Server Migration

[Sagara]

I am planning to build a new server and then giving my old rig to a friend. What are the best options for moving data between the devices? I would prefer to just move the disks over and plug them in to save hassle and maintain modified dates on files, but I have multiple shares split between disks so I am not sure what the cleanest way to deal with this would be. If I just plug the disks in, create the same share names and assign drives will it magically just work?

[trurl]

If you use the same flash drive and the same disks then it should just recognize the disks and shares just as they were.

[Sagara]

I was somewhat hoping to start fresh since I have some old style apps running and it wouldn't be a bad idea to start fresh and then default everything to give the old server away. I've also been having some problems with permissions generated by transmission, but I believe its two to it being old and before the newer permissions system. 

 

Mostly concerned with ports/apps colliding if run in tandem, but I could just go pure delete everything not necessary and rebuild from the ground up.

 

Since the OS runs in ram does it generate the hardware config on every boot, thus making a transition between different cpus and all neglible?

[trurl]

You can start fresh but with the disks already assigned as they were and your license key already installed. Just backup the config folder from flash, then all you need on a new install is to copy from that backup the config/super.dat for the disk assignments, and the config/*.key file, and use that same flash drive.

 

If you give the system away with its flash and start with a new flash then you have to get a new license for the new flash.

 

In any case, you can always use the disks with their data intact in a new system by simply assigning the disks exactly as they were. Note that you have to assign them all at once. If you try to add any disk later Unraid will clear it so parity remains valid, unless you New Config and rebuild parity.

[trurl]

And if you do use the disks with their data on a fresh install, you will already have the same user shares since the user shares are just the aggregate of the top level folders on all disks. But if you don't keep the config/shares folder then all shares will have default settings.

[trurl]

Also see the /config section here for other things you might want to keep from your old install:

 

https://wiki.unraid.net/Legacy/Upgrading_to_Unraid_6#Files_on_flash_drive

[Sagara]

Ah so shares aren't part of the config file, but generated by the disks root folders? Do you still need to define them in the config before adding the drives, or do they auto populate?

 

I was considering getting a higher level license on the new install and then giving the old key and license away with the server which makes things somewhat easier, plus the clean install. But considering how the system works on boot if I get rid of unnecessary config files it would effectively be a fresh install as well so either way works potentially.

 

Thanks for the info, now I just need to think on the options and decide which way I want to go, and how many drives the new case will realistically be able to support plus parity slots.

[Sagara]

I am thinking I may just go ahead and move the drives and boot disk to the new hardware, but the thought occurred that I also got a few new 6TB drives while the old ones are all 4. Can I add a 6tb as parity 2, and then remove parity 1 upgrading the parity size to full 6, or should I decommission the current parity, add the 6tb and assign it as new parity 1?

[JonathanM]

28 minutes ago, Sagara said:

I am thinking I may just go ahead and move the drives and boot disk to the new hardware, but the thought occurred that I also got a few new 6TB drives while the old ones are all 4. Can I add a 6tb as parity 2, and then remove parity 1 upgrading the parity size to full 6, or should I decommission the current parity, add the 6tb and assign it as new parity 1?

Either way works, keep in mind the two parity disks are unrelated, so if you set up a 6TB as Parity2, it will stay parity2 even after you remove parity1. If your OCD would object to having a parity2 disk with no parity1 showing, then you must replace the current Parity.

 

When is the last time you had a parity check showing exactly zero errors?

[Sagara]

Running a new parity check right now actually. I haven't been running it regularly, but its generally few if any errors. I expected the being stuck as Parity 2 part may be the case. On one hand it would annoy me, but on the other I would forget after a few days and never care until looking again. Seems the safer option to temporarily have two parities than to remove one to build the other. Might have issues with SATA slots, but I could just move the PCI card from the old server to the new one if I need more ports for a bit.

[trurl]

On 5/8/2021 at 12:38 PM, Sagara said:

so shares aren't part of the config file, but generated by the disks root folders? Do you still need to define them in the config before adding the drives

Shares exist because the top level folders exist. Without the top level folders, the shares don't exist regardless of any settings. When you create a share in the webUI, Unraid creates a top level folder on pool or array as needed according to the settings you make for the user share. But any top level folder is a user share whether or not you create it in the webUI. Any shares that don't have corresponding .cfg files in /config/shares have default settings.

[trurl]

On 5/8/2021 at 2:43 PM, Sagara said:

few if any errors

Exactly zero is the only acceptable result. If you don't get exactly zero parity sync errors you have some work to do.

[Sagara]

No issue with errors on my last test. I think I used to have a bit of errors on my desktop backup disk, but since replacing that old 3tb drive have been solid. 

 

So if you were to plug disks in with no shares created they should be auto filled as default permissions and all which you could then edit as desired? Probably won't be an issue if I am going to pull all disks and the same boot drive for the new rig, but good to know. Just waiting on the new drives and some extra fans before I do the swap at this point. After its up and running I will then probably delete all apps, rerun the permissions task and then start over editing my users, security and adding in docker apps.

[trurl]

18 hours ago, Sagara said:

plug disks in with no shares created they should be auto filled as default permissions and all which you could then edit as desired?

Correct

[trurl]

On 5/10/2021 at 4:18 PM, Sagara said:

plug disks in with no shares created they should be auto filled as default permissions

More than just permissions are defaulted. In fact, I'm not sure shares are "shared" on the network until you make it so. If they are shared by default then they would be Public.

 

The defaults I was thinking of are:

• Allocation method: Highwater
• Split level: Any
• Use cache: No
• Include: All
• Minimum free: 0

 

[Sagara]

Looking good so far. New rig is booted with all the old drives plus the new 6tb parity which is now building. Once that is finished it'll be time to start removing old apps, redesigning users and permissions, and delving into the dark world of docker.