Move FlexRAID Volume to another RN716

[Campus]

Hi,

I have two RN716 running. Both are configured to use FlexRAID. Is it possible to create a new volume with new disks in one of the devices and later move the disks to the second one and just put the prepared disks in to get the same volume?

Best,

Campus

[StephenB]

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@Campus wrote:

I have two RN716 running. Both are configured to use FlexRAID. Is it possible to create a new volume with new disks in one of the devices and later move the disks to the second one and just put the prepared disks in to get the same volume?

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You'd think so, but I've never gotten that to work.

There is a volume export function in the web UI, but as far as I can tell it's a tease - there is no corresponding volume import. 

[Campus]

What happened if you tried it in the past? The volume just didn't appear or did it destroy the original volume?

[StephenB]

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@Campus wrote:

What happened if you tried it in the past? The volume just didn't appear or did it destroy the original volume?

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The jbod disk showed up as gray - not part of a volume.  The only way to add it to the system required formatting the disk and creating a new volume on it.

It's been a while since I tried this, but I haven't seen anything in the release notes suggesting it's been addressed.

[TeknoJnky]

the internal drive bays volumes are not designed to be used in such manner. I have been curious about the 'export' function myself.

Your best solution is probably going to be put whatever data on an external USB or ESATA drive to take between 2 devices.

[StephenB]

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@TeknoJnky wrote:

the internal drive bays volumes are not designed to be used in such manner. I have been curious about the 'export' function myself.

Well, there have been a couple of times when it would have been convenient to be able to migrate a flexraid volume to another NAS.  For instance, when doing a factory reset of the main volume, it would have been faster to export the secondary volume, reset the main volume, and then remount the secondary volume.

The export is actually dangerous to play with - it dismounts the volume, and it's not always easy to get it back.

[TeknoJnky]

i wonder if the export volume is mostly for those expansion bay devices

I didn't seem to find any documentation in the KB, and some of threads on the forums seem to indicate that the only way to import an exported volume is via support.

IMO, the export/import process should be better documented or export functionality hidden/removed until properly documented with a working/supported process for both export and import.