Upgrading storage like UnRaid

[Mondrayy]

Hey all

Based on the fact this OS is based on TrueNAS I assume the answer to be no but... can you upgrade the storage for your NAS like you can in UnRaid that you just pop in another HDD and you're good to go? Or is this one that when you upgrade you need to do pools or whatveer stuff so if you have 5 drive NAS (4+1) then upgrading you need to do another 5 (4+1)? I like the flexibility of UnRaid but this user interface is really tempting to make a switch. 

[Mawson]

The one trick UnRAID has that HexOS doesn't is the ability to use mismatched drives. HexOS has to have drives that are close in size or you loose out on capacity in a big way.

For example, say you have a pool with 5 SSDs. 4 are 120GB, and one is 110GB. HexOS would only be able to utilize 100GB of the larger drives, since all drives in a ZFS pool need to be the same size.
The same would be true with HDDs. A single smaller drive will limit the space of the whole pool.

(And that's why in the previous example ALL of the drives have to be swapped out when "upgrading" before the pool expands)

[Mawson]

This is actually a super exciting topic!
 

Pool expansion is working RIGHT NOW! I tested it the other day when I did a fresh install. I started with 3 drives during initial setup, and added two more once the server was up and going, which expanded my pool capacity!

Another neat trick that ZFS (HexOS' and TrueNAS' filesystem) has is the abiliity to "upgrade" a pool.

For example, if you were to take a RAIDz1 pool with 8x 10TB drives (70TB usable) and sequentially swap those drives out for 20TB units, then when you are done the available pool size will jump up to 140TB!
 

[SmoothMarx]

I like future me. I bought a license for him whenever he decides to start using HexOS.

 

But this is an issue for present me. I mix drives according to deals I find, so I guess I'll be sticking to SHR for now.

Thanks @Mawson for the heads up!

Edited December 3, 2024 by SmoothMarx

[AJ Peck]

I would like this as well. I was an early investor into the Windows Home Server market with my HP EX470 (sitting in my closet) and currently running a DIY box with DrivePool. I have a mismatch of drives, and I would love to be able to maintain that and expand based on the best bang-for-the-buck drive at the time.

I fully understand this is a big ask and not a day1, just adding my name to the list if there is further interest. Thanks!

[Mawson]

1 hour ago, despereaux said:

I'm pretty sure that's well beyond the function of the Hex OS wrapper. That kind of functionality needs to be built in True NAS, and I'm sure it'd be adopted into Hex OS very quickly from there.

 

Yeah utilizing mismatched drives to their full potential is one party trick that UnRAID has that ZFS does not. ...yet? (Maybe??)

I say yet, because ZFS didn't have pool expansion via adding drives until very recently, and if I recall correctly that was actually developed because HexOS+ Ix Systems went to Klara Systems who develop OpenZFS and sponsored that feature to be worked on. So its possible that features like that might (MIGHT. No promises) be added in the future.
@jonpDoes that sound about right?

[Mondrayy]

Thank you for testing it. I'm getting the licence now as I don't worry so much about mixing drive sizes but really liked the UI from the Linus' demo. I currently have 6TB drives and those will still be around when I need more of them. Now I just need to figure out transfering over from UnRaid at some point but that's a problem for future me. 

[Diltz09]

14 minutes ago, Mondrayy said:

Thank you for testing it. I'm getting the licence now as I don't worry so much about mixing drive sizes but really liked the UI from the Linus' demo. I currently have 6TB drives and those will still be around when I need more of them. Now I just need to figure out transfering over from UnRaid at some point but that's a problem for future me. 

Same here lol screw future me that guy is a dick 🤣

[despereaux]

I'm pretty sure that's well beyond the function of the Hex OS wrapper. That kind of functionality needs to be built in True NAS, and I'm sure it'd be adopted into Hex OS very quickly from there.

19 minutes ago, AJ Peck said:

I would like this as well. I was an early investor into the Windows Home Server market with my HP EX470 (sitting in my closet) and currently running a DIY box with DrivePool. I have a mismatch of drives, and I would love to be able to maintain that and expand based on the best bang-for-the-buck drive at the time.

I fully understand this is a big ask and not a day1, just adding my name to the list if there is further interest. Thanks!

 

[BlueAsphalt]

5 hours ago, Mawson said:

Yeah utilizing mismatched drives to their full potential is one party trick that UnRAID has that ZFS does not. ...yet? (Maybe??)

I say yet, because ZFS didn't have pool expansion via adding drives until very recently, and if I recall correctly that was actually developed because HexOS+ Ix Systems went to Klara Systems who develop OpenZFS and sponsored that feature to be worked on. So its possible that features like that might (MIGHT. No promises) be added in the future.
@jonpDoes that sound about right?

For the average Joe NAS user, being able to add drives which ever is on sale and cost-effective would be an amazing feature. Plus most of us have old desktops which often have mismatched drives so breathing new life into systems without worrying about huge costs down the road (when one would have to upgrade drives) would be amazing!
Moreover drive failures are to be expected so dumpster driving drives from old systems would make the maintenance costs more stomachable.....

Sorry for dumping so much of my thoughts, thanks for the work being done!