Need advice on upgrading my server

[randknu]

My server as it stands today is a culmination of 20 years of trying, rebuilding, failing, reading forums and searching the web for solutions.

MB: ASUS A88X-PLUS

CPU: AMD A10-7850K Black Edition

RAM: 2x4GB 1600MHz (PC3-12800) DDR3 CL10

PSU: Corsair 1000W modular

Controller: Highpoint RocketRaid 2340

Case: Lian-Li cube case

With theese HDD trays: Chieftec

 

The drives as of now consist of:

4x 2Tb drives of various make and model.

5x 3Tb drives of various make and model.

 

They are set up in RAID 5 in the Rocketraid controller.

 

My plan is to get a new controller and 3-4 new drives of at least 4 Tb, probably 8Tb. and ditch the 2Tb drives.

 

I also need a way to transfer what is on there to the new unraid system. The RR2340 has worked flawlessly and i love it, but... it's getting old and highpoint has long since forgotten about it, the "open source" drivers were a pain to get working on ubuntu 18.04 LTS which i run now.

At the most i had 20 drives in this rig, then mated with the RR2320 which i still have stored away.

 

I want to try unraid and so need some suggestions, cost is a big issue and just how i am going to move all the data is also an issue, haven't figured that one out yet.

I am looking at the LSI SAS 9300-4i and it says it supports 1024 storage devices? But just 4 without any expanders, right?

Otherwise it has to be this LSI SAS 9305-16i.

 

What are your thoughts?

[JorgeB]

LSI is a good option, number of devices it supports without an expander is in the model, e.g., 4i=4 internal devices.

[randknu]

Do they work with all expanders as long as they are the same SAS standard or are there proprietary limitations? If i use an expander will i see the drives behind it as individual drives or as an array of disks?

[JorgeB]

16 minutes ago, randknu said:

Do they work with all expanders as long as they are the same SAS standard or are there proprietary limitations?

They should.

 

17 minutes ago, randknu said:

If i use an expander will i see the drives behind it as individual drives or as an array of disks?

Individual devices.

[randknu]

Ok, next question, transferring files from the existing raid arrays to new drives. I am thinking of buying 3 8tb drives and copying the contents over to two of them, and use the last for parity. Can i just build the server with the two data drives and have the data show up directly or do i have to copy again? If so what filsystem should i use? 

Edited November 4, 2020 by randknu

[JorgeB]

28 minutes ago, randknu said:

Can i just build the server with the two data drives and have the data show up directly

This.

 

28 minutes ago, randknu said:

If so what filsystem should i use? 

XFS is usually the recommended for the average user.

[randknu]

Thanks a lot, i can use the onboard SATA connectors together with the HBA too so i should have plenty of space available.