I've had a Stora NAS for several years now, and I have recently upgraded it to 2x2TB hard drives configured as RAID1. Both drives currently installed are of identical make and model (WD Green). I later purchased a third drive, also identical make and model. I am wanting to use this third drive to periodically "rotate" the drives for backup purposes and to hopefully extend the lifespan of the drives. My plan is the following:
On a regular basis (Say once a month or so), I'll remove one of the drives from the Stora, stick it in an appropriate media-rated fire safe, then insert the third drive. Then, when the next rotation comes, I'll remove the OTHER drive from the Stora and replace it with the drive that was previously put into the fire safe. I'll then repeat this process on a regular basis, alternating between the two bays when swapping. Not only will this ensure there is always a drive with the most recent backup in the fire safe, but this should also theoretically spread the hours of operation across all three drives evenly, hopefully preventing any one drive from being more heavily used than the others.
If you're having trouble understanding what I'm getting at, hopefully this will help clarify. Let's assume the three drives I currently have are named A, B and C. The rotation progress would start off as follows:
Stora: A, B Fire Safe: C
I then pull one of the drives from the Stora, put it in the fire safe, and insert the blank spare to replace it, and the Stora rebuilds the RAID. We now have the following setup:
Stora: A, C Fire Safe: B
One month later, I rotate the drives again in the following fashion:
Stora: B, C, Fire Safe: A
And the procedure continues month after month until we eventually cycle back to the way they were at the beginning
Stora: B, A Fire Safe: C
Stora: C, A Fire Safe: B
Stora: C, B Fire Safe: A
Stora: A, B Fire Safe: C
Now, I have already swapped a drive once, which means the replacement that got swapped in was empty, and the Stora happily rebuilt the RAID no issues. The time has now arrived to swap the drive currently in the fire safe with the other drive, and this is where I am seeking input.
I have seen other threads on these forums that suggest if I insert a drive into the Stora that already has data on it, I run the risk of the newer data inadvertently being overwritten by the old data. Is this correct? If so, I presume then the drive that is going to be inserted into the Stora needs to be erased first. Is DBAN sufficient for this purpose?
I have also seen threads where some users have inserted a blank drive only to have the Stora then overwrite the full drive with the "data" from the empty drive, effectively permanently erasing the entire NAS. What steps can I take to help ensure this does not happen?
I am aware that I could easily backup the Stora by connecting the third drive to its external USB port or to my PC and copying the files over the network. But remember, my goal here isn't simply to back up the NAS, it's also to physically rotate the drives through use to hopefully help extend their lifespan. Using an external USB drive doesn't allow me to do this.
So, is my backup rotation plan feasible with the Stora? If so, is there anything important I need to know or do to ensure it is successful?
The setup that you would like to have will not be feasible since putting in the HDD that already had data will prompt the Stora to perform a format asking you to either set it up as JBOD or RAID 1 again as if you were doing a fresh install.
torindkflt - you can do exactly as you would like - I know this for a fact, because it is what I do and have been doing for the past few years.
1. Power the Stora down, and remove the drive you want to put away for safe keeping.
2. Be sure the remaining drive is in Slot 1, leave Slot 2 empty
3. Power the Stora up with only the single drive you are keeping.
4. After the Stora is up, log in to the Admin and go to Preferences/Drives
5. Insert the replacement drive - you do not have to have it wiped clean prior to inserting, you can just directly insert with prior data
6. When you insert the new 2nd drive, you will get a popup indicating the new drive was detected, and you will be asked what to do with it
7. Select RAID/mirror
8. You will get a warning about data being overwritten - this is on the drive that was inserted (the popup message is a little ambiguous/misleading if you don't read it extremely slowly...we had a thread on it a couple years ago)...obviously the data on it will be overwritten.
If you follow the above steps, the current drive will not be overwritten with the old data. The situation can occur if you power up with the current drive in Slot 2 and the replacement drive in Slot 1. So, follow the steps above, and be sure to power up with the current drive in Slot 1 with empty Slot 2.
