Build Your Own RAID5 NAS

[blue68f100]

TomsNetworkng just did an article on how to build your own NAS

http://www.tomsnetworking.com/2006/08/01/cheap_fast_diy_raid_5_nas/

It's a started, Just need to know how to config SAMBA for full use.

But I would have gone SATA RAID Controller like the Raidcore BC 4852.:)

[Brians256]

Can you dynamically increase the capacity of RAID-5 volumes with FreeNAS? Here's the thing. I've got several drives that are NOT raided but have lots of HTPC stuff on them. If I want to migrate them to RAID-5, and I fear that I might have to buy equivalent storage to create a new RAID-5 volume to get them copied. If I can resize the arrays, I can create a minimal RAID-5 set and expand it as I empty the original drives.

Suggestions?

[bigben2k]

Yeah, set-up two of them; you can take one of them off-line, for the upgrade. Assuming you have hot-swap.

[blue68f100]

Can you dynamically increase the capacity of RAID-5 volumes with FreeNAS? Here's the thing. I've got several drives that are NOT raided but have lots of HTPC stuff on them. If I want to migrate them to RAID-5, and I fear that I might have to buy equivalent storage to create a new RAID-5 volume to get them copied. If I can resize the arrays, I can create a minimal RAID-5 set and expand it as I empty the original drives.

Suggestions?

It posiable if you use a hardware based raid controller. Take a look at the Raidcore BC 4852 8 port controller. It can expand and grow many differnent ways. Tomsnetworking had a article on raid controller capable of raid 5. If I recall you could mix and match drives. This model is now has been discontinued, so may be able to pick one up for a reasonable price. It has been replaced with 5770 or 8603. Have looked for any of the newer hardware.

[Brians256]

Looking forward to getting some time to try it out.