I am setting up a new sever.

 

I am new to unraid

 

Can you use unassigned disks to create a backup?

 

My system will have the following:

 

2 8tb 3.5 inch disks

2 6tb 3.5 inch disks

1 4tb 3.5 inch disk

1 3tb 3.5 inch disk

2 1 tb 3.5 inch disks

1 1 tb 2.5 inch disk

1 500 mb 2.5 inch disk

1 360 mb 2.5 inch disk

 

a 8tb disk will be used for parity

 

Can some of disks be assigned to the array and others used for a backup as unassigned disks?

 

Info would be appreciated

 

Rod

 

Are these just a bunch of disks you already have? 

 

How much capacity do you need? 

 

Some of those are too small to waste a slot or port on, unless some are SSDs for the cache pool. 

 

 

They are a bunch of disks I have, but some have been used/are being used in a NAS that will be retired. I currently have a Western Digital EX2 Ultra 2 Drive bay with the 8 TB Drives. This enclosure use to have the 6tb drives which are now used in my desktop system as a backup

 

The case that I am building in can handle up to 10 3.5 inch drives and 2 2.5 drives and possibly a third with a drive caddy where the dvd drive would be. I am using a Fractual design nod 804

 

I realize that some are small, but I have space in the server case and thought I would install them until they get full and then upgrade at a later date to a larger drive

 

Anything else?

 

 

39 minutes ago, vanrhyn said:

I realize that some are small, but I have space in the server case

Each additional disk is an additional point of failure. If you don't need the capacity of these small disks don't use them. Just wait until you do need capacity and install larger disks.

 

Also, every disk in the parity array is important. In order to reliably rebuild every bit of a failed disk, every bit of parity PLUS ALL remaining disks must be reliably read. I recommend testing all of these disks before trusting them in your server. I would just leave out the 2.5 inch disks completely.

 

So none of these disks are SSDs?

 

As for your question on backup, yes Unassigned Devices can be used to make backups. You must always make sure you have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable. Parity is not a substitute for backups. If you don't have much you consider worth backing up then those small disks might work well for that.

1 hour ago, trurl said:

Each additional disk is an additional point of failure. If you don't need the capacity of these small disks don't use them. Just wait until you do need capacity and install larger disks.

 

Also, every disk in the parity array is important. In order to reliably rebuild every bit of a failed disk, every bit of parity PLUS ALL remaining disks must be reliably read. I recommend testing all of these disks before trusting them in your server. I would just leave out the 2.5 inch disks completely.

 

So none of these disks are SSDs?

 

As for your question on backup, yes Unassigned Devices can be used to make backups. You must always make sure you have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable. Parity is not a substitute for backups. If you don't have much you consider worth backing up then those small disks might work well for that.

Yes there are no ssds

 

Motherboard will be able to have 2 M.2 drives on it

 

So array can be used to put your data on it and keep the others as unassigned until needed in the array.