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Forum Discussion
Easiest RAID configuration to recover data if ReadyNAS fails
Hello,
I have a ReadyNAS 104 and am not able to buy another quickly if mine fails someday (the NAS, not the drives), because I live in Brazil and hardware of this type here is prohibitely expensive. Sometimes they cost 10x the value or more. I've not yet put my data into it. A smaller part of my data I don't want to lose and this will be backed up automatically to another RAID 1 set. The rest I can lose but would rather not of course, so I want to have some redundancy.
After researching I see that my best options for the ReadyNAS are RAID 10 or RAID 6 (using 4 x 3TB drives) and, considering the backup for the essential data, both would be OK for me. However, I don't know if either of these options are easily recoverable on a PC (preferably on windows) should the ReadyNAS itself fail.
Another option would be to set it up as 2 RAID 1 arrays. Using this configuration, if the ReadyNAS failed but the drives did not, would I be able to simply install the drives on my PC and use them normally? I've read that the ReadyNAS 104 uses ext4 so in theory that would be possible, right? (using linuxreader from diskinternals, for example, or a linux machine)
If someone could clarify this for me, I would be thankful. I'm sorry if this has already been answered before.
I have a ReadyNAS 104 and am not able to buy another quickly if mine fails someday (the NAS, not the drives), because I live in Brazil and hardware of this type here is prohibitely expensive. Sometimes they cost 10x the value or more. I've not yet put my data into it. A smaller part of my data I don't want to lose and this will be backed up automatically to another RAID 1 set. The rest I can lose but would rather not of course, so I want to have some redundancy.
After researching I see that my best options for the ReadyNAS are RAID 10 or RAID 6 (using 4 x 3TB drives) and, considering the backup for the essential data, both would be OK for me. However, I don't know if either of these options are easily recoverable on a PC (preferably on windows) should the ReadyNAS itself fail.
Another option would be to set it up as 2 RAID 1 arrays. Using this configuration, if the ReadyNAS failed but the drives did not, would I be able to simply install the drives on my PC and use them normally? I've read that the ReadyNAS 104 uses ext4 so in theory that would be possible, right? (using linuxreader from diskinternals, for example, or a linux machine)
If someone could clarify this for me, I would be thankful. I'm sorry if this has already been answered before.
32 Replies
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- The ReadyNAS 104 uses BTRFS for the data volume, not EXT4.
Personally I'd go with RAID-6 and use a Linux machine (possibly a VM) to recover data if needed.
If it comes to that, it is best to ask here for some advice.
The 104 does have a 3 year limited hardware warranty. - I see. Thanks for the explanation, I think the VM is a viable option.
Also now I see that I have a problem if I want to go with RAID 6 as you suggested. I already had 2 HDDs (they hold my data now) and bought 2 more (identical) to use with the 104. The new ones are already on it. Originally I planned on copying the data to those two new ones on the 104 and then adding the 2 old ones later, one by one, letting it rebuild. I was wrong on that assumption, since I need 4 drives for RAID 6, right?
Would it be possible to build a RAID 6 or RAID 10 that way? My understanding is that it won't be possible for RAID 6, but could I use RAID 1, copy the data, then add the two other drives and turn the array into a RAID 10 at least? I don't have enough space on other drives to make a backup of it all. - So you have two drives in the NAS now?
If you disable X-RAID after adding the third disk, you should see the option when adding the fourth to convert the volume to RAID-6. I don't think you can convert to RAID-10 this way.
In terms of ease of data recovery, jbod and RAID-1 are probably equivalent, since you can recover data from a single disk. RAID-1 is clearly better for handling normal disk failures (where data recovery is not an issue).mdgm wrote: So you have two drives in the NAS now?
If you disable X-RAID after adding the third disk, you should see the option when adding the fourth to convert the volume to RAID-6. I don't think you can convert to RAID-10 this way.
I'm not sure I see a huge benefit to RAID-10 over RAID-6 though (at least as far as data safety goes). RAID-10 is usually faster, but doesn't handle all 2 disk failure combinations. There are 6 combinations of 2 disks failures in a 4 disk system, and RAID-10 can only handle 4 of them. So if data safety is the main concern, then I'd probably go with RAID-6, and make sure I had a second system (PC or another NAS) which would let me connect 2-4 disks, so I could recover with a VM or linux boot CD if needed.- All right. So I'm convinced about raid 6 since it's possible to recover the data in the event of a nas failure, and I prefer safety over performance.
However I'm not sure yet if the process is possible with what I have in hand:
- Two older disks with data mirrored
- 104 nas with two empty, newer hdds, identical to the older ones
- The nas is currently configured in an xraid, raid 1 array with its two drives
Would the following procedure work?
1) Copy over the data from the older hdds to the nas
2) Format both older hdds
3) Install both older hdds on the nas
4) Disable xraid
5) Convert the array to raid 6
Or would this procedure erase data on the nas? In this case, my only options are either to go with two raid 1 arrays or to buy more hdds to make another backup, right? - Though I haven't done this with OS6, I think you need something like
1) Copy over the data from the older hdds to the nas
2) unformat both older hdds
3) hot-insert one older HDD into the NAS and wait for resync
4) convert from xraid to flexraid
5) hot-insert the second older HDD into the NAS, you should be able to click on it and add it for redundancy
Though a couple of other folks who post regularly have gone through this process - hopefully they will chime in on the precise procedure they used. - I have older, smaller hdds available (one 320gb, one 200gb). Maybe I can test your procedure with them? Like:
1) Empty the nas of drives
2) Put in the 200gb and the 320gb. This I think would create a RAID1 array of 200GB.
3) Put some data into it.
4) Unformat the two empty 3TB drives.
5) Hot-insert one of the 3TB drives into the NAS and wait for resync
6) Convert from xraid to flexraid
7) hot-insert the second 3TB drive into the nas and add it for redundancy
If someone comes around with a precise procedure I'll go with it. If not, at least I can try it before using my data drives. - That test should work, though you won't need (4) since the empty drives are unformatted.
Power down when you remove the current drives. Though it shouldn't really matter, it is good practice to label them by slot, and return them to the same slot later on. - I am having difficulties removing drives from their slots, after they're out of the nas. I'm afraid the plastic part of the slot might break sometime. The problematic part is the plastic attachment that holds the drive in the slot, in the center. Any suggestions with that? Is there a way to easily make it come out?
edit: just figured it out. I have to press the release button, same as to take the drive out of the nas. - Hi, I did everything up to bullet point 5. After inserting the 3rd hdd the nas recognized it, the number 3 lighted up and a message appeared on the LCD panel about it. Then the LCD went blank for a while, with the act light blinking. I waited for it and refreshed the webpage with the volumes tab. Now the LCD panel is blinking "data: DEGRADED" and the volumes tab show that a rebuilding is in progress and that disk 1 (200GB) is red, while the other two (320GB and 3TB) are green. It also changed from RAID-1 to RAID-5 (still X-RAID).
It is really possible that this 200GB disk has problems; I vaguely remember ditching it for random disconnects, but I'm not 100% sure. I won't be using it really, it was just for this test. Rebuilding is progressing, probably because it was a RAID-1 so no problems. However, I probably won't be able to progress with the test since I now have only 3 healthy hdds available. I have another 200GB that I know is healthy, but it's not here atm. I'll try to get it tomorrow and substitute the problematic one. I can also buy some 2.5" to 3.5" adapter and use some spare laptop hdds I've here.
edit: another problem... the volume was resized for 320gb. I'll probably have to start from scratch.
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