May 9, 20197 yr Community Expert I read somewhere recently that the 12 disk connected license I have is a limit imposed when starting the array. I currently have 12 devices (1 x Parity, 6 x array drives, 1 x cache, 1 SSD Unassigned disk inside, 1 x hot swap 4TB drive backup, 2 x external USB Backup drives. I assumed I had no growth in the array without a license upgrade as that all add's up to 12 drives. I have a new drive to add to the array, and was either going to swap the two USB drives for a larger single one, or but the pro license upgrade for a single disk to be added. A this time I have been pulling a 4TB 'unassigned devices' drive out and slotting in an 8TB backup drive for my offsite backups, then repeat for other offsite backups - as I was assuming the license wont allow me to just plug an extra hot swap disk in. Seems I may have been wrong but I'm after confirmation. Q1 : Can I safely just slot disks in and out of the server (for unassigned devices use only - i.e backups) as long as I don't stop and hence restart the array with them connected ? Q2 : If the answer to Q1 is yes, then I guess I can disconnect the two USB drives, restart the array, add two new additional drives to the array, then reconnect the two USB backup drives (and make sure disconnected if ever a need to restart the array ?
May 9, 20197 yr Community Expert The answer to both Q1 and Q2 is yes. UnRAID does not care what non-array devices you plug in after the array is started - it just will not let you hot-swap actual array devices or have more drives in total connected than the licence allows at the point of starting the array. As long as you have easy access to the server to unplug the USB drives while starting the array you can ignore them for license device count limitations. Some people are remote to their servers so cannot easily unplug any drives at array start and so have to take them into account.
May 9, 20197 yr Author Community Expert Cheers @itimpl. Powered down and re-arranged some cabling ready, cut my hands to shreds on cpu cooler, then wont start - knocked power from mobo !!!!! Back in action now but it has made me think it may be time for a primary and secondary unraid systems.
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