Migration from a Raid 1 to Raid (1+0) (Intel Storage Matrix)

[idata]

Hi all,

I have a working Raid 1 (2 x 2TB Samsung F4) connected to my Asus P5Q-E motherboard. I would like to purchase another 2 drives to add on to my raid storage. But however i have the following concerns:

(1) Would it be better to get Western Digital Green 2 TB, so i would get a mixture of both samsung and WD just in case one fails ? Or would it be better to get the same make (i.e Samsung 2TB)?

(2) Would you guys recommend me migrating from a Raid 1 to a 4 drive Raid 5 or a 4 drive Raid 10 (1+0) ?

(3) Would it be able to migrate from say a Raid 1 to Raid 10 (1+0) ? If it is even possible ?

(4) How do you go about doing it ?

Thank you

Many thanks in advance

[idata]

Yes its better if they are all the same make/model.

There is one problem due to how you setup your partition on the array which is that migration can mean you can increase your array size so you can increase partition but if you used MBR you are limited to 2TB where a GPT can go past this...which means you have to redo the partition to have one big partition and it can not at this time be a boot volume to have a array bigger then 2TB with GPT.

[idata]

Thank you so much for the reply !

So in other words, i cannot convert my current 2 TB Raid 1 (2x 2TB Samsung F4 HDD) into a 4 TB (4x 2TB Samsung F4 HDD) or a 6 TB (6x 2TB Samsung F4 HDD) without destroying my data contained within ?

But i am currently using this as a NON-Boot drive to contain data. Would I still have to use GPT ?

Btw, what is GPT ?

Regards

[idata]

No Intel only supports migration to RAID 5 from RAID 0,1 or 10.

GPT (GUID partition table) is the replacement for MBR (Master boot record) so that you can have a partition past 2TB and make other partitions past a 2TB partition on a single array

The only way (I've not done it) I can think you can go RAID 10 with 4 drives is to use RAID Ready (enable RAID from the start) put all your data on one 2TB drive (with a GPT partition) delete your RAID 1 and add another drive so you have three blank drives and one with data and allow RST to make a RAID 10 with your data thats on one of the drive with the other drives.

RST has replaced Matrix Storage Manager.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=2101&DwnldID=19607&ProductFamily=Chipsets&ProductLine=Chipset+Software&ProductProduct=Intel®+Rapid+Storage+Technology+(Intel®+RST)&lang=eng http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&ProdId=2101&DwnldID=19607&ProductFamily=Chipsets&ProductLine=Chipset+Software&ProductProduct=Intel%c2%ae+Rapid+Storage+Technology+(Intel%c2%ae+RST)&lang=eng

Or you can setup another RAID 1 with GPT (and initialized in RST) move your date over to this array delete your other RAID 1 and the migrate to RAID 5.

I should point out that if the drives are faulty as you do any of the above you can loss your data.