read from the disk too. I think there still is some performance gain in your SSD+HDD scenario, but the details depend on the exact strategy mdadm uses for disk reads.
One thing you might consider - the RN312 ships with 2 GB of RAM. It can be upgraded to 4 GB (but unfortunately not more than that).
ddewrbbdg wrote:
Intention is to replace old low capacity HDD in slot1 with new one (HDD2).
I'd suggest dealing with this first.
Since the HDD disk performance does matter to you, I suggest using an enterprise-class disk for HDD2. If your disk is between 2-6 TB, make sure it is NOT SMR. (Enterprise disks aren't, but most desktop drives in this size range are SMR).
I'd destroy the SSD JBOD volume, and then insert HDD2 in slot 2. Create shares on HDD2 using the web ui (don't create folders using ssh). These need to be unique names, then can't be the same as the sharenames on HDD1. Then copy the shares, ideally with NAS backup jobs.
Most apps designed for ReadyNAS also use a hidden .apps folder that is on one of the data volumes. That is done in order to keep the apps from filling the OS partition. You'll need to copy that folder manually. I'd copy it to a temporary share on hdd2 as well as to .apps on hdd2 just for safetey. When all the data is transferred to hdd2, you'd export the HDD1 volume (or alternatively destory it). Then remove the disk, and rename the shares on HDD2 to match the original.
If you are using the "Home" folder feature on the NAS, then I suggest copying the home folder(s) on HDD1 to public shares on HDD2. Then discontinue use of home folders after the migration to HDD2 is complete.
At this point, you should have a fully functional single-disk system. You can then insert the SSD into slot 1, and create a JBOD volume on it. It does make sense to put the ubiquiti database on the data volume of the SSD. That might require putting a soft link on the OS partition.
While it is likely possible to do what you want on the ReadyNAS, you will be hindered by the archival of Debian 8.
If I were in your place, I would get an inexpensive small form factor PC (1 liter), and run the apps on that. There are a lot of options out there (both new and used) - servethehome has done extensive reviews of these products over the past couple of years.
Regarding booting, there will be probably some fingerprint like date and time of the last access on certain system files or so (yeah maybe mirrored to both drives), maybe some logs will differ hopefully, and yes i expected and think probably drive in slot 1 will be taken as primary boot device. Hopefully. Gonna install apps, another linux packages, gonna see. If it is real RAID1 mirroring for OS, files should not differ at all. First i will try with connected SSD only as single drive.
Regarding OS mirroring, in RAID1 i welcome it. Regarding memory upgrade, i have already done this, having 4GB ram available. There were guides what DDR3 memory module choose and will be compatible. I really like NetGear NAS units, the idea, the device and the realization like the device itself. Yes can be said, it is already over 10 years old, but minimum power drainage, altough slower atom (would welcome more powerful cpu with bigger power drainage now). 2x 1gbit ports supporting teaming, 2x USB 3.0 with another USB 2 in front interface. Nowadays if i'd build new system, i would build PC or something similar with TrueNAS.. but it would require tons of customizations (for apps and another messing with every their update). Would have worse chassis and etc. NetGear NAS has been dedicated to such a ulitilization. There should be measurable (time) performance difference. Maybe i should have bought 314 but.. years ago, unit can be still extended via drives connected to USB 3.0 ports.
Intented drives swap is from 4TB to 16TB with no SMR and enterprise class disk, used in server hosting companies. I dont see purpose or reason why to destroy current JBOD on new empty HDD2? But i could format it again all over (why not). It makes (JBOD + Flex Raid) just each disk acting as standalone drive, available spaces, for making shares? Not connecting space of more drives together.
I dont use home folder but only folders shared via admin interface in web browser. Regarding apps i know, i have moved ubiquiti database to non system drive already earlier using softlinks, cause its huge gigabytes size. So im awared of this problem. Regarding deprecated Linux Debian 8 Jessie im awared. I "would" buy new hardware but still on 1gbit network and half or less internet speed.
Only thing im thinking of/about now is.. if OS from old HDD1 was mirrored to formatted and "empty" SSD, after i transfer data from HDD1 to HDD2 and remove HDD1, i will insert SSD and it would have same apps, same configs.. requiring me not to install and setup all the apps again and all over, right? Would be great, i was thinking whether OS could be simply moved. Gonna try this, dont wanna lose the data.. think when i have it on both HDD1, HDD2 drives, i can afford this "test".
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