I currently have an RN114 ReadyNAS that is currently loaded with 4 x 2TB drives for a total space of 6TB using XRAID. I would like to change this configuration to use 2 x 6TB drives without having to backup the data. At this moment, the disk array is not currently heavily loaded, actually using using less 2TB. Is there a way to sequently force the unit to resync from 4 drives to 3, then from 3 drives to 2. At this point one of the two remaining 2TB drives could be hot-swapped for the 6TB. After that, hot-swapping the last 2TB drive for a 6TB. How do I do the first part of going from 4-->3 and then 3-->2?

You must mean an RN104. You can't shrink the array. You need to destroy it and create a new one - or do a factory reset, which essentially does the same thing. The best approach would be to back up, shut down the NAS, removing and labeling the existing drives by slot. Then insert just the new ones - rebuilding the NAS and restoring from backup. If something were to go wrong with the restore, you can power down and re-insert your 4x2TB drives - giving you another way to get at your existing data.

I mispoke, my ReadyNAS unit is the RN314xx (not RN104). Does your answer apply to the RN314 as well? Assuming the answer also appies to the RN314, this seems like a reasonable feature request for the ReadyNAS team... no? It would be quite useful for those administrators who are trying to migrate to fewer but larger drives (or larger but fewer drives - depending on your point of view). It would allow your administrator to make this change in real time without having to take an array down. Make sense?

Weaverita wrote: I mispoke, my ReadyNAS unit is the RN314xx (not RN104). Does your answer apply to the RN314 as well? Yes Assuming the answer also appies to the RN314, this seems like a reasonable feature request for the ReadyNAS team... no? It would be a nice feature, but it would be extremely difficult to do.

Shrinking volumes is inherently more risky than expanding them and not something we would be likely to consider.

My suggestion would be to do the following. Copy all your data to one of the 6TB drives. A good program for this is "beyond compare", as you can check it has copied correctly.Power down NAS - remove the 4 disks, insert the other new 6TB disk.Setup NAS with single diskCopy data from the first 6TB disk to the NAS.Wipe 1st 6TB disk that contained your copied data and physically insert into NAS.It will then mirror.If the whole thing goes pear shaped you can go back to the beginning , with your 4 disks back in the NAS. Bullfrog

Switching my disc configuration to user FEWER but LARGER drives

12 Replies

StephenB
Guru
Sep 23, 2015
You must mean an RN104.

You can't shrink the array. You need to destroy it and create a new one - or do a factory reset, which essentially does the same thing.

The best approach would be to back up, shut down the NAS, removing and labeling the existing drives by slot. Then insert just the new ones - rebuilding the NAS and restoring from backup.

If something were to go wrong with the restore, you can power down and re-insert your 4x2TB drives - giving you another way to get at your existing data.
- Weaverita
  Apprentice
  Sep 23, 2015
  I mispoke, my ReadyNAS unit is the RN314xx (not RN104). Does your answer apply to the RN314 as well?
  
  Assuming the answer also appies to the RN314, this seems like a reasonable feature request for the ReadyNAS team... no? It would be quite useful for those administrators who are trying to migrate to fewer but larger drives (or larger but fewer drives - depending on your point of view). It would allow your administrator to make this change in real time without having to take an array down.
  
  Make sense?
  - StephenB
    Guru
    Sep 23, 2015
    Weaverita wrote:
    
    I mispoke, my ReadyNAS unit is the RN314xx (not RN104). Does your answer apply to the RN314 as well?
    
    Yes
    
    Assuming the answer also appies to the RN314, this seems like a reasonable feature request for the ReadyNAS team... no?
    
    It would be a nice feature, but it would be extremely difficult to do.

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Switching my disc configuration to user FEWER but LARGER drives

12 Replies

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