[SOLVED] Basic question about switching drives between controllers

[tateburns]

Finished my server build in the past few weeks. Everything is running smooth, but of course I'm now looking at expanding storage.

 

I have 5x2TB drives with one dedicated as parity and 1x320GB cache drive. This consumes all 6 SATA ports on my motherboard. I'm ready to expand, but with my current budgetary constraints I'm not in a position to make the next major jump (yet) with a SAS card, 5x3 drive cage, etc. It's a lot to do all at once and I'm really just wanting to add 1 or 2 more 2TB drives right now. Plus, drive prices are ridiculous right now and this would be a silly time to make a large expansion. Just enough to get me by until 2nd quarter 2012 when prices start coming back down.

 

I have a compatible 2-port SATA II controller that I can pop in my motherboard now to get me by. If I hook 2 drives up to this card now, can I then later remove this card and add an 8-port SAS controller and hook these 2 existing drives up to the new controller?

 

My basic question is, how will unRAID handle swapping drives around on controllers?

[Johnm]

It is fine with it as long as you are in a current build. (i am sure older work too, it is just easier to support current)

 

As long as the drivers for the controller are in the unraid version you are using.

 

For the 5x series, just swap the controllers. unRAID "should" do the rest.

 

for 4.7, you will have to reassign the drives to the array after you swap out the controller.

if you are unsure about this, just post in the forum when you are ready to do this.

 

I would run a parity check bfore each migration and get a screen shot of your drive assignments.

it might not be a bad idea to label each drive clearly the the last 4 of the serial number and possibly disk#

 

ignore the /dev/sdx, that can change on its own..

[PeterB]

For the 5x series, just swap the controllers. unRAID "should" do the rest.

 

I can confirm that this works.  While already running a 5beta, I purchased an 8 port controller.  I moved all the data drives from mobo ports onto the new controller - unRAID just booted up and carried on running as though nothing had changed.

 

When I discovered problems with the host controller, I moved the drives back to the mobo ports.  A subsequent firmware update fixed the problems with the 8 port controller, and I moved the drives once more.  unRAID really does not bat an eyelid - move your drives around to your heart's content!

[tateburns]

Thank you for the responses. This is very helpful especially considering I built the server in a haste and did a terrible job with cable management. It's nice to know I can tear it down and rebuild without having to worry which drives plug into which SATA port.