Migrating old server to new, but array will be different drives...

[Elmojo]

So this isn't the typical "I'm moving my drives to a new server" situation.  It sort of is, but with a twist.
I'm about to upgrade from a Dell T630 to a T640.  I'll be moving the cache drive (1TB NVMe) and an SAS/HBA card to run my external disk shelf over to the T640, but that's it for the physical hardware.
The new array will be built from different drives, since the T640 is only an 8-bay, so I need to use larger drives.
My question is, how does that work?  I know if I'm migrating the same physical drives from one chassis to another, it's a fairly simple process.  How about when you're basically building a new array?  Is there any way to avoid having to start from scratch, in terms of shares, containers, VMs, settings, etc?

[JonathanM]

Can you upgrade the drives to the new ones in the current server then move them over? That would simplify things.

[Elmojo]

3 minutes ago, JonathanM said:

Can you upgrade the drives to the new ones in the current server then move them over? That would simplify things.

Possibly... Do you mean add them as a separate array, or add them to the existing array? 
Currently, the old server array is 6x 4TB data drives + 2x 4TB Parity drives.
The new array will be 4x 6TB data drives + 1x 6TB Parity drive.
I have room in the old chassis for all of them, I just don't know how to go about the migration.
Would I set the "new" array up as a secondary array in the old server, copy over the data, move those drives to the new chassis, then make that the primary array?

I'm lost... lol

[JonathanM]

Actually I was thinking of upgrading the current drives one at a time, so the content would stay mostly on the same drives, and the removed drives would be a full backup.

 

You would need to remove the second parity drive to allow 6TB data drives.

 

After all the 6TB drives were installed, then you could copy the content of the last couple 4TB drives to the 6TB ones.

[Elmojo]

Ok, now you totally lost me. lol
Is there a tutorial or video somewhere that explains that process? 
I'm not able to visualize how that would work...

[JonathanM]

I'm just talking about the normal process of upgrading drives. Shut down, remove and replace with a larger drive, boot up, select larger drive in the GUI to replace the missing drive.

 

You'd start with Parity1. After that completes, you would remove Parity2, start the array with it set to uninstalled, shut down and replace Disk1, rebuild, and continue until all the new drives are installed.

[Elmojo]

11 minutes ago, JonathanM said:

the normal process of upgrading drives

I'm not aware of this 'normal' process.  Is it documented somewhere, beyond what you outlined in your response? 
Honestly, what you described sounds super scary. lol
Pulling a parity drive intentionally sounds like "don't do this 101".

[JonathanM]

https://docs.unraid.net/unraid-os/manual/storage-management/#upgrading-parity-disks

https://docs.unraid.net/unraid-os/manual/storage-management/#replacing-disks

[Elmojo]

Ok, great!  I like being able to read through the whole process, including any warnings or potential issues, beforehand.

So one other thing...

Going about it this way, I would not be able to keep the old server running until I have the new one up and fully configured, correct?

It appears that I would end up with an upgraded array, which would then have to be physically moved to the new server.
I'd much prefer to have both running in parallel, until I can confirm that the new one is correctly set up and running reliably.  Is this possible?

[JonathanM]

19 minutes ago, Elmojo said:

I'd much prefer to have both running in parallel, until I can confirm that the new one is correctly set up and running reliably.  Is this possible?

Yes, just more complicated.

1 hour ago, Elmojo said:

Is there any way to avoid having to start from scratch, in terms of shares, containers, VMs, settings, etc?

You would pretty much be doing a lot of this from scratch on the new array.

 

That's the question I was trying to address.

[Elmojo]

Bummer.  Okay, thanks. 
If I decide I really have to keep them both up at once, I'll come back and beg for help doing that. 
For now, I'll plan on it being and upgrade, then direct swap.