Array Reconfiguration Plan

[greybeard]

I have a 19 dirve 6.6.6 array.

1 x 8 TB Parity

18 x 2 TB MBR unalligned ReiserFS data drives.

1 empty drive bay.

 

I also have 4 x new 8 TB drives so what I want to get to is

2 x 8 TB Parity

3 x 8 TB  GPT alligned XFS data drives.

8 x 2 TB XFS data drives. Don't think it makes any difference if these are GPT or MBR.

 

Pretty sure I can not replace a 2 TB ReiserFS unalligned data drive with an 8 TB XFS allinged drive just by doing a disk swap and rebuild. So here is my idea for how to get converted.

1. Create a 3 x 8 TB array on a spare box.
2. From Win10 system, copy date from 11 of the 2 TB drives to the 3, 8 TB drive array. (The 2 TB drives are all 98% full. I know that is not best practice.)
3. From Win10 system, verify copied data. (I have a way to do this.)
4. Shut down both arrays.
5. Create a new config with
   • Replaced parity drive with a new 8 TB drive.
   • Replaced 3 of the 2 TB drives with the 3, 8 TB drives I copied the data to.
   • Remove the other 8, 2 TB drives, i copied the data off of, from the config.
6. Start the array and build parity.
7. If anything goes wrong with 5 or 6 I am thinking I can restore the original config and original drives and have good parity.
8. Wait for parity sync to complete.
9. Preclear the 8 TB drives I coped the data from and are no longer in the arrary. (Technically I may not need to preclear but planning to do it anyway.)
10. Stop the array and add the precleared drives.
11. Start the array.
12. Copy data from remaining 7, 2 TB drives to the now empty 2 TB drives.
13. Verify copied data.
14. Shutdown the array.
15. New config.
    • Replace the new parity drive with the old one.
    • Remove the 7 old 2 TB drives from the array.
16. Start the array and build parity.
17. Again I should have good parity if I have to revert to the config i have at the end of step 15.
18. Wait for parity sync to complete.
19. Shut down the array.
20. Add second 8 TB parity drive.
21. Start array and let it build parity on the second parity drive.
22. Do what ever I want with the 7 old 2 TB drives. Maybe preclear and add some back to the arrary to have more free space.

 

Will probably take a month or so to complete all steps but when done I should be able to replce any of the 11, 2 TB drives still in the array with an 8 TB drive and get an XFS alligned partion after rebuild.

 

Thoughts? Pitfalls? Other ideas? Thanks for taking a look.

[trurl]

Is everything OK with the existing disks? No SMART warnings on the Dashboard? No filesystem problems? Do you have backups of anything important and irreplaceable?

 

I'm a little unclear about the 2nd substep of step 5 and how it relates to step 9. What 8TB drives are no longer in which array? Aren't those disks in step 9 the same disks you already added in step 5?

 

 

Another possibility would be to start a new array on that same server with only new larger disks (as XFS) and just mount the old disks using Unassigned Devices to copy the data from them using Krusader, Midnight Commander, etc. Then you wouldn't have to get Windows or the network involved in the copy.

 

The old smaller disks would serve as their own backup until you had everything going again. If you still needed some of the capacity of those old smaller disks you could take some you have already copied and add them back to the array as XFS and finish copying the others as needed.