Hi all,

 

I have been running unRAID free version for a few months and am ready to expand to more drives and consequently, to the paid version of unRAID.

 

I have been researching a learned a few things that I would just like some confirmation to be sure.

 

Can someone please tell me if the following statements are true or not?

 

unRAID licensing is tied to a physical USB flash device so if that device goes bad, a new license must be purchased?

 

Therefore you can backup the files on the flash in case you need to recover certain files, but you cannot truly have a backup flash to use if the original breaks?

 

Thanks very much for your help,

Andy

 

 

 

unRAID licensing is tied to a physical USB flash device so if that device goes bad, a new license must be purchased?

 

The license is tied to the GIUD of a usb stick. Should your stick die, Tom will provide you with a new key for your new stick. He doens't make you pay twice

 

Therefore you can backup the files on the flash in case you need to recover certain files, but you cannot truly have a backup flash to use if the original breaks?

 

If what you're thinking about is to replace the stick by another and having a downtime of about a minute or so, no. Unless you buy two keys and replicate the configuration on the backup stick.

 

Tom has been knows to provide users with a replacement key extremele quickly, in some cases within the hour. So if you made a backup of your configuration files, you will have a downtime of about an hour or so.

You can buy a 2pack if you want an instant backup, or if your flash dies Limetech will issue a free replacement key for your new flash; I don't think the legal terms mandate they do, but I've never heard of them turning down someone with a dead drive..

so far, limetech was very open to replace the key-file in the case of a dead usb device.

(at least i haven't heard of any case, where this wasn't the case...)

 

but yes, the licence is tied to the flash device. if you want a true backup flash drive, that you can simply plug in without any wait or support from limetech, you would need two licences.

 

edit: damn, too slow

Great information, guys...thanks.

 

Didn't realize that they (Tom) would provide a replacement key if the flash dies...that's damn decent and very helpful.

 

I'm sure I could live with the downtime for a day or so until I got a replacement...might also consider a 2-pack tho.

 

Thanks very much for the quick and informative replies!

 

Andy

 

unRAID licensing is tied to a physical USB flash device so if that device goes bad, a new license must be purchased?

 

The license is tied to the GIUD of a usb stick. Should your stick die, Tom will provide you with a new key for your new stick. He doens't make you pay twice

 

Therefore you can backup the files on the flash in case you need to recover certain files, but you cannot truly have a backup flash to use if the original breaks?

 

If what you're thinking about is to replace the stick by another and having a downtime of about a minute or so, no. Unless you buy two keys and replicate the configuration on the backup stick.

 

Tom has been knows to provide users with a replacement key extremele quickly, in some cases within the hour. So if you made a backup of your configuration files, you will have a downtime of about an hour or so.

 

 

Case in point, I was bringing my array down yesterday morning to add in an additional drive... went to fire it back up and my flash drive wasn't recognized by the bios, tried it in my Win7 machine, nothing. Ran to the store, got a new flash drive and emailed Tom with the new flash GUID and had a new key for it in about 30 minutes! I have my own support thread going to make sure I'm going through the right steps but so far I think I'm in good shape--and making a backup flash this time too

A few months after purchasing unRAID, my USB started causing weird errors in my logs which showed the flash drive was going bad. I purchase a new USB flash drive & emailed Tom with what happened. He quickly sent me a new license key without requiring me to repurchase a new license.

 

It is a good idea to have a backup of your flash drive in case it dies. When you get a new flash drive, you will need it to have its own license, but if you don't have the configuration files from your old key backed up... that will have to be resetup.

 

I only have 1 key. I was extremely lucky that my drive warned me by throwing LOTS of errors into my logs (which I check from time to time). My only down time was shutting down & inserting the new flash drive (which I already configured from my PC).

Cool...Tom is da man.  Gonna buy my key when I get home from work tonight.

Also gonna be sure to have all the flash files backed up...thanks!

 

Some of us use a flash card reader that provides a unique GUID. Specifically the Kingston MobilLite G2 mentioned in this thread:

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=9502

 

Many flash card readers do NOT provide a unique GUID, and therefore cannot be used, but the Kingston MobileLite G2 does have unique GUIDs, and therefore can be licensed and work quit well.

 

You can replace the actual flash memory card and the GUID tied to your license key remains the same and remains valid.

 

Yes, you still have to clone the flash memory card itself, but that is a need even with a standard USB flash drive.

 

Joe L.

As you can see from my sig, I run lots on top of unRAID. Redoing all that would be painful. I tweak things fairly often which causes me to make backups frequently.

 

When I purchased a replacement USB drive, I purchased the one Joe L. has listed. It is working well for me.

Just a note of caution on this - I went with the Kingston flash reader last time I migrated server (about a year ago).

 

This week I've had serious issues with it being recognised and so providing a valid license at boot.

 

I've tried various different permutations of actual storage in it (multiple CF cards, micro sd cards) and had similar issues from multiple machines. I can only conclude it's the reader hardware itself.

 

I managed to get it to be recognized in an unraid boot finally but more by blind luck and persistence than anything. I don't expect it to last much longer.

 

So whilst it may be likely they could outlast a normal USB stick they can still fail..

I'll just mention that I bought my flash drives from Tom directly (twin pack - originally one was set aside as a backup for exactly the situation you describe - but now that's grown into a full blown second Unraid server to backup the first one).

 

The one's that Tom shipped me have never been replaced - and I think it's been about four years of non-stop use for one of them (six months use for the second one).

 

Support LimeTech and just buy them from Tom.  He won't ship junk cause it'll be a pain for him later.  :-)

 

Russell