help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives to ?)
hi, have had a lot of success here in the forum recently, so am again reaching out for some help. i currently have two 2tb drives in my ultra 4. current configuration is RAID Level X-RAID2, 2 disks. status is: Redundant ch 1 and 2 are both SAMSUNG HD204UI [1863 GB] i am interesred in increasing storage in the easiest possible way. can i only place additional 2tb drives into the ultra 4? is it as easy as powering the system down and inserting them? need they be the same make/model? are there instructions for total beginners somewhere to which i can be pointed that would help with this process? many thanks to whomever responds. the support is appreciated.
Re: help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives t
RAIDiator is 4.2.27, i think. backup? not sure what you mean. sorry. at present, the capacity is 2tb. so, i assume that one is simply mirroring the other. does that answer your question? thanks.
Re: help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives t
Is the NAS used as the primary storage for important data i.e. do you have the main copies of important files on the NAS?
If so, it is important to backup the NAS, whether to USB disks, another NAS, the cloud or some place else. No important data should be stored on just the one device. There are things such as multiple disk failures, fire, flood, theft etc. that RAID can't protect you against. Preferably you should keep one backup of important data off-site at all times.
The first step I would suggest is to make a backup if you don't have one.
Re: help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives t
thanks. re backup -- if something were to happen, i would lose media that we primarily stream at home. pictures, home videos, etc. are also backed-up to the cloud. i think we're in decent shape in that regard. not a place where critical docs are stored. but your word of caution is a good one and i'll review the contents and make sure all of the content we do care about is also safe elsewhere. thanks for the link of compatible disks. so, i can simply add larger disks. i assume i should add two of the same. what will the effect be on cumulative storage capacity? will i simply see the same folder structure as present, but have more storage? or will the two new disks have a new set of folders with content? sorry for the newbie questions.
Re: help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives t
You are using X-RAID2 so you have a single volume. Say you were to add 2x4TB disks the volume capacity would increase by about 5.4TB
Do note that there are a few expansion limitations.
1. Cannot expand volume by more than 8TB over the life of the volume. If your volume capacity was 1.8TB when you last did a factory reset you can't expand past 9.8TB. 2. Cannot expand past 16TB. You would need to backup your data, do a factory default (wipes all data, settings, everything) with the disks in place and restore your data from backup to get a higher capacity volume than 16TB.
Re: help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives t
super clear. thanks. two final questions. in the compatibility guide you linked to, i'm not seeing the ultra 4. i know the ultra 4 is listed, but it looks like there is some other model id being used. sorry, but can't see a corresponding model number anywhere in the frontview settings. and, i think i posed this earlier, is it as simple as popping them in? or is the process more involved? is there a step by step out there somewhere? thanks again.
Re: help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives t
The drives can be a different model. I suggest you buy something else - Samsung sold their drive business to Seagate in 2011, and the only spinpoints still being manufactured are 2.5" drives. Any HD204UI drives you find for sale are just leftover inventory.
NAS drives have 3 year warranties, and in my opinion are the best options. Western Digital's NAS drives are WDC Reds, the Seagate equivalent is their VN drives. I like the WDC Reds myself.
You add them one at a time and wait for resync. You can use the NAS during the expansion, and your data should be preserved.
Re: help with ultra 4 storage expansion (from 2x2tb drives t
chhumper wrote:
super clear. thanks. two final questions. in the compatibility guide you linked to, i'm not seeing the ultra 4. i know the ultra 4 is listed, but it looks like there is some other model id being used. sorry, but can't see a corresponding model number anywhere in the frontview settings. and, i think i posed this earlier, is it as simple as popping them in? or is the process more involved? is there a step by step out there somewhere? thanks again.
Pick "legacy", then you will see a new list appear. Ultra 4 will be in it.
