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How to change the RAID 5 to RAID 6
Previously, I'm using a ReadyNAS 626X with 4 x 2TB in RAID 5 (X-RAID), then I add a new 2TB and guess it would change to RAID 6 automatically. Unfortunately it still in RAID 5 and the total volume be...
Unfortunately Marc_V mis-spoke. XRAID uses RAID-5 for 3 - 6 drives, and will switch to RAID-6 for 7+ drives. So it will never automatically shift to RAID-6 on a six bay NAS.
At this point creating a new volume is the only way to get there. You don't actually need to do a full factory reset. You can
- uninstall any apps
- switch to flex-raid
- delete the current volume
- create a new RAID-6 volume
- recreate your shares
- restore your data
- reinstall any apps
After that, you can switch back to XRAID if you wish (it will stay in RAID-6). You will be able to recreate your shares while the new volume is syncing. You can also restore data while syncing, but you might find that it's faster overall to let the resync complete (avoiding disk thrashing).
Hi FelixLee
To be able to change to RAID 6 on X-RAID configuration you need to have 6 disks installed so installing another disk should get your RAID configuration change to RAID 6.
You are also correct that another way to change to RAID 6 is to convert to Flex-RAID and destroy the volume to be able to create a new one with RAID 6 configuration. Unfortunately, you will need to backup your data because you will lose it once you destroyed the volume.
Hope this helps!
Regards
Hi Marc_V,
It doesn't work, it still in RAID 5 when the 6th disk after resynced, it won't change to RAID 6. Is that only one way I can do is distroy the volume then re-built to RAID 6?
Thanks
Unfortunately Marc_V mis-spoke. XRAID uses RAID-5 for 3 - 6 drives, and will switch to RAID-6 for 7+ drives. So it will never automatically shift to RAID-6 on a six bay NAS.
At this point creating a new volume is the only way to get there. You don't actually need to do a full factory reset. You can
- uninstall any apps
- switch to flex-raid
- delete the current volume
- create a new RAID-6 volume
- recreate your shares
- restore your data
- reinstall any apps
After that, you can switch back to XRAID if you wish (it will stay in RAID-6). You will be able to recreate your shares while the new volume is syncing. You can also restore data while syncing, but you might find that it's faster overall to let the resync complete (avoiding disk thrashing).
Hi StephenB,
Finally, if I decide to destroy the current volume and re-built to RAID 6, except the current data can restore from previous backup or snapshot. Also, can I backup the system configuration to keep all information? Because it will be painful to re-setup all system setting and user accounts info.
Secondly, which restore method should be faster either from data backup or snapshot backup (around 2TB data)? I'm consider to minize the impact of shut down the system.
Thanks
Felix
FelixLee wrote:Also, can I backup the system configuration to keep all information? Because it will be painful to re-setup all system setting and user accounts info.
You can, but the process I suggested above won't affect the system settings and user accounts. Only the volume and share related settings (share permissions, network protocols enabled for the share, etc) would need to be redone.
Restoring the system configuration won't restore everything, so you should document the important stuff before you begin. Making screen-shots of the various web pages is one way.
FelixLee wrote:
Secondly, which restore method should be faster either from data backup or snapshot backup (around 2TB data)? I'm consider to minize the impact of shut down the system.
By "snapshot backup", do you mean ReadyDR?
I don't use ReadyDR myself, I generally use rsync. That's because I want a highly-available backup, and it's ok with me if I lose the snapshots when I restore the main system.
I think Rsync over gigabit ethernet could take up to about 11 hours to fully restore. That's based on rsync speeds I see between my RN526 and my older Pro-6.
Backing up from an external USB drive could be faster, though that does depend on the disk speed and to some degree on the file system on the USB drive. If you assume 100 MB/s sustained speed, it would take about 6 hours.
FelixLee wrote:
I'm consider to minize the impact of shut down the system.
It sounds like the storage is critical to running the business. One thing you might consider longer term is whether you need an immediately available backup. One option there is to get a less expensive NAS that would serve as a backup, and which you could use in a pinch if the main NAS fails. Perhaps the RN214 would do, or one of the RN420 series.
RAID-6 of course will reduce the odds of losing the volume, but there are still failure modes where it won't help.
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