Hello,

I'm looking to convert my file server from a Windows/Legacy RAID 6 setup to an Unraid/Windows VM setup, and I'm looking for some advice/help.  First, here's my current setup:

• Windows Server 2016
• Areca ARC-1280ML RAID controller
• 12 x 8TB Drives in RAID 6 (Configured as 2 NTFS volumes/drive letters)
• 24 bay chassis / AM4 CPU/MB setup

 

I also have 12 x new 14TB drives (WD140EMFZ) that I would like to set up in Unraid with dual parity.  I am currently planning to get a SAS HBA in IT mode (LSI 9200-8i) along with a SAS Expander (IBM 46M0997) to connect the new drives.  Once Unraid setup is done, I'd like to move all of my data from the RAID6 volumes to the Unraid array then retire the 8TB drives.  I'm also planning to set up and run a Windows Server 2016 VM on the same Unraid server.

 

My questions are:

1. What would be the best/fastest way to copy the data?  I would prefer to not have to move the RAID6 array to another machine to accomplish this.  My initial thought was to pass the Areca RAID adapter to the Windows VM then copy the data in the VM environment to the Unraid shares.
2. When setting up the Unraid array with the 14TB drives, should I initially only use 10 drives with no parity then add the 2 parity drives AFTER the data copy is all done? (I saw this being recommended somewhere to speed up the process)
3. Is the LSI 9200-8i + IBM 46M0997 plan suitable?  Should I consider something else?

 

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well.  I'm brand new to Unraid 😓

 

Thank you!

 

 

Edited June 25, 20206 yr by Jackyl
typo

1 hour ago, Jackyl said:

Hello,

I'm looking to convert my file server from a Windows/Legacy RAID 6 setup to an Unraid/Windows VM setup, and I'm looking for some advice/help.  First, here's my current setup:

• Windows Server 2016
• Areca ARC-1280ML RAID controller
• 12 x 8TB Drives in RAID 6 (Configured as 2 NTFS volumes/drive letters)
• 24 bay chassis / AM4 CPU/MB setup

 

I also have 12 x new 14TB drives (WD140EMFZ) that I would like to set up in Unraid with dual parity.  I am currently planning to get a SAS HBA in IT mode (LSI 9200-8i) along with a SAS Expander (IBM 46M0997) to connect the new drives.  Once Unraid setup is done, I'd like to move all of my data from the RAID6 volumes to the Unraid array then retire the 8TB drives.  I'm also planning to set up and run a Windows Server 2016 VM on the same Unraid server.

 

My questions are:

1. What would be the best/fastest way to copy the data?  I would prefer to not have to move the RAID6 array to another machine to accomplish this.  My initial thought was the pass the Areca RAID adapter to the Windows VM then copy the data in the VM environment to the Unraid shares.
2. When setting up the Unraid array with the 14TB drives, should I initially only use 10 drives with no parity then add the 2 parity drives AFTER the data copy is all done? (I saw this being recommended somewhere to speed up the process)
3. Is the LSI 9200-8i + IBM 46M0997 plan suitable?  Should I consider something else?

 

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well.  I'm brand new to Unraid 😓

 

Thank you!

 

 

First boot unraid and preclear all the new drives will take a long time but will save you heartache later you can do with an old pc (if you Have one) or a pc you dont mind not using for a few days. 

 

If the Raid is hardware and not software. here are my thoughts. boot to unraid and run any os in a vm that can see ntfs pass though the unraid share or shares you want to copy to the vm. Install unassigned devices and assign the raid share to the vm config and have at it. can ftp or copy paste that way. 

 

if the raid is software if you have another pc boot it with the drives and controler (HBA) if your using SAS i say this so if the contoler dies your data is not lost to a raid controler with single containers. setup FTP or rsync and wait for it to finish. the great thing about unraid is you dont need to have all the drives you are going to use connected if you do not have the space in the temp pc as long as you have enough total space to finish the copy.

 

Im not an amazing with unraid but that is how i would do it. maybe someone has a better way.