Torrent to external drive to spare RAID volume

[hendrikvr]

Probably covered already, but just want to make sure. I have a fairly slow internet connection and I subsequently have torrents running 24/7. I guess this is the main reason for my RAID volume never doing a disk spin down. Would it be a good idea to point the Qdownload directory to an external drive (one I ouwld not mind losing, or even a 32GB flash drive)? Would my RAID volume spin down while torrents are being downloaded to the external drive?

[Marina]

do you have try it? because i'm in same situation whit a Raid5 do not spin down and it's normally but is a good idea externalize Download diretory if is possible
Hi

[erwinsie]

hi All, sorry to bring this old topic but i have the same concern before buying Qnap 412.

1. can i connect an external drive via usb and then download my torrent there? once finish i will move manually into qnap. if yes, will the qnap write anything into the qnap drives during torrenting? (those torrent related processes, will it be run in the external drive only?) this is because i will the torrent 24/7 and i dont want this torrent processes shorten my qnap drive lifetime (the external is fine, they are old drives)

2. due to expensive harddrives, can i put 2 drives first (set as JBOD) then later add 1 more (same drive and volume) and create RAID 5 without losing data on the first 2 drives (also without formatting them) ?

thanks alot.regards, Erwin - Sydney

[P3R]

...can i put 2 drives first (set as JBOD) then later add 1 more (same drive and volume) and create RAID 5 without losing data on the first 2 drives (also without formatting them) ?

No. JBOD and RAID 0 volumes can never be migrated or even expanded while retaining data. A reinitialization is always required when any change of the volume configuration is required.

This is the documentation on Online RAID migration/expansion. All possible migration/expansion-scenarios are listed in the table at the bottom of the page.
'

[erwinsie]

p3r, thanks. yes the link gave me the answer clearly. too bad, i cant even set 2 disks in single mode (only 1 hdd in single mode is upgradeable while retaining data). the problem is with raid 1 we are wasting a full volume. and to buy 3 hdds at once, its too expensive for me (but 1 hdd is too small for me)

[erwinsie]

and if anyone want to know about my first question, a rep said yes we can use external hdd to do torrenting.

[schumaku]

and if anyone want to know about my first question, a rep said yes we can use external hdd to do torrenting.

Strongly doubt. Due to the plug-and-play dynamics, the share names like USBdiskNN are not always reliably pointing to the same device. There is no binding of a specific USBdiskNNN ot a specific external disk in general.

Does the QNAP Download Station offer externally connected devices to select a) as a download destination, and b) as a move-to destination after download?

Spare RAID volume?

Due to many reasons, the the spare member of a RAID volumne can't be used as a storage device. Furthe on all internal disks are spun down - or not, never individual internal disks.

[erwinsie]

and if anyone want to know about my first question, a rep said yes we can use external hdd to do torrenting.

Strongly doubt. Due to the plug-and-play dynamics, the share names like USBdiskNN are not always reliably pointing to the same device. There is no binding of a specific USBdiskNNN ot a specific external disk in general.

hmm i dont have (yet) a qnap to test but below is the reply i got from qnap rep.
"You can install a USB HDD, and then change the download folder to the "USBDisk1". so all download jobs will use that folder. However, some information (small text files, 1 time only) will still be stored on the NAS internal HDD for each task.
but our next major firmware update (in late July to sometime in August), we will bring new version of Download Station and it will let you specific where to store the download tasks (e.g. USB HDD) and then put all download-related info there . then once completed, you can move it back manually or automatically."

[P3R]

@erwinsie,

Yes an external disk can be selected as a download destination in the current Download Station (I have never tried using it, only confirmed that it is possible). What schumaku points out is that doing that will have consequences the (sales?) rep forgot to tell you about. If you choose to do that, you can't reliably use multiple USB-disks any more. This, among other things, may affect how you manage your backups...

Furthermore, there are two more things I would have liked the Qnap rep to assure you of before feeling confident with using that configuration:
1. The Download Station (are you sure it will fit your other download software requirements?) is designed with this configuration in mind and will without (anything but the obvious) problem handle the situation where the external disk used as download destination fails
2. Internal disks will always reliably spin down during downloads to the external disk (as this is your reason for doing this at all)

Personally I'm not convinced about either point 1 or 2 above.