Migrate from 64disk server to new Unraid build.

[Deler7]

I'm planning to do a full server migration to my new Unraid server build. My server is primarily used as Plex server, but I'm intrigued of the docker and VM capabilities of Unraid. 

Also I like the per disk file storage, when files evenly distributed, it would, in my case, theoretically give more performance.

 

As I'm still very new to Unraid, I was wondering if this migration plan would work.

 

My old server, bit of old fashioned classic setup, it's 12 years old. Dual Xeon, using HW raid.

Debian 9, Adaptec HW raid controller, having 8x 8 disk RAID6 arrays, all disks are 4tb. Roughly 196TB (8 x 6x4tb)

There is around 187TB of data I want to move.

 

New server: Alder Lake CPU (12900), latest Unraid, SAS3 HBA controller, 18x 22TB SAS, 2 will be used as parity.

4 NVME 1TB SN700 in raid 1+0.

 

My problem is, both old and new server only have a gigabit connection, transferring 187TB will take around 18 days at best. Because of saturating the gigabit connection, Plex will perform poorly while copying the data over the network.

 

What I'm thinking to solve this, doing the migration by following the next steps.

 

1. Put a new made Unraid USB stick in old server.

2. Put the new HBA controller in old server, connect the SAS diskshelve containing the 18 new disks.

3. Start Unraid, setup new array, 16x 22TB disk + 2x 22TB disk as parity, XFS. Setup balance to "Most Free" as this will distribute all files over all disks, spreading the load when Plex have a busy time to serve streams.

4. Install Unassigned Devices plugin to read the 8x R6 hardware arrays that are formatted EXT4.

5. Setup Plex, still using the old R6 arrays as media library, and continue sharing content to family.

6. Copy all the data from the old R6 HW arrays to the new Unraid array, now at much faster speeds compared to a gigabit network transfer.

7. When step 6 is done. Change Plex to use the new library locations on the Unraid array, move the HBA to the new server, remove Unraid USB from old server, put in new server. Start new server, shutdown old.

8. Migration complete, buy the PRO license.

 

Am I doing this right ?

Or any remarks on my planned setup ?

 

 

Edited February 7 by Deler7
Some additions

[JorgeB]

7 hours ago, Deler7 said:

3. Start Unraid, setup new array, 16x 22TB disk + 2x 22TB disk as parity, XFS. Setup balance to "Most Free"

Note that this is the slowest write option if parity is enabled, no problem if you plan to do the initial migration without party.

[Deler7]

1 hour ago, JorgeB said:

Note that this is the slowest write option if parity is enabled, no problem if you plan to do the initial migration without party.

Ah ok. I was planning to do the initial setup and migration with parity already build.

In my test build, running latest Unraid, i had filled a nvme (cache) drive containing 50 10GB testfiles, and did a multithreaded copy to an 6+2p disk array with "Most Free" setting enabled. I saw all drives being used at ~125MB/sec each, what did look very promising to me.

Doing parity afterwards, that will keep the array unprotected for several days i assume ?

[JorgeB]

16 minutes ago, Deler7 said:

I saw all drives being used at ~125MB/sec each

This is not possible, assuming parity were disks, parity needs to update simultaneously for all data disks, hence why most free will be slower, because parity writes will overlap.

[Deler7]

39 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

This is not possible, assuming parity were disks, parity needs to update simultaneously for all data disks, hence why most free will be slower, because parity writes will overlap.

Ah my apologies, i just realised, in my test-setup i used 2 DC SAS3 SSD's as parity disk.

In the final setup, they will be HDD's indeed. So building parity afterwards does seems like a good idea now

 

My plan to connect the new drives to old server, booting Unraid, use a plug-in to read the current old EXT4 volumes and copy them all to the new Unraid array, would that be the best solution for my situation ?

Or will i be better off buying 2 10GBe NIC's and transfer it all over network ?

 

[JorgeB]

1 hour ago, Deler7 said:

booting Unraid, use a plug-in to read the current old EXT4 volumes and copy them all to the new Unraid array, would that be the best solution for my situation ?

That should work, assuming the raid volumes are presented to linux.

 

 

[Deler7]

Thank you very much @JorgeB👍