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Got a couple aging NAS a ReadyNAS 104 and ReadyNasNV+V2 both 4 bay versions. First has four 1TB disks other mix of two 1TB and two 2TB drives. Firmware the 104 is at 6.10.3 the NV is at 5.3.13
There looks like there might be some data on both that is needed longer term (say 1TB total, 500GB from each) but want to upgrade both to new disks. Right now the first reports 932GB free the second 2.2TB there is quite a bit of dross that can be deleted but probably not until afterwards.
Regarding migration or expansion, it would be best to upgrade the lowest capacity drive first and let the drive resync to the array before replacing another. Please see the following articles regarding expanding your XRAID array.
IMO, upgrading the RN104 and then transfer the data from NV+ before upgrading and then transfer back the data from the RN104 after would be a good option. Using the backup manager from both NAS is suggested.
As always, storing your backup to several storages is always advised.
1. Put 3TB in both, proper NAS drives not desktop ones..
2.a. Copy all files from the older NAS NV+ over to the newer 104, Take old 1TB drives out put new 2TB ones in EMPTY and once raid up copy the data back.
2.b.Copy the files wanted from the 104 to the NV+ and do the same thing again and once up copy the files back again.
Regarding migration or expansion, it would be best to upgrade the lowest capacity drive first and let the drive resync to the array before replacing another. Please see the following articles regarding expanding your XRAID array.
IMO, upgrading the RN104 and then transfer the data from NV+ before upgrading and then transfer back the data from the RN104 after would be a good option. Using the backup manager from both NAS is suggested.
As always, storing your backup to several storages is always advised.
... Regarding migration or expansion, it would be best to upgrade the lowest capacity drive first
I'd suggest NAS-purposed drives for these particular NAS - either WDC Reds or Seagate Ironwolfs. I don't recommend desktop-class drives for any NAS, and enterprise-class drives are overkill for these particular units.
The Ironwolf drives might not be on the HCL for the older NV+ v2 (Netgear stopped updating it some years ago), but they will work fine.
On the upgrade strategy - as @Marc_V says, it is most cost effective when you upgrade the smallest drives. Also, in the long run it is cheaper to go with larger drives. I'd pass on the 3 TB models, and go to at least 4 TB. US pricing is actually almost the same. You'd need at least two larger disks for each NAS (see the capacity rule below). FWIW, upgrading two drives in the RN104 to 4 TB would double your storage capacity. Upgrading all four drives would quadruple it.
You can just hot-insert the larger drives into the NAS - waiting for each one to resync and for expansion to complete before you install the next disk. The capacity rule is "sum the drives and subtract the largest". One implication of the rule is that there will be no expansion until you upgrade the second drive. Keep in mind that the NAS reports volume size in TiB (1024*1024*1024*1024), not TB (1000*1000*1000*1000). Google will convert this for you (try entering 4 TB in TiB).
I'd like to underscore @Marc_V 's recommendation to back up the NAS first. Every sector on every drive will be either read or written after each disk insertion. As a result, disk issues often surface when you expand the volume. And if you encounter disk errors during the expansion you will lose all the data in the volume. So perhaps order a USB disk as part of the upgrade. Post-upgrade you can put all the data on the RN104, and use the NV+ v2 only for backup. Even with that, I'd recommend using the USB disk as a secondary backup. Backups are much cheaper (and more certain) than data recovery services.
Personally I like to test the drives before I install them - using Seatools for Seagate disks, and Lifeguard for Western Digital. I run both the long non-destructive test, and the full destructive write test. I do this in a Windows PC, using a USB/Sata adapter kit.
There are TWO NAS not one. I was going to use one as the backup location for the other.
Understood. Ultimately you'll want them both to have the same capacity. If you can't consolidate the data before you expand the storage, you still should make a backup of all the data before you begin.
It's fine to use the ones you have. When expanding my own storage, I always start with taking a fresh look at the pricing, and figure out a path that is cost-effective (and within my current budget).
