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RN104 Adding disks incrementally
I am migrating (have migrated) from a ReadyNAS Duo to an RN104
1. I have used the RN104 with a new 3TB and one of the 1TB disks from the duo for some time and am happy and confident it is all working in our system, backups etc included. According to Frontview, I have a 1GB RAID-1 using X-RAID
2. Next step I want to add the second 1TB disk from the Duo, and from what I have read the RN104 will automatically format that and give me 2GB RAID-1 using X-RAID. Is this correct?
3. Next step could be to add a third 1TB disk. I have one that has some SMART reallocated sector errors - not too many and when I used that in the Duo, it would notify me when the count increased. Sounds a bit dangerous... but the error count was increasing very slowly, a few each week. Does the RN104 check and email in the same way?
Any advice on when to trash the drive? It is well out of warranty but I have read that Seagate don't replace drives until the reallocated sector count is high 1000 or so?
,,,and I assume that if I do put this in I will end up with 3GB RAID-1 using X-RAID
4. Finally, my plan is to replace the 1TB drives with a single 3TB NAS drive. When I do this, either from 2x 1TB or 3x 1TB, will the RN104 seamlessly rebuild the RAID using the new drive so I end up with a single 3TB volume of RAID-1?
thanks!
Hmmm, yes this makes sense - but a bit disappointing:
StephenB wrote:XRAID has single redundancy - the ability to rebuild any single disk from the others. When you remove two disks (as you are planning in the final step) then you immediately lose the entire volume. All data is lost.
However - i am really glad I did ask the question and not just rely on my interpretaion of the (quite thin) manual.
Thanks for all your efforts today!
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ReadyNASinUK wrote:
I am migrating (have migrated) from a ReadyNAS Duo to an RN104
1. I have used the RN104 with a new 3TB and one of the 1TB disks from the duo for some time and am happy and confident it is all working in our system, backups etc included. According to Frontview, I have a 1GB RAID-1 using X-RAID
2. Next step I want to add the second 1TB disk from the Duo, and from what I have read the RN104 will automatically format that and give me 2GB RAID-1 using X-RAID. Is this correct?
Normally with XRAID you can only add disks that are at least the same size as the largest installed disk. In your case that would be 3 TB - not 1 TB.
Though in your case, you are wasting 2 TB of the 3 TB disk anyway, so it is possible it would work. (Technically the system can expand, the question is whether the software checks will allow it).
However, the most cost effective thing in the long run you can do is replace the 1 TB in the RN104 with a new 3 TB disk. That will give you a 3 TB volume right away, and give you room for more expansion later.
ReadyNASinUK wrote:
3. Next step could be to add a third 1TB disk. I have one that has some SMART reallocated sector errors - not too many and when I used that in the Duo, it would notify me when the count increased. Sounds a bit dangerous... but the error count was increasing very slowly, a few each week. Does the RN104 check and email in the same way?
My personal threshold is no more than 50 reallocated sectors (and when the count starts rising I replace it before then). I don't recommend adding this disk to the existing array, it is just asking for trouble. You are better off just getting rid of it. IMO seagate's threshold is set to minimize their warranty costs.
The RN104 gives the same email notifications as the Duo, so it will also send those emails.
ReadyNASinUK wrote:
4. Finally, my plan is to replace the 1TB drives with a single 3TB NAS drive. When I do this, either from 2x 1TB or 3x 1TB, will the RN104 seamlessly rebuild the RAID using the new drive so I end up with a single 3TB volume of RAID-1?
No. It won't contract the array, you'd need to do a factory reset and start over.
Spend the $110 for a WD30EFRX now, and just replace the 1 TB used drive from the duo.
I agree that going for a second 3TB drive in the RN104 is the best solution - but since I have another 1TB drive, and no other place to use it, and my data needs are only just pushing on 1TB... it seems a pity to waste the 1TB drives.
I think I agree with you on the SMART errors, so I would be thinking of just adding a second 1TB in the RN104 for now, and then taking the 2x 1TB out and adding a 1x 3TB
Now: 3TB+1TB > 1TB array
Interim: 3TB+1TB+1TB > 2TB array
Finally: 3TB+3TB > 3TB array
Will X-RAID do all those changes seamlessly?
PS: Seagate ST3000VN000 for me - I have had a couple of bnad experiences with WD.
ReadyNASinUK wrote:
PS: Seagate ST3000VN000 for me - I have had a couple of bnad experiences with WD.I've had bad experiences with Seagates, but posters here generally seem happy with both the VN and the WDC Reds.
ReadyNASinUK wrote:
Interim: 3TB+1TB+1TB > 2TB array
Finally: 3TB+3TB > 3TB array
Will X-RAID do all those changes seamlessly?
I answered this above. The interim step is outside normal XRAID use cases, but it might work. Or not. There is nothing to lose by trying it. But the killer is the final step. XRAID doesn't handle it, so the path as a whole won't work. Assuming the interim step does work, then alternative final steps are to either replace one of the 1 TB drives with 3 TB (leaving the other in place), or just add the 3 TB drive to the last slot. Both of those would work.
Assuming the interim step fails: Frankly in this case, you will likely spend more time on this than the 1 TB drive is worth.
But if you are still determined to use your remaining 1 TB drive, then the best option is to copy off all the data now, and do a factory reset with all drives in place (which destroys all data, and requires you to set up the NAS again). Then reinstall apps, reconfigure the NAS, and restore the data. That gives you your 2 TB XRAID volume, and could expand with larger drives later.
Or you could switch to flexraid, and create a jbod volume for the remaining drive. Later on at the final step, copy off the data on it, delete the volume, remove the disk and switch back to xraid before you begin.
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