Restoring configuration question

[tessierp]

Hi,

I currently have a running system with two pools and shares. I was thinking of upgrading my system, to expand my VDEV which currently has eight 6TB drives in a RaidZ2 configuration. It is impossible for me to expand with a second VDEV with the same configuration because I have no space in my case. There is only space for 12 HDD. Basically I'll have to add new drives and arrange my pool configuration differently.

That being said, I need to know what saving the configuration in System Settings -> General -> Manage Configuration -> Download file and then restore that config will do if the disk configuration is slightly different. Lets say I destroy my pool, recreate it with the same name but with a disk configuration that is different and then I restore the config, will it recreate the shares and try to recreate my hold pool or will it just see that there is already a pool with the same name and just recreate the shares?

I hope my question is clear. I'm just trying to see if there is a way for me to minimize the work I have to do. I do realize that I will have to backup my files and "upload" them again but I would like to spare myself the effort of having to recreate the shares.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Whattteva]

That being said, I need to know what saving the configuration in System Settings -> General -> Manage Configuration -> Download file and then restore that config will do if the disk configuration is slightly different. Lets say I destroy my pool, recreate it with the same name but with a disk configuration that is different and then I restore the config, will it recreate the shares and try to recreate my hold pool or will it just see that there is already a pool with the same name and just recreate the shares?

It will probably recreate the shares and users etc, but I don't think it will import the new pool (I could be wrong). But you should be able to import the new pool manually though.

 

[tessierp]

When you say "you should be able to import the new pool manually", you mean I will have to create one from scratch and recreate all of the datasets and permissions ?

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

No, you go to Storage > Pool > Add > Import existing pool, do that, and all your datasets and files will be there.

You will have to recreate your shares and users.

 

[tessierp]

Just to make sure I was clear. I currently have eight 6TB NAS HDD in my NAS configured with RaidZ2. I wish to add 5 more drives to my pool with a RaidZ2 configuration, so that means 9 usable drives with a tolerance of 2 failures. From what I know it is currently impossible to expand a pool, that feature does not exist. So I will have to destroy my current pool and recreate it. So that is why I am confused, how can I import a pool if I will have to destroy it? Do you guys mean that by saving my configuration and restoring it, doing an IMPORT after the pool has been destroyed will recreate it with my array of 9 drives? Hope I am clear as to what my intention is.

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

In that case you will have to save the data elsewhere and create everything from scratch. Sorry about the confusion.

 

[tessierp]

I see so saving the configuration in this case would be useless? I cannot even import the configuration to recreate the users and shares while I recreate the pool and datasets? I'm just trying to understand what I can get away with.

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

I guess you can restore the configuration to get the users and shares. You will have to try.