I picked up a few 16TB drives to update my array.  There will be a bunch of work to shuffle things around, but the first tasks are to shrink the array and get the first drive installed as Parity.  Currently the Parity drive is 8TB, and I have no more physical slots in the server.  (I do have one SATA port left, but do not wish to have a drive hanging loose on the system).  I'd like to reclaim a slot in my 4x3 cage, as it is a handy thing to have.

 

Please check my thinking.  I believe it possible to do both in the same procedure, saving a good amount of time.  Does this look correct?  (Note that the links in the Storage Management page of the manual are broken.)  Please let me know if I am missing something:

 

• Healthy array with valid parity and no issues with any data drive.  Mover, Docker and VM are disabled.  Other computers that write (backups) to array are also disabled.  Shares have no Included/Excluded assignments.  Array is set *not* to Autostart on boot.  I have a screenshot of the current array configuration.  (Done)
• Move all data from Array data drive to be removed to other drives in the array.  (Currently in progress, via Unbalance.)
• Stop array and power down server.
• Physically replace Parity drive and remove now empty data drive.
• Power on Server.
• Using New Config, select All for Preserve current assignments.
• In Main tab, select new 16TB drive for Parity slot and un-assign removed drive.  (Other existing array drives assigned as desired.)
• Start the array without checking the 'Parity is valid' box.
• Allow parity to be rebuilt.
• Profit

 

Did I get this right?  My thinking is that since the parity needs to be rebuilt after the array shrink (if not clearing with script) why rebuild parity twice?  This saves me over 14 hours of unnecessarily rebuilding the 8TB drive that will be replaced.

 

Thanks in advance.

Looks perfect to me.

 

I'd add another step, after everything is complete do a non-correcting parity check, and be sure to keep an eye on the SMART status for all the drives through the whole procedure.

Thanks, Jonathan.  I thought I had it right, but always like to check my work when going off script.  A non-correcting parity check is not a bad idea, but it does add an additional ~28 hours (estimated) to what will likely be a weeks long process of shuffling/rebuilding/reorganizing dives in the array.  In the end, the array will go from 7 to 6 spinning drives, with 4 drives new or repurposed in the array.

 

I've been fortunate that this server has been very stable and mostly error free.  Most of my issues have been self inflicted.  Freeing up an easy to access drive slot will allow me to test drives some before committing them to the array.

A quick follow up...

 

Moved data off a 6TB drive, removed that 6TB and replaced the 8TB parity drive with a 16TB.

Used that 8TB drive to replace a 6TB.

Replaced 2 more 6TB drives with a pair of 16TB drives.

 

Over 100 hours of parity building and data drive reconstruction.

 

Zero errors.  I really do like this server.