if i add a 2nd parity drive that's larger than the 1st , can my additional data drives be the same size as the largest parity drive?

[[email protected]]

i have 4 disk array - well 5 w/ the cache setup like this.

 

Disk 1 - 12 TB parity

Disk 2 - 3 TB

Disk 3 - 12 TB

Disk 4 - 8 TB

Disk 5 - 1TB SSD cache

 

i have a 12 drive supermicro X9SCL / X9SCM 

 

if i add an 18TB or 20TB 2nd parity drive - then can i add future data drives of 18-20TB?

 

 

[ChatNoir]

37 minutes ago, [email protected] said:

if i add an 18TB or 20TB 2nd parity drive - then can i add future data drives of 18-20TB?

No data drive can be larger than Parity drive(s).

 

If I understand your plan, you would have P1 at 12TB and P2 at 18TB. That is fine as long as no data drive is larger than 12TB.

 

To add a 18TB data drive, you would have to replace your 12TB P1. But you can add it to the Array as a Data drive if you want.

[[email protected]]

gotcha. ok. so i think it's better to replace the 12TB parity w the 18TB and use the 12TB as a data disk. thx

[ChatNoir]

1 hour ago, [email protected] said:

gotcha. ok. so i think it's better to replace the 12TB parity w the 18TB and use the 12TB as a data disk. thx

I read my previous post, and while true, it is not exactly what I wanted to say.  

You can replace your first parity by a 18TB now.

When you purchase a second 18TB, you can then replace your second parity drive.

 

Both old parity drive can then be reused as data drives in the Array. That way, you keep the benefit of dual parity and still increase your data capacity. (slower, but still an increase)