Expanding RAID Storage Size

UniFi Consoles, such as UniFi Network Video Recorders (UNVRs) and UniFi Network-Attached Storage (NAS) devices, support redundant storage configurations across multiple disk bays for enhanced data protection.

This guide provides a step-by-step process to increase your storage capacity by adding or replacing disks.

Adding Additional Disks

If there are empty slots available, you can expand the storage array by inserting additional disks.

Steps to Add Disks

1. Insert new disks of the same capacity as the smallest disk in the array. For example:
   • Adding an 8TB disk to an array of 2TB disks will limit the new disk's usable capacity to 2TB.
   • A 1TB disk will not be utilized in this setup.
2. Once inserted, the system will detect the new disks and prompt you to begin synchronization. 
   • Important:
     • The required time varies based on storage size and will be displayed on the user interface. Please wait until synchronization is complete.
     • Do not power down or remove any disks during this process, as it may result in data loss.

Preparing Disks with Existing Data

Disks with pre-existing data must be reformatted before they can be used with your UniFi Console.

Warning: Reformatting erases all data permanently. Confirm that the data is no longer needed before proceeding.

If you are reusing disks from another UniFi Console:

1. Navigate to Control Plane > Storage on the original console.
2. Select the disk(s) and click Erase Format to clear the existing data.
3. Back up important data before proceeding, as this action is irreversible.

If the system detects errors when adding new disks:

1. Navigate to Control Plane > Storage.
2. Select the affected disk(s) and click Reformat.

Replacing Disks

If all disk bays are occupied or you don't want to add extra disks, you can upgrade the storage capacity by replacing smaller disks with larger ones.

1. Replace One Disk at a Time: Remove an existing disk and insert a larger one into the same bay.

   • All disks in the array must be the same size. For example, upgrading from 1TB to 8TB disks requires replacing all disks in the array.

   • The array will continue to operate based on the smallest disk size until all disks are replaced. For example, if your current array consists of two 2TB disks, adding a 10TB disk will still limit the usable capacity to 2TB until both disks are upgraded to 10TB.

2. Synchronization: Allow the system to synchronize the new disk before replacing the next one.
   • Important: The required time varies based on storage size and will be displayed on the user interface. Please wait until synchronization is complete.
3. Repeat: Continue replacing disks one at a time, ensuring synchronization completes after each replacement.

Note:

• Under ideal conditions, a single disk can synchronize at up to 200MB/s, with an 8TB drive taking around 11-12 hours. However, real-world speeds are often much slower—typically 1/4 to 1/10 of the theoretical rate—due to factors like system load, background processes, drive health, and fragmentation.