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X-RAID Question & Expansion

Smaky
Aspirant

X-RAID Question & Expansion

I have recently upgraded my Ready NAS 6 Ultra Plus to OS 6.10.1. Started with 3 x 6TB WD RED NAS Drives and I am planning to expand by adding 3 x 4 TB additional drives I had around. However upon initial setup of an X-RAID (RAID-5) array with the 3 x 6 TB drives I went with horizontal expansion using the first  4 TB drive.. However I am noticing the available capacity of the RAID is not changing... I had 10.9 TB available with the 3 x 6TB drives and adding this 4 TB drive resulted in no expansion at all. This is a non-ecnrypted volume.

 

I did a factory a factory default with the 4 drives but the end result is the same... RAID is resycing but to a total of 10.9 TB. I had the impession X-RAID would allow for mixed drives to be part of the array. 

 

Looking at the online RAID calculator, it shows the expected end capacity for this array should be 14.5 TB with no unsed space. However the whole thing seems to be behaving as traditional FLEX-RAID 5 array. Is this an expected behavior?

 

Regards.

Model: RNDP600U|ReadyNAS Ultra 6 Plus Chassis only
Message 1 of 10

Accepted Solutions
StephenB
Guru

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion


@Smaky wrote:

I have recently upgraded my Ready NAS 6 Ultra Plus to OS 6.10.1. Started with 3 x 6TB WD RED NAS Drives and I am planning to expand by adding 3 x 4 TB additional drives I had around. However upon initial setup of an X-RAID (RAID-5) array with the 3 x 6 TB drives I went with horizontal expansion using the first  4 TB drive..


One aspect here is that you can't always add a smaller drive to an existing array.  Ideally the added drive should be as large as the largest drive in the array.  In practice you can usually get away with adding a smaller drive if the size matches a drive that is already in the array (or was in the array in the past)

 

So the system wouldn't add the 4 TB drive to your 3x6TB array (unless you'd vertically expanded a 4 TB drive in the past).

 


@Smaky wrote:

 

I did a factory a factory default with the 4 drives but the end result is the same... RAID is resycing but to a total of 10.9 TB. I had the impession X-RAID would allow for mixed drives to be part of the array. 

It does allow for mixed drive sizes (and I think it actually is working).

 

With your mix of drives, the system is creating two RAID groups - a "base" group of 4x4TB RAID-5, and a second group of 3x2TB RAID-5. These are joined into one volume.

 

The NAS creates these two groups in order.   The 4x4TB group has a capacity of 12 TB (10.9 TiB).  When that one is finished syncing, the system will add the second group - which will increase the volume size to 16 TB (14.5 TiB). That second group will need it's own resync.

 

So wait for the first resync to complete, and you should then see the expansion step.

 

I think you will be able to add the additional two 4 TB drives later, though it would have been better to have done the factory reset with all six drives in place.

 

 

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Message 2 of 10

All Replies
StephenB
Guru

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion


@Smaky wrote:

I have recently upgraded my Ready NAS 6 Ultra Plus to OS 6.10.1. Started with 3 x 6TB WD RED NAS Drives and I am planning to expand by adding 3 x 4 TB additional drives I had around. However upon initial setup of an X-RAID (RAID-5) array with the 3 x 6 TB drives I went with horizontal expansion using the first  4 TB drive..


One aspect here is that you can't always add a smaller drive to an existing array.  Ideally the added drive should be as large as the largest drive in the array.  In practice you can usually get away with adding a smaller drive if the size matches a drive that is already in the array (or was in the array in the past)

 

So the system wouldn't add the 4 TB drive to your 3x6TB array (unless you'd vertically expanded a 4 TB drive in the past).

 


@Smaky wrote:

 

I did a factory a factory default with the 4 drives but the end result is the same... RAID is resycing but to a total of 10.9 TB. I had the impession X-RAID would allow for mixed drives to be part of the array. 

It does allow for mixed drive sizes (and I think it actually is working).

 

With your mix of drives, the system is creating two RAID groups - a "base" group of 4x4TB RAID-5, and a second group of 3x2TB RAID-5. These are joined into one volume.

 

The NAS creates these two groups in order.   The 4x4TB group has a capacity of 12 TB (10.9 TiB).  When that one is finished syncing, the system will add the second group - which will increase the volume size to 16 TB (14.5 TiB). That second group will need it's own resync.

 

So wait for the first resync to complete, and you should then see the expansion step.

 

I think you will be able to add the additional two 4 TB drives later, though it would have been better to have done the factory reset with all six drives in place.

 

 

Message 2 of 10
Smaky
Aspirant

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion

Thanks for your prompt response. I think I will then wait for the resync to complete. I am horizontally expanding the array as two of the 4 TB drives I will add to the NAS currently hold the backed up data of the original 3 TB 6 disc array. As soon as I complete the whole thing I will be able to use the 3 TB drives as my backup. But now I need to go one drive at a time.

Message 3 of 10
StephenB
Guru

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion


@Smaky wrote:

I am horizontally expanding the array as two of the 4 TB drives I will add to the NAS currently hold the backed up data of the original 3 TB 6 disc array. 


Did you start with 3x6TB or 6x3TB???

Message 4 of 10
Smaky
Aspirant

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion

Well, I left all the disks in the NAS as they were 3 x 6 TB  + 1 4 TB drive. I  will be adding the other two 4 TB later once the initial resync ends.

Message 5 of 10
StephenB
Guru

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion


@Smaky wrote:

Well, I left all the disks in the NAS as they were 3 x 6 TB  + 1 4 TB drive. 


Ok.  I was confused by the "3 TB 6 disc array" phrase, and wanted to be sure I had the disk configuration correct.

Message 6 of 10
Smaky
Aspirant

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion

The NAS had a 6 x 3 TB array of WD NAD drives when operating under OS4. However I am planning to replace all these drives with a mix of 3 x 6 TB + 3 x 4 TB drives. However two of the 4 TB drives I used them for backing up the data from the original array, this array I am saving it just in case something goes wrong down the road until I am able to build the whole new array of 6+4 TBs drives (just in case).

 

If I manage to build the new array and it is stable, eventually the 6 x 3 TB drives will be used for backups. But right now I am saving them as my rollback plan.

Message 7 of 10
StephenB
Guru

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion


@Smaky wrote:

The NAS had a 6 x 3 TB array of WD NAD drives when operating under OS4. However I am planning to replace all these drives with a mix of 3 x 6 TB + 3 x 4 TB drives.


Thx, that explains it.

Message 8 of 10
Smaky
Aspirant

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion

Syncing with the first 4TB drive finished. As you suggested, it first synched with a 4x4 TB 4 RAID 5 immediately followed by a 3x2 TB RAID 5  totalling an available 14 TB volume. After that I move the data from one of the 4 TB drives back into the volume, wiped it and added to the volume. It is now being synched but everything seems to be ok. Thanks for the guidance!

Message 9 of 10
StephenB
Guru

Re: X-RAID Question & Expansion

I'm glad I could help.

Message 10 of 10
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