Add drives to current pool

[Ray Milyard]

I wanted to know before I start rebuilding my system. I have a 4 3tb drives right now in ZRAID1. I am adding adding 4 more of same size this weekend. I have all my media and jails on these drives right now and working how I like it. Is there a way to add these drives without needs to delete anything?

 

[DrKK]

You cannot add them to the existing vdev.

HOWEVER, you can make another vdev, say a 4xRAID-Z1, and you can stripe that into the existing pool.

 

[DrKK]

You cannot add them to the existing vdev.

HOWEVER, you can make another vdev, say a 4xRAID-Z1, and you can stripe that into the existing pool.

and let me just pre-empt my colleagues: Most of my colleagues would not recommend a 4-drive Raid-Z1. I myself think it's fine, but pushing it, if those are brand new good quality drives.

 

[m0nkey_]

Any disk layout has it's pros and cons. Just make sure you have a backup.

 

[Ray Milyard]

Any disk layout has it's pros and cons. Just make sure you have a backup.

I have all files backed up. That was not fun! Testing to make sure I can get all my stuff setup again on little PC I have:

https://www.jruehlig.com/wordpress/installation-configuration-of-freenas-plugins/

 

[Mirfster]

I have all files backed up. That was not fun! Testing to make sure I can get all my stuff setup again on little PC I have:

If you have a full backup and all 8 drives; perhaps now would be a good time to consider making it a RaidZ2? Let DrKK keep living on the edge; he has the experience... You should still play it safe :P

P.S. don't forget to first burn in those drives before considering them ready for use. ;)

 

[DrKK]

Oh well, if he has the OPTION right now, because he's got back ups, of redoing the whole pool without RAID-Z1, then, I, as well, *would* strongly recommend that. I didn't know redoing the whole pool configuration was an option.

 

[Ray Milyard]

If you have a full backup and all 8 drives; perhaps now would be a good time to consider making it a RaidZ2? Let DrKK keep living on the edge; he has the experience... You should still play it safe :p

P.S. don't forget to first burn in those drives before considering them ready for use. ;)

I was thinking putting the 8x 3tb in Raidz2 and the other 4x 2tb in Raidz1

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

I was thinking putting the 8x 3tb in Raidz2 and the other 4x 2tb in Raidz1

You might want to consider one RAIDZ2 vdev of 6 x 3TB, and one RAIDZ2 vdev of 2 x 3TB +4 x 2TB. The latter will initially have the capacity of 6 x 2TB, but over time replace you could replace the 2TB drives with 3TB drives to bring it to full capacity.