Replace DS212 w/DS220+: Questions about carrying over existing connections to DS218+

[Danabw]

I currently have a DS212 and DS218+. DS218+ is my main unit, DS212 is used for backup from the DS218+.

I'd like to replace the DS212 as it's getting a little long in the tooth, and don't want to have to deal w/a failure in a hurry if (when) the DS212 fails. Also want to use Snapshot from one NAS to the other, and Snapshot isn't supported on the DS212. Both devices are running DS 6.2.4.

Main connections between the two NAS is that I currently back up data from the DS218+ to the DS212 via:
- Hyper Backup
- Folder sync

My main question is whether it is as easy as simply swapping my drives and keep on running w/out any heavy lifting in terms of re-configuring? What I'd like to do...

1. Drives in DS212 move to DS218+
2. Drives in DS218+ move to DS220+

If I swap drives as above, will this change be relatively plug-and-play (e.g., turn everything off, swap drives, turn things on again), or will I need to do a bunch of reconfiguring?

(Also just realizing this is probably in the wrong sub-forum, sorry.)

 

[Rusty]

2. Drives in DS218+ move to DS220+

This will work without any problems when it comes to drive migration and the OS/data that lives on those drives.

1. Drives in DS212 move to DS218+

By Synology standards, this is not recommended. Not impossible, but not recommended. Refer to this article on more details How do I choose the right method for migrating data between Synology NAS (for DSM 6.0 and later)? - Synology Knowledge Center

One of the ways to easily migrate would be to use Migration assistant but it is not supported on your source model, so if you will not risk disk migration, it would be best to start fresh in this case, and by that I mean that your data section will remain intact, but you will have to setup your "new/old" NAS. Ofc you can use backup restore to get up and running as fast as possible.

 

[Danabw]

HDD migration DS218+ to DS220+:

This will work without any problems when it comes to drive migration and the OS/data that lives on those drives.

So just to confirm what you're saying...I can move the drives from the DS218+ to the DS220+, turn on the DS220+ and it will boot up and I can log in using the same credentials/2FA that I've been using on the DS218+, and it will retain all my existing DSM settings, backup configurations (Hyper Backup, folder sync), etc. That's what the article you pointed me to says as far as I can tell, just want to be sure I'm reading it correctly.

HDD migration DS212 to DS218+:

so if you will not risk disk migration

Synology identifies a risk of unsupported HDD migration below, but I'm not sure I understand the impact of losing "...all DSM configurations and package settings." Since the DS212 is being used as a target for backups from the DS218+, I don't really have any apps/tasks running/configured on it. If I end up w/"Configuration lost" (but volumes/user data intact) will I just have to re-create accounts on the DS218+ (using the same settings as I used on the DS212) and then I'm up and running and can resume backups from the DS220+, or ?

1. If the pairing of your source/destination NAS is marked "X" in the pairing table, or HDD Migration is enforced despite the model limitations, pay attention to the Status displayed in Synology Assistant or Web Assistant when you install DSM on the destination NAS. If the status is Configuration Lost, all DSM configurations and package settings will not be retained after migration, only the user data in the volumes will remain intact.

 

[Rusty]

Correct

 

[Danabw]

Correct

Just thought of something, assuming it's a non-starter but thought I'd ask.

If I have an up-to-date backup of my DS212 configuration (via Configuration Backup) is it an option to restore that on the DS218+, if I get the "Configuration Lost" result after I migrate the DS212 drives into the DS218+?

 

[Rusty]

Absolutely

 

[Danabw]

Doing the DS218+ to DS 220+ now...I "accidentally" updated to DSM7 during the process...clicked a button while distracted by dogs running out the door after something ("Squirrel!!"), so the change-over will include that update, unfortunately. Wanted to run on same DSM6 for while on the 220+ before venturing into an update. Hopefully nothing got messed up - just rebooted and exploring to see if things are OK.

Yup - basics are there - set my normal fixed IP for the NAS (first changing fixed IP for the 218+ it replaced) rebooted and all my mapped links to the NAS work, data is still there. So far so good....

 

[Danabw]

One potential issue - the Resource Monitor shows the CPU pegged in the mid to high 80's to high 90's for quite a while now. NAS is sitting there, nothing happening as far as I can tell. I've rebooted once to get it to connect on the fixed IP I set, so it's had at least one post-update reboot. Any ideas?

EDIT: I took the update to 7.01 update two and things have settled a little, running 30's to 50's now. Generally higher than on my DS218+ so far.

 

[Telos]

Photos on board? Madly indexing? Check Resource Monitor for clues.

 

[Danabw]

Yes, photos, but I had assumed that the existing indexing already completed when the drive was in the DS218+ would be preserved on the migtration.

It does appear, after applying the 7.01 update 2, to have settled down around 28%, which is close and maybe less than the DS218+, so things are looking good now. Migration overall was a piece of cake, thanks for your help. Hopefully my DS212>DS218+ will be reasonably easy as well.

 

[Danabw]

A day later it's idling nicely.

 

[Danabw]

So now that the fist easy step is done (DS218+ > DS220+) I'm going to be doing the dangerous one - DS212 > DS218+, hopefully in the next few days. Just wanted to reconfirm the likely flow of events.

DS212 and DS218+ both have the same DSM version, 6.2.

1. Shut down DS212, remove drives, insert into DS218+.
2. Update reserved IPs (I manage these on my router):
- Move DS212 to new fixed IP
- Move DS218+ to old DS212 fixed IP
3. Boot up DS218+

If below happens wanted to confirm what the experience will be:

pay attention to the Status displayed in Synology Assistant or Web Assistant when you install DSM on the destination NAS. If the status is Configuration Lost, all DSM configurations and package settings will not be retained after migration, only the user data in the volumes will remain intact.

If I get the "Configuration Lost" status in Synology Assistant, I assume the DS218+ boot up as if it's "new" and I'll have to create a user account and log in, and then just restore my backed up DS212 configuration and I should be (mostly) good to go at that point. Sound reasonable?

 

[Rusty]

Sound reasonable?

That's it. The data volume will not be a problem, but you might need to setup that "new/old" NAS, as a new NAS from a configuration/package standpoint.

 

[Danabw]

Thanks very much for your reply, Rusty.

Got a pleasant surprise this AM, still waiting to see how it turns out, but Synology Assistant thinks it can migrate my drives... Not sure if this is just the Assistant not knowing what it can't do, but it told me it could to the DS212>DS218+ migration this morning.

Going through the migration now. We'll see how this ends up!

-- post merged: 21. Jan 2022 --

Yup! Up and running w/previous account/configuration! Got lucky, I guess, and Synology supports more migration combinations than their documentation specifies. Happy.

 

[Rusty]

Excellent!

Thank you for your feedback and hopefully helping someone else in a similar situation.

 

[Danabw]

@Rusty - I may have one issue, not sure.

On the "new" DS218+ w/the drives from the DS212, the volume type is not reported in Storage Manger.

I found this when I was trying to set up Snapshot Replication from my DS220+ to the DS218+. Both on DSM7 update 2.

Snapshot replication on the DS220+ tells me "There are no available volumes on the destination server."

When I look on the DS218+ it does not identify the file system, as it does on the DS220+:

DS218+

DS220+

Both are correctly identified as SHR in other locations in the Storage Manger, but I can't find any file system info in the DS218+ Storage Manager. Not sure if I need to worry about this...but thinking this may be blocking me from using Snapshot from the DS220+ if the volume on the DS218+ isn't seen as btrfs. Any suggestions?

-- post merged: 21. Jan 2022 --

NVM - I think I found the info, finally. Looked at Data Scrubbing, and it can't be set up due to the volume being EXT4. I assume that's because I set up the volume on the DS212 so long ago. So some new fun, I'll have to migrate from EXT4 to btrfs.

 

[Rusty]

NVM - I think I found the info, finally

Correct. SR needs a BTRFS volume. No direct way to transform EXT4 to BTRFS. Backup, destroy, create (BTRFS), and then restore if needed.

 

[Danabw]

Correct. SR needs a BTRFS volume. No direct way to transform EXT4 to BTRFS. Backup, destroy, create (BTRFS), and then restore if needed.

[Sigh]...and I thought I was done w/the migration. ;-)

The steps on this page How to easily migrate a Synology EXT4 volume to Btrfs without data loss • $bLOG in the "Steps if you haven’t changed your DiskStation:" section look they would be fastest, as the content would go disk>disk internall in the NAS, which should be faster than external copy from an attached USB drive, correct?

If something did go "horribly wrong" the DS218+ just has backup data - I have the full original data on the DS220+, and additional copies on an external USB drive so I won't lose anything I can't recreate (albeit slowly) later.

Make sense to try above approach?

 

[Rusty]

Considering everything I see no problem trying it.