Config Backup of old disks and Restore to new disks

[pamborg]

Is a config database backup and restore independent of the underlying disk configuration? So I have a current disk configuration that I used to test FN and I now want to buy and install 4 new disks configured as a RAID. Can I restore the configuration to the new disk setup? Eg is it a logical layer or is it tied to the physical setup. Hope that makes sense. Appreciate any inputs as I wasn't able to pick this up from the guide. Cheers

 

[Chris Moore]

The config database is stored on the boot media. Unless you are replacing the boot pool, there is no need to do a backup and restore. You can export a storage pool and create a new one. The config backup only contains refferences to your storage pool so it can be reconnected if you are restoring the config in the event of a boot media failure.
Does that answer your question?

 

[pamborg]

thanks for the quick response Chris. I'm booting up with a 16g USB drive and that is where my boot pool is. So the fact that my current pool is physically spread across 3 drives D1, D2 and D3 with no RAID configured and I will be installing 4 new disk N1-4 based on RAID should not be a problem at boot up once I've made the change?

 

[Chris Moore]

The setting in BIOS to tell it to boot from the USB drive might be affected by a hardware change. Once the boot begins on the boot media, FreeNAS will detect hardware. I hope you are not suggesting the use of a hardware RAID controller?

Once the OS has booted, you can configure the disks as you wish from within the FreeNAS GUI

 

[pamborg]

ok great thank you - no hardware raid controller on the menu!!