Migrate from 12TB Raid5 (mixed disk sizes) to 14TB Raid1

Questions about SNMP, Power, System, Logs, disk, & RAID.
Post Reply
poulh
New here
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat May 20, 2017 11:17 am

Migrate from 12TB Raid5 (mixed disk sizes) to 14TB Raid1

Post by poulh »

I currently have a 12TB RAID5 consisting of:
* 2 6TB disks
* 1 14TB disk (only uses 6TBs)
* All WD Reds
* QNAP T-651 (6 bays) - Firmware 5.0.1.2248 - 8GB Memory (upgraded this too at some point)

The inconsistency in drive capacity came from a drive failure of one 6TB a while back and I wanted to future proof myself so bought the 14TB drive, and successfully restored the RAID. This has been fine and running for years.

Now I'm at capacity.

I know I can buy 2 14TB drives instead of 1 and expand the RAID5, but would prefer to only spend the money when at capacity warrants.

Ideally I buy 1 14TB drive, migrate everything there, and use the previously-purchased 14TB drive to make RAID1. Using the 2 6TBs as a 2nd RAID1 for a total of 20TBs. Later, if I fill this up I can expand the 14TB to RAID5.

Buying 2 14TB drives is simplest but double the money.

Should I:
* Install new system on single 14TB drive. If so, how do I get all the ports / settings from my apps moved over? I haven't seen this in the forums. Just that I would need to "start over".
* "clone" everything somehow to the 14TB drive as I describe above. System settings, apps, data, etc? I see one-way sync postings but nothing about app settings.
* backup to the 14TB drive and restore. I'm having trouble finding steps for this. I believe the steps are backup to new 14TB, wipe the existing drives (scary!), and restore from backup once fresh system installed.

Thank you and happy to provide more info.
P3R
Guru
Posts: 13190
Joined: Sat Dec 29, 2007 1:39 am
Location: Stockholm, Sweden (UTC+01:00)

Re: Migrate from 12TB Raid5 (mixed disk sizes) to 14TB Raid1

Post by P3R »

poulh wrote: Sat Jan 28, 2023 8:36 pm ...how do I get all the ports / settings from my apps moved over? I haven't seen this in the forums.
You don't see it in the forums because nobody have figured out a way to do it. You need to start over and configure it all manually.
I believe the steps are backup to new 14TB, wipe the existing drives (scary!), and restore from backup once fresh system installed.
Correct.
RAID have never ever been a replacement for backups. Without backups on a different system (preferably placed at another site), you will eventually lose data!

A non-RAID configuration (including RAID 0, which isn't really RAID) with a backup on a separate media protects your data far better than any RAID-volume without backup.

All data storage consists of both the primary storage and the backups. It's your money and your data, spend the storage budget wisely or pay with your data!
Post Reply

Return to “System & Disk Volume Management”