Using data drive rebuild to migrate file systems

I want to begin to migrate away from reiserfs to either xfs or btrfs.  I know that the usual way to do this is to use an additional drive (or the parity drive) to rsync data from dsik1.  Once the first disk1 is done, then use disk1 as the target drive and rsync data from disk2.  And so on...

 

I was thinking if I could so this instead...

 

Stop the array and remove disk1.  Add the additional into disk1 one's slot, start the array, format the new disk1 as XFS and let it rebuild the data.  Once done, perform the same process for disk2, using the old disk 1 as the new disk2.

 

If I do it this way, I can basically do a drive a night during off hours.

 

My questions:

 

1.  First...is this a bad strategy?  As far as speed, I really don't care since I would have an 8 - 10 hour window for each rebuild to occur.

2.  Does unRAID allow for mixed file systems?  During this process, I will have a mix of reiserfs and xfs drives.  Is this an issue?

 

John

 

This will not work!

 

The Rebuild process is file system agnostic.  It can only restore what file system that was on the disk before you started the rebuild.

Ahhh!  Glad I asked!    I thought it sounded like too simple of a process.

 

So, RE: question #2...does unraid care if you have a mix of file systems?

 

John

Ahhh!  Glad I asked!    I thought it sounded like too simple of a process.

 

So, RE: question #2...does unraid care if you have a mix of file systems?

Not with v6b10a.    You can set the format to be used at the individual disk level.  The default is now XFS. 

 

Note that the array has to be stopped for you to change the setting.  If you change it then when the array is next started the drive will show as unformatted and the option offered to format it (erasing any current data on the drive) will be available.

Sorry to jump in. but I am in the same boat, having run the standard file system since V3, and now considering a change moving forward

 

For use by  perhaps less technical users, is there a (foolproof ) guide or proceedure on how we can migrate the array / disk file system?

 

It would be fantastic if there was an option in the GUI to allow migration to new file systems.

 

I myself have over 20TB which I want to move to XFS, and don't fancy messing it up, with having to reload all my files frokm scratch

I'll look around...I think I have seen someone else map out the entire procedure.

 

If you don't have an extra drive that is as big as you largest data drive, a lot of people have used their parity drive.  Of course, this will leave you unprotected the entire time it takes to migrate your data.

 

John

If you can wait until V6 gets out of beta I'm pretty sure Limetech is going to have official guides on migrating.

 

 

If you can wait until V6 gets out of beta I'm pretty sure Limetech is going to have official guides on migrating.

 

Would be nice if this could be included in the GUI (with the array offline).    Basically just a page where you can specify a source drive (array), a target drive (non-array) and the preferred file system of the target drive.  Press go and it would format the target drive and rsync source drive --> target drive.

 

All seems too simple but I'm a simple kinda guy! 

 

John

If you can wait until V6 gets out of beta I'm pretty sure Limetech is going to have official guides on migrating.

 

Would be nice if this could be included in the GUI (with the array offline).    Basically just a page where you can specify a source drive (array), a target drive (non-array) and the preferred file system of the target drive.  Press go and it would format the target drive and rsync source drive --> target drive.

 

All seems too simple but I'm a simple kinda guy! 

 

John

That sounds like a wonderful option for a multitude of reasons, backup and data transfer primarily. If you added the option to make the target drive a blank array drive, it would be perfect. If the target is a non-array drive, you would have to break parity to include it in the array after the copy was done. If it was an array drive, you could have an option to blank the source drive after verifying the copy, and you would be all ready to convert the next drive.

 

Why don't you start a thread in the roadmap thread outlining what you would like to see? That way at least it stands a chance of getting included at some point.

 

Everything talked about here can be done currently with command line or scripting, but it would be nice to have an official mostly idiot proof gui method of doing it.