Replacing HDD and SD Card Storage in UniFi

You may need to replace a storage disk when upgrading to a larger storage capacity, or if your current disk has naturally degraded over time, as discussed in our article on Disk Health. UniFi OS makes this process incredibly simple.

Before Replacing a Disk

1. Back up your UniFi device.
2. Obtain a compatible disk.
3. Export any recordings you want to keep (all recordings on the disk will be lost).

How to Replace a Disk

Except for the CloudKey+ and Cloud Gateways with M.2 storage, all UniFi consoles support hot-swapping drives, meaning you can simply take out and replace the disk without powering off your UniFi console.

• Devices with HDDs and SSDs (i.e., Dream Machines & Video Recorders): Simply press the disk tray to open it. Then take out and replace the disk in the same orientation.
• Devices with microSD cards (i.e., Dream Router & Dream Wall): Carefully pull the tray out of its slot, then replace the card in the same orientation.
• Devices with M.2 storage drives (i.e., UCG-Fiber and UCG-Max): M.2 drives are not hot-swappable. To replace them, power down the device first to avoid data corruption or hardware damage.

If the disk you are replacing is part of a RAID array in a Network Video Recorder or UNAS, refer to the Storage Protect and Data Redundancy article and see the additional considerations in the section below.

Replacing a Disk in an Array

The Network Video Recorder and Network Video Recorder Pro can maximize data protection by creating storage arrays across multiple disks. For more information, see Storage Protect and Data Redundancy

Remember:

• Always replace a failed disk first before replacing an at-risk disk.
• Replace one disk at a time, allowing storage to fully repair before replacing the next disk.
• Repairing a disk takes significant work, and will impact overall performance.

CloudKey+ and Devices “Managed by Other”

The CloudKey+ is unique, because it operates entirely off its external storage. Replacing this disk will result in a new database. Any connected devices (i.e., Cameras & Access Points) will still be associated with the old database, and will appear as “Managed by Other.”

In this case, restoring from a backup will resync the devices with your CloudKey+. If you did not make a backup before replacing the storage, you will need to factory reset and readopt your device(s).

Ensure the following when replacing a disk in your CloudKey+:

• No security devices are connected to the security slot on the side.
• Your CloudKey+ has been shut down in Settings > Control Plane > Console, and it is unplugged.
  
  • The HDD should not be removed or installed while the CloudKey+ is powered on.