Ability to add external NAS device to storage pool

[subi75]

For starters I'm still using FreeNAS 9.10.2-U6 atm, as I plan to refresh my existing NAS hardware at a point in the (near) future, and will look at converting over to FreeNAS 11 in the process on the new system.

However, in the mean time, as my existing system is currently starting to run low on space, I'm wondering if its possible to setup a new storage pool, pointing to an external NAS drive (Eg WD MyCloud drive) instead of a local physically connected drive.

With the below spec, yes I realize I can connect additional disks internally, but I'd rather have the option of reusing the external drive elsewhere once I upgrade the main system.

For anyone curious, my existing FreeNAS is a home built system made in late 2014:
CPU - Intel i3-4350
M/B - Gigabyte GA-Z97N-WIFI
Memory - 16GB RAM (M/B max config)
HDD - 3 x 4TB WD40EFRX drives (running in the big no-no setup of RAID1z for the past 3 1/2 years with no failures, yet)
HDD - 1 x 240GB SSD
Case - Fractal Node 304

 

[Arwen]

Short answer, NO!

Longer answer, really NO!

Detailed answer, don't use hardware RAID devices, internal or external, with ZFS. (There are exceptions to this rule, but they don't apply here.) Next, USB attached drives, (except boot), are highly discouraged for continuous use for servers. Use of USB drive(s) for data transfers or backups, would be okay.