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[answered] XPEnology on real HW - some Q before installation


forum-merlin

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Hello @ All,

 

I would like to understand some thing before I start my installation.

I am currently running two VM xpenology NAS, and now I would like to install one on real Hardware.

 

I bought a AsRock Q2900M and I have a Raid Controller for 8 HDDs.

 

Before I start the installation, here are my questions...

1)

If I put the bootloader Image on the USB Stick and then boot from it, I expect, that I see the NAS then in the Finder Topol.

Shall I change the serial Number before I continue the Installation?

I saw a Vid on youtube 6 month ago or so. Is this needed? Does it make sense?

 

2)

If I have NO HDD attached, an installation is not possible right?

My plan was to add the HDDs Disk-by-Disk and add them in a sorted order to XPEnology.

And I don't like it to install the NAS Software on these Disks.

My plan was to build different RAID Setups then. I would like to seperate the things

e.g. 2 Disks as RAID 1 and then a 3 Disk RAID5 and then 3 Disks as a StripeSet for the UNimportant stuff.

So in summary 8 Disks.

 

3)

If I attach one Disk first and start the installation, the NAS OS will be installed then to this Disk.

After that the USB Bootloader Stick is no longer needed right?

 

What happens if I add the second Disk then?

Will the NAS OS then replicated to the second Disk?

What ist the procedure?

Do I have to expect that the OS will replicated to all attached Disks?

 

4)

As I said, I have two VM xpelohogy NAS Setups.

One has a Direct I/O PassThrough Setup and the DISKs are direktly attached to one of the VM based NAS.

If I have already a Disk from a Synology NAS...

 

What will happen if I attach this Disk to my new Hardware box? Do I have to initialize the this HDD (from my VMNas) and the Data is lost then?

 

5)

My VMNas boxes have 4GB Ram each. But I have an 2GB ECC RAM here from my HP N40L and also a 8GB RAM

Do I need the 8GB RAM?

What do you think?

 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Please let me know what you think!

 

thanks

 

merlin

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Hello @ All,

 

I would like to understand some thing before I start my installation.

I am currently running two VM xpenology NAS, and now I would like to install one on real Hardware.

 

I bought a AsRock Q2900M and I have a Raid Controller for 8 HDDs.

 

Before I start the installation, here are my questions...

1)

If I put the bootloader Image on the USB Stick and then boot from it, I expect, that I see the NAS then in the Finder Topol.Synology Assistant should see it as a new Diskstation

Shall I change the serial Number before I continue the Installation?If you planning to use synology services

I saw a Vid on youtube 6 month ago or so. Is this needed? Does it make sense?

 

2)

If I have NO HDD attached, an installation is not possible right?Right

My plan was to add the HDDs Disk-by-Disk and add them in a sorted order to XPEnology.

And I don't like it to install the NAS Software on these Disks.Then pick another OS

My plan was to build different RAID Setups then. I would like to seperate the things

e.g. 2 Disks as RAID 1 and then a 3 Disk RAID5 and then 3 Disks as a StripeSet for the UNimportant stuff.

So in summary 8 Disks. No problem. While adding disks you can select to create a new volumes or add them to existing volume and change RAID type to different level. See RAID upgrade matrix at synology.com

 

3)

If I attach one Disk first and start the installation, the NAS OS will be installed then to this Disk.

After that the USB Bootloader Stick is no longer needed right?USB bootloader will still be needed for reboots

 

What happens if I add the second Disk then?

Will the NAS OS then replicated to the second Disk?Yes

What ist the procedure?

Do I have to expect that the OS will replicated to all attached Disks?Yes, to all 8 drives

 

4)

As I said, I have two VM xpelohogy NAS Setups.

One has a Direct I/O PassThrough Setup and the DISKs are direktly attached to one of the VM based NAS.

If I have already a Disk from a Synology NAS...

 

What will happen if I attach this Disk to my new Hardware box? Do I have to initialize the this HDD (from my VMNas) and the Data is lost then?It might pick it up and offer migration with all the data preserved

 

5)

My VMNas boxes have 4GB Ram each. But I have an 2GB ECC RAM here from my HP N40L and also a 8GB RAM

Do I need the 8GB RAM? Not for the file storage. If you run many applications on the box, then you may consider more RAM

What do you think?

 

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Please let me know what you think!

 

thanks

 

merlin

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Thanks XPEH !

Your inline answers were helpful!

 

But some more questions...

1)

You said, that the USB Stick with bootloader on it is still needed for rebooting the NAS

 

Is it somehow possible to run this in a different way?

 

How is this done in original Synology NAS Boxes?

Is there also a separate Disk?

My fear is that the USB stick dies and I am maybe not able to boot this Thing up.

Or can I use any of the available Bootloaders?

Which one should I use? the Nanoboot or the XPEnoboot or the Gnoboot?

 

2)

You said:

"It might pick it up and offer migration with all the data preserved"

 

>> How can I test this?

I expect something like.

If I add one of these existing Synology HDDs and boot the NAS, the browse the Admin WebPage, then I expect to see the HDD.

What next then...? Is there something like a Pop which says more or less "Hey, you added a synology based Harddisk. Would you like to migrate this Disk to run in this environment WITHOUT dataloss?"

 

Thanks

 

Merlin

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1) Instead of USB it is posible to boot from CDROM or Small hardrive, but its not practical as this will use one of the valuable SATA or PATA ports and require more power. USB is only read on boot and not written to, so it will not wear.

on the real Synology boot is done from DOM (Disk on Memory), basically built-in internal flash drive.

Use the latest XPEnoboot 5022.3

2)If you boot from the same version of bootloader and have your drive from Xpenology connected it may just boot. If different version XPEnology bootloader used, Synology assistant will show status as migratable instead of "new" install.

 

Adding next disks wil not offer this option anymore. New disks will need to be initialized withing Storage manager before they can be used to create new volumes or extend existing ones.

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Again... Thanks XPEH!

 

OK the Answer about 2) is not 100% clear to me, but I think I can handle it.

I did not understand why the bootloader has a role for the Migration Task, because I expected that the installed DSM Version on each Disk is relevant for that.

The problem I have is, that I have not enough spare HDDs here to backup all the Data first.

 

I have an HP N40L with 4 fully filled 2 TB WD HDDs, running in a ESXi Environment, where the 4 Disks are attached as RDM Drives.

 

Then I have my second ESXi Server, where I have 6 HDDs attached.

They are directly attached to the XPEnologogy Image via Direct I/O Path Through Setup- I call this Server "BigServer"

 

In both NAS installations, each disk is a singe drive config. None of them is in a RAID Config. The data on it is nice, but not important. Additionally I have a regular QNAP NAS with RAID1 where the important data is stored and this is backed up additionally to a USB Disk frequently and the super important stuff is burned on a DVD and outside my house.

 

But I have one 3 TB spare Seagate HDD here. :sad:

I think I have no choice... I need more Disks to Backup the data first, or I think I will lost the data.

 

The main goal is to migrate the Data from the ESXi (BigServer) to the new HW based low power NAS box I try to build and use WoL then.

The BigServer has a significant PowerConsumption and I got the Bill last week. :sad:

 

Thanks

 

Merlin

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If bootloader is different, it emulates a different model of hardware. Synology installer recognize that disk are moved to different box and offer the migration.

If you have a spare 3TB disk, you can install it first on a new NAS and copy one of the existing volumes from old servers to this new storage over the network. Once moved, you can take this old empty disk and move it to the new server, creating more free space for the next data move. Repeat until you have all your data and disks moved to the new NAS.

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Hi XPEH.

Thanks for sorting the things out. It helps me a lot to understand how it works.

 

BOOTLOADER:

==============

Ok, if the bootloader is the trigger to have the migration-option, then I would expect this option in my scenario.

My VMWare based xpenology has this Bootloader Image(s):

NB_x64_5031_DSM_50-4493_Xpenology_nl-flat.vmdk

NB_x64_5031_DSM_50-4493_Xpenology_nl.vmdk

 

The new HW Based NAS will then be installed wit this bootloader:

XPEnoboot 5.1-5022.3

 

>>> new Bootloader > new Synology NAS Model > Migration Option

 

 

ABOUT THE 3TB SPARE HDD:

============================

sure! I could use this, but my plan was to build some RAIDs later.

Currently each of my 6 HDDs are simple single Volumes in DSM

 

The Goal after the "migration" is to have

3x3TB as RAID5,

2x2TB as RAID1

and 1x3TB single HDD

and if needed, I will add the spare 3TB additionally as single HDD

in summary 6-7 HDDs, 2 RAID Setups and one or two single Disks

 

PROCEDURE:

==============

So this means, If I copy the Data form the 3TB of the NAS to my spare HDD, I can take the Disk from my VM NAS, and Install it into my new HW NAS.

Then I copy the Data to the new HW NAS, and I have my spare HDD empty for the next Dataset. But If I add the 2nd HDD to my new NAS, (and please correct my if I am wrong) I have to do something with this new HDD then. right?

I have to say "I would like to create a RAID" , or something like that, or it "stays as a single Disk", or... right?

 

I do not know which options I have...

 

THOUGHTS:

==============

Is it maybe possible to have one Disk installed, filled with data as described in the PROCEDURE section, and as soon as I add a 2nd Disk, DSM asks me to build a RAID1 and the Data will be synchronized then, and I have a working RAID 1?

 

 

AND IF SO (if the RAID1 can be build in this way)

===============================================

And then the most important question as next...

>>What will happen, If I go the next round and add a 3rd Disk to the RAID1 Setup? Do I have the possibility to create a RAID5 out of this RAID1+1HDD ???

 

 

Thanks

 

merlin

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Hi XPEH.

Thanks for sorting the things out. It helps me a lot to understand how it works.

 

BOOTLOADER:

==============

Ok, if the bootloader is the trigger to have the migration-option, then I would expect this option in my scenario.

My VMWare based xpenology has this Bootloader Image(s):

NB_x64_5031_DSM_50-4493_Xpenology_nl-flat.vmdk

NB_x64_5031_DSM_50-4493_Xpenology_nl.vmdk

 

The new HW Based NAS will then be installed wit this bootloader:

XPEnoboot 5.1-5022.3

 

>>> new Bootloader > new Synology NAS Model > Migration Option

you got it

 

ABOUT THE 3TB SPARE HDD:

============================

sure! I could use this, but my plan was to build some RAIDs later.

Currently each of my 6 HDDs are simple single Volumes in DSM

 

The Goal after the "migration" is to have

3x3TB as RAID5,

2x2TB as RAID1

and 1x3TB single HDD

and if needed, I will add the spare 3TB additionally as single HDD

in summary 6-7 HDDs, 2 RAID Setups and one or two single Disks

 

PROCEDURE:

==============

So this means, If I copy the Data form the 3TB of the NAS to my spare HDD, I can take the Disk from my VM NAS, and Install it into my new HW NAS.

Then I copy the Data to the new HW NAS, and I have my spare HDD empty for the next Dataset. But If I add the 2nd HDD to my new NAS, (and please correct my if I am wrong) I have to do something with this new HDD then. right?right. Delete all the partitions and present it to DSM as new disk.

I have to say "I would like to create a RAID" , or something like that, or it "stays as a single Disk", or... right?

you will have to manually specify in storage manager what you want to do with it.

I do not know which options I have...

create a new volume, add it to existing volume or leave as a hot spare.

THOUGHTS:

==============

Is it maybe possible to have one Disk installed, filled with data as described in the PROCEDURE section, and as soon as I add a 2nd Disk, DSM asks me to build a RAID1 and the Data will be synchronized then, and I have a working RAID 1?

 

if you choose this option.

AND IF SO (if the RAID1 can be build in this way)

===============================================

And then the most important question as next...

>>What will happen, If I go the next round and add a 3rd Disk to the RAID1 Setup? Do I have the possibility to create a RAID5 out of this RAID1+1HDD ???

it is one of the options. Raid change is possible in some scenarios. Read up on the official symbology website. Be aware that drive/raid manipulation may take a long time. Many hours sometimes. Be patient.

 

 

Thanks

 

merlin

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Thanks XPEH!

 

I am still not running the new Server, but I was able to backup all Data to some USB Disks.

I hope that the good old friend Murphy is on vacation and not around me. :smile:

 

I checked youtube and the official documentation and I think I will add the HDDs to the System, build my SHR based RAID5 out of 5 3TB Disks, and all other HDDs I have will be added later as an additional Volume, also in a SHR Config.

 

So my next step is to crossflash my Dell H200 RAID Controller to a LSI (IT) Firmware and start buildung the Hardware NAS.

 

Thanks, and see you in next Thread!

 

cheers

 

Merlin

 

 

EDIT:

System is up and running.

Dell H200 RAID Controller is crossflashed with P19 LSI Firmware in IT Mode,

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