To put it simply the v2 has a different CPU, different firmware, different add-ons, different feature set etc. The Duo v1 has an Infrant Sparc CPU whereas the v2 has an ARM CPU. A detailed comparison can be found in the Comparison Charts.

They are very different products and as the RAID format is different you cannot migrate disks across from the v1 to the v2 or vice versa so being able to tell the difference between the two can be quite important.

It can be confusing trying to tell which unit you have.

Firstly note that all Duo and NV+ systems purchased before Nov 13th 2011 will be v1 units.

Secondly note that the v1 units are typically advertised for sale as e.g. ReadyNAS Duo (without the v1) in the name and typically with a model number such as RND2000-100 (diskless Duo v1 unit) whereas the v2 units are advertised as e.g. ReadyNAS Duo v2 (with the v2 in the name) and typically with a model number such as RND2000-200 (diskless Duo v2 unit).

Thirdly and here’s where it gets confusing note that v1 units may have stickers on them saying e.g. RND2000 v2 or even RND4000 v3. Ignore these. These are not the way to tell whether you have a v1 or v2 unit. These stickers when on v1 units typically represent a minor hardware change. This information would be useful for NetGear diagnosing faulty units returned to them in exchange for a replacement, but does not effect the user experience.

If the system is running normally, there are few different ways you can check

1. In RAIDar if you have the v2, the model will show as e.g. “ReadyNAS Duo v2″. If you have the v1, there will be no v2 in the model name. Also in the info (far right) column you will see the RAIDiator firmware version. If you have the v1 the NAS will be running RAIDiator 4.1.x firmware or earlier. If you have the v2 the NAS will be running RAIDiator 5.3.x firmware.

2. Like in RAIDar, the model name and RAIDiator firmware version will be shown in the web-admin interface. However it’s easy to tell the systems apart as their web-interfaces look very different. The v1 interface is shown here: http://www.readynas.com/simulators/frontview/ (note if it’s a NV+ v1 and running really old firmware i.e. RAIDiator 3.x, you’ll see an even older web-interface with Infrant not NetGear mentioned as shown in the RAIDiator v3 User Guide found here: http://www.readynas.com/docs), whereas the v2 interface is shown in the software manual for the v2 (http://www.readynas.com/docs)

Now if the system is not running or if you prefer you can look at the physical hardware itself.

Here are some key differences (there may be more):

i. The easiest way to tell is that the v1 units will show ReadyNAS Duo or ReadyNAS NV+ on the bottom right hand side of the front of the unit whereas the v2 units will indicate it’s a v2 on the front i.e. ReadyNAS Duo v2 or ReadyNAS NV+ v2. Also the NV+ v1 has a silverly colour, and the Duo v1 has a metallic black colour, whereas the Duo v2 and NV+ v2 have a metallic dark grey colour.

ii. Some, but not all v1 units have drive trays with a circular button (known to get stuck sometimes: http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/hardware/how_can_i_release_a_stuck_disk_tray). If the NAS has trays with a circular button then it is most likely a v1. Newer v1 units and all v2 units ship with drive trays with a rectangular button.

iii. Duo v1 – rear layout

1. Exhaust fan

2. Kensington lock

3. Reset button

4. USB 2.0 ports

5. 1-gigabit Ethernet port with LED status indicators

6. Power adapter socket

vs Duo v2 rear layout

1. Exhaust fan

2. Kensington lock

3. Reset button

4. USB 3.0 ports (with distinctive blue USB 3.0 colour as shown in the diagram above)

5. 1-gigabit Ethernet port with LED status indicators

6. Power adapter socket

iv.) Similarly with the NV+ v1

1. Reset button

2. USB 2.0 ports

3. 1-gigabit Ethernet port with LED status indicators

4. Exhaust fan

5. Power cable socket

6. Kensington lock

and the NV+ v2

1. Reset button

2. USB 3.0 ports (with distinctive blue USB 3.0 colour as shown in the diagram above)

3. Power cable socket

4. 1-gigabit Ethernet port with LED status indicators

5. Exhaust fan

6. Cable clip

7. Kensington lock

NB: the images above are from the NetGear manuals for the units. They are presented together here for convenience to illustrate the physical difference between the two units.

Manageability

For much of its history the ReadyNAS line has been primarily targeted for use by Small to Medium sized Businesses. Whilst the ReadyNAS has had a loyal group of tech-savvy advanced home users, as time has gone on the ReadyNAS has developed a vast range of options that can be confusing for the average home user or even small business (e.g. family business) user.

The ReadyNAS NV+ (the entry level 4-bay NetGear offering replaced by the NV+v2) was originally a business product and thus retained many business features. Sure a small to medium sized business or advanced home user looking for a bargain may consider having features like AD integration, VLAN support, snapshot, SNMP great, but for the average home user these options are just confusing ones that they’ll never need.

With the introduction of the Duo v2 and the NV+ v2 NetGear has redesigned the ReadyNAS web-admin interface with the average home user in mind. It’s virtually plug and play apart from working your way through the setup wizard.

New Interface

The new interface provides a much needed facelift. Whilst the old interface (available on all earlier ReadyNAS models but not on the Duo v2 and NV+ v2) is functional, it has a very dated look. These new models come with a modern interface than many users have come to expect these days.

When you login into the new admin interface after completing the setup wizard (after completion of the wizard you won’t see this again unless you do a factory reset) you are immediately presented with a dashboard which provides a summary of the current state of the NAS.

You can then choose to configure the NAS or follow links to a range of useful pages on the ReadyNAS site such as Documentation, How To’s etc.

When you click the Configure button you are presented with tabs that will be familiar to existing ReadyNAS users. So whilst the interface has been simplified an existing ReadyNAS user will find it has a familiar feel to it.

There’s lots to like about the new interface and much of this has already been covered in other reviews.

3TB drive support

These new devices support 3TB drives out of the box! This means that the Duo v2 is the cheapest ReadyNAS ever to support 6TB of storage (before redundancy and overheads) and the NV+ v2 the cheapest to support 12TB of storage (before redundancy and overheads). As even higher drive capacities become available, firmware updates can be expected (if needed) to add support.

NetGear and Partner Add-ons

Like with all other ReadyNAS units, add-ons can be installed.

ReadyNAS Remote provides secure remote access to files from a Mac/PC. While the new models are not yet compatible with ReadyNAS Remote for iOS/Android one would expect NetGear to address this. ReadyNAS Remote is easily my favourite ReadyNAS add-on.

ReadyNAS Photos II allows the sharing of photos with friends and family and amazing free service that shares photos directly from your NAS. You can impress your friends by sending them a link to a slideshow of a special event set to a selection of their favourite music. It’s viewable in a web browser on their computer or even on a smartphone!

There are no partner (supported 3rd party) addons for the Duo v2 and NV+ v2 at this time.

SSH

Advanced users can install SSH access and manage the ReadyNAS via the command line as the superuser. Whilst this is a use at own risk option, it can enable the family IT guy to easily remotely login and investigate a problem particularly if you venture into installing community addons (NetGear does not support these).

Community add-ons

NetGear provides a Software Development Kit that allows 3^rd party add-ons to be developed to extend the ReadyNAS functionality. Things like installing PHP for a website to be hosted on the NAS, installing a torrent client etc. are likely to be made available by the ReadyNAS community developers. As the Duo v2 and NV+ v2 use ARM CPUs and just 256MB RAM, there is a limit to how much you can extend the functionality with add-ons but they’re still a much better option than the Duo v1 and NV+ v1 with the much slower Sparc CPU. Add-on enthusiasts seeking to run several addons would be much happier with an x86 unit (e.g. Ultra, Pro). For those looking just to run a few add-ons or so, the ARM devices will handle it well.

What’s the key difference under the hood?

I suppose you may be wondering, what’s the key difference under the hood? Well for starters the Duo v2 and NV+ v2 are the first ReadyNAS units to use ARM processors as opposed the Infrant Sparc processors found in the original Duo and NV+. ARM processors are cheaper than the Intel ones used in NetGear’s more expensive x86 line.

As 3^rd party development for the Sparc platform largely ceased years ago, it has become increasingly difficult to provide firmware updates for the platform. So much so that 3TB drive support and some other things will most likely never come to Sparc. Realising this and presumably that there weren’t suitable Intel processors available for an entry-level ReadyNAS, they chose to use ARM ones. ARM processors are simply designed, energy efficient, reliable and affordable and reported as being used in products such as Apple’s iPhone and iPad.

The change to the ARM platform does have one key downside in that you can’t migrate disks across from a Sparc Duo or NV+ to it. So if you want to migrate your data across you’ll need to do so e.g. across your network.

Improvements to factory reset process

With such a major refresh of the ReadyNAS line it would have been easy to ignore the little things.

Like with all other computers, sometimes a fresh install of the latest OS can be a good idea. In the past you’ve needed to backup your data, update the firmware on the NAS (if possible) and do a factory reset, then restore data from backup to get a clean install on the latest firmware.

Whilst you still need to backup your data first, the new Duo v2 and NV+ v2 check when a factory reset is initiated whether the latest firmware is installed. If not, provided you have a stable internet connection they will automatically download the firmware update and install it, before proceeding to carry out the reset. Do note that if there is no internet connection or the connection is unstable (drops out a lot during the firmware download) then the firmware will not be updated. The ReadyNAS performs checks to ensure that the firmware was downloaded correctly before installing it.

There’s also the new addition of a JBOD option (as explained in the documentation). With previous devices would need to configure the ReadyNAS to use Flex-RAID, delete the volume automatically created then manually create single disk RAID-0 volumes. The Flex-RAID JBOD option is much simpler.

There’s also the addition of the secure erase option (already available on x86 ReadyNAS units) for secure erase of working disks before disposal (e.g. sale or in trash) for extra peace of mind.

ReadyNAS enthusiast’s reaction

It’s a bitter sweet moment. The introduction of the Duo v2 and NV+ v2 means that there are no longer any ReadyNAS powered by Infrant Sparc CPUs in production. It had to happen but it’s still sad. After about  7 years, the Sparc ReadyNAS line has been discontinued. This was the hardware that was used in all ReadyNAS at the time when NetGear acquired Infrant (the company that invented the ReadyNAS and first brought it to market). NetGear has kept the innovative Infrant development team and a benefit of this has been that to this day even now firmware updates (4.1.9 for Sparc) are being written for 7 year old units discontinued long before NetGear acquired Infrant.

What makes this even more impressive is that those devices carried a one year warranty so many would’ve been out of warranty before the acquisition as well. Admittedly the introduction of new Sparc products over time (most recently the Duo v1 in 2008) has helped with this, but it’s still very impressive. Firmware updates are important for maintaining the usefulness of ReadyNAS products and I would expect NetGear’s strong track record in this area will continue with the new devices.

As the NV+ v1 was my first ReadyNAS purchase it’s nice to see the name live on and to see the similar form factor. Much of the hard work NetGear put into designing the NV+ (and earlier devices) can still be seen in the new models.

Conclusion

The latest additions to the ReadyNAS family are ReadyNAS units that anyone can manage. Simple, elegant and affordable, perhaps my only complaint is the lack of a display on the front of the 2-bay models (but this is understandable due to space and price constraints). For those on a low budget and looking to purchase their first NAS, I would look no further than the Duo v2 and NV+ v2.

Disclaimer: As a beta tester, I received a free Duo v2 diskless unit.

If you have a read of dbott’s excellent blog post ReadyNAS Performance Expectations you’ll soon learn that there are a number of factors that determine the performance you’ll get with your ReadyNAS.

Assuming you are using a fast ReadyNAS (e.g. Ultra, Pro) over gigabit ethernet (your router/switch and PC must have gigabit ethernet too to use this) via Cat5e or newer ethernet cables you’ll find that a computer with a single mechanical hard drive can’t push it to its limits.

My 2007 MacBook is a good example. I’d already upgraded the hard drive a few times in the past and just recently was using a SeaGate 500GB 2.5″ 7200rpm drive. Whilst this is a faster drive than the stock 5400rpm drive my machine came with it. It just wasn’t pushing my ReadyNAS to its limits.

The Problem

Uncharacteristically I downloaded Mac OS X Lion 10.7 the night it was released and started installing it the next day. I soon found that the stock 2GB RAM in my MacBook isn’t enough for Lion. Looking at OWC’s helpful website (e.g. see their MaxRAM page) I was reminded that my MacBook can handle 3GB RAM (as I read elsewhere on their site it’ll actually take 2x2GB sticks and the matched RAM will give a slight performance benefit over non matched RAM, so that’s what I went with).

The Solution

I thought that if I was going to buy a RAM upgrade I may as well do a hard drive upgrade at the same time. Looking at OWC’s Installation Videos page it isn’t much more effort to replace the hard drive versus just replacing the memory.

I considered different options such as using a hybrid drive (part mechanical and part SSD) but decided to purchase a 240GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro 6G . Although my MacBook can only do SATA I (3Gbps), I’m planning on moving to a new laptop next year which can take advantage of SATA III (6Gbps) and I’ll move the SSD to that when the time comes. The 5 year warranty of the Extreme 6G also provides some peace of mind.

If you’d like an OWC SSD there’s currently a contest at The SSD Review for a fast OWC Electra 240GB SSD. Whilst not quite as fast as the Extreme, OWC has said that most users won’t notice a speed difference.

Benefits of a SSD

The benefits of a SSD drive over a traditional mechanical hard drive are many it’s not a mechanical hard drive, which means a cooler computer, less power usage, faster boot times, faster application launches and a computer that feels and is more responsive. The one downside is price per GB. But with a ReadyNAS Ultra 6 with 6×1.5TB drives giving roughly 5.4TB (in my case 5543GB) of dual-redudant space on my ReadyNAS I was able to compromise and downgrade to 240GB capacity.

Backup

Before beginning the upgrade process I backed up my SSD and did a Time Machine backup to the ReadyNAS. I can’t stress the importance of backups enough. If you have important data you should backup that data regularly.

The Upgrade

The upgrade kit I purchased from OWC included the SSD, a USB enclosure to put my old drive in and a 5 piece tool-kit to install the drives. I don’t know if it was just me, but I found that only one of the tools was named so I found it hard to work out which one was which.

As well as looking at the Installation Videos by OWC, it can be good to have a read of iFixit.com’s guides as well as they are very detailed and can provide some useful advice not found in OWC’s Installation Videos. However as upgrading my MacBook is very simple, I just followed the advice in the video.

Having installed the RAM upgrade and the SSD in the new machine, I put my old disk in the USB enclosure and booted from that and then proceeded to clone the hard drive onto the SSD. I should have really done the cloning with the SSD in the USB enclosure, but I was impatient, wanted to do the cloning overnight and didn’t want to install the SSD in a rush the next morning.

Of course I could have alternatively done a restore from a Time Machine backup from the ReadyNAS (See Time Machine restore from the ReadyNAS) but I wanted to give the cloning a try.

The difference

Having done the clone, I then proceeded to boot my Mac. Boot times are now much faster than before and most applications load practically instantly. My RAM upgrade also means that my Mac spends far less time swapping.

But the thing I was really interested in looking at was the performance of network transfers with the SSD installed. When I was reading data from the ReadyNAS using the Finder my Mac was showing a transfer speed of over 110MB/s at times. Write speeds weren’t as good, but that was to be expected. Of course there are some network overheads in this, but I was very impressed with this figure.

Conclusion

Of course when you remove a performance bottleneck or two you’ll soon discover you have another, so my Mac isn’t as fast as a new machine that has a SSD in it, but it’s an impressive improvement. I’ve found it does some tasks quicker than my 2009 Mac Mini which has a faster CPU, 4GB RAM but a slower 5400RPM hdd in it. I’m so impressed with using SSDs that I expect to eventually use them in all my client machines

The upgrade has eliminated the disk in my client machine from being the bottleneck for large file transfer to and from my ReadyNAS. In fact at least as far as writes to the NAS are concerned, I would get some benefit in write speed from moving to using an even faster ReadyNAS such as the ReadyNAS Pro 6.

As of 4.1.8+ (Sparc) and 4.2.18+ (x86) there is now support for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion on all ReadyNAS units.

Following NetGear’s guide, setting up Time Machine on the ReadyNAS is easy. However some of the information mentioned there is out of date (the 2TB limit no longer applies to x86 ReadyNAS which now support Time Machine quotas >4TB if running RAIDiator x86 4.2.16 or later; also the sparsebundle images can be expanded subject to the condition specified in problem #2 below). There are a few problems you may encounter which you should be aware of:

1. Have free space but cannot increase Time Machine quota

This is best explained using an example: Let’s say you have 2x1TB disks using RAID-1 or X-RAID/X-RAID2. Let’s say you have 500GB allocated to Time machine and have you used 450GB on Time Machine and 200GB for other data. You want to increase the Time Machine limit to 600GB. However as you have less than 600GB of free space on your volume you cannot change the quota to 600GB under Backup > Time Machine. There are multiple solutions:

i.) Disable Time Machine on your Macs, delete Time Machine backups, increase TM quota, then re-enable Time Machine and do fresh TM backups. PROBLEM: You lose your backup history. Not very satisfactory

ii.) Disable Time Machine on your Macs, you backup your Time Machine backups (e.g. to a USB disk or another NAS), delete them, increase the TM quota, then copy your TM backups back onto the NAS and re-enable Time Machine on your Macs. PROBLEM: Very time consuming

iii.) If you are comfortable with the command line you can SSH in and fix the problem. PROBLEM: This does require SSH access and you do need to know what you are doing.

a.) First disable Time Machine on your Macs (we don’t want any Mac to backup to the NAS while we are doing this process).

b.) Check how much space you have free on your volume and ensure that the amount you intend to allocate to Time Machine is less than current space used by Time Machine + free space on your volume. You may find my TimeMachineLog add-on useful for this.

c.) Login to the NAS via SSH (help can be provided on the ReadyNAS Forums on how to do this if you don’t know how).

d.) Decide how much space you wish to allocate to Time Machine. In this case let’s say 600GB and set the quota.

To change the quota e.g. to 600GB (629145600KB) type

MDGM-NAS:~# setquota -u ReadyNAS 629145600 629145600 0 0 /dev/c/c

e.) Check to make sure you did your maths correctly (note that the command below requires quotes as shown on x86 and no quotes on Sparc)

MDGM-NAS:~# repquota -as | grep "limits\|User\|ReadyNAS"

f.) Re-enable Time Machine on your Macs

iv.) You could expand an X-RAID/X-RAID2 volume by adding extra disks (if empty drive bays) or replacing existing disks to expand your volume. PROBLEM: This costs money and you may not wish to do this if you still have plenty of free space.

2. Expanded the quota allocated to Time Machine but backups are still limited to what they were before.

Please note that if backing up from a Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard machine the space allocated to the backups cannot be expanded. You could possibly copy the backup sparsebundle to your Mac, expand the sparsebundle, then copy it back to the NAS, but this is quite time consuming.

On Mac OS X Snow Leopard, I believe this limitation has been lifted in one of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard point releases. Consequently it’s recommended you run the latest version of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard unless you cannot do so (e.g. if you have a PowerPC Mac).

3. Backing up to ordinary ReadyNAS shares, not following “Easy Time Machine Setup with the ReadyNAS” and backups fail after upgrading to Mac OS X 10.7 Lion

This issue will probably require a separate article. For now please see A Note Regarding Time Machine Support and Mac OS X Lion

However, there are multiple reasons why one might want to factory reset a x86 ReadyNAS (e.g. NVX, Ultra, Ultra Plus, Pro, 1500, 2100, 3200, 3100 and 4200):

1. Sometimes when troubleshooting a problem e.g. a performance issue, a factory reset can be necessary to help isolate the cause of the problem. This would be one of the last things to try after exhausting other options first.
2. A factory reset after updating to the latest firmware gives you a clean setup on the latest firmware. This would mean that in some ways your ReadyNAS would be in a better condition than when it left the factory!
3. A factory  reset can be much faster than expanding your X-RAID2 volume particularly when using high capacity disks.
4. You cannot reduce the number of disks and expand your X-RAID2 volume i.e. if you have 4x1TB disks installed you can expand to have a volume of 4x2TB disks, but you cannot expand to have a volume of 3x2TB disks.
5. You cannot add smaller capacity disks and expand your X-RAID2 volume e.g. if you have a 6-bay x86 ReadyNAS with 4x2TB disks installed you cannot expand your volume by adding 1TB disks. Smaller capacity disks must be added first.
6. On x86 ReadyNAS, some, but not all Flex-RAID volumes can be expanded. You may wish to do a factory reset if you cannot expand your existing volumes.
7. The reason we all hope we never have: You’ve had multiple disk failures and had catastrophic data loss. You’ve contacted tech support for assistance, they’ve confirmed this and repairing one of your disks for data recovery has not been possible. Disks can and do fail at any time, so it is recommend that you backup important data primarily stored on the ReadyNAS regularly. See Preventing Catastrophic Data Loss
8. Unfortunately some benefits cannot be obtained without a factory reset.
9. Unfortunately some expansion limitations cannot be overcome without a factory reset. You can seek advice as to whether you are affected by any expansion limitations by posting on the ReadyNAS forums or contacting NetGear technical support

Benefits and expansion limitations that require a Factory Reset

Regarding the last two points above, the following is a list of major reasons why you may wish to do a factory reset. This list is current as of RAIDiator x86 4.2.17. It is by no means exhaustive, but lists the key reasons why one would want to do a factory reset on a system that is functioning fine.

Native EXT4

On RAIDiator x86 4.2.9 and earlier, 4-bay x86 and 6-bay x86 ReadyNAS volumes used the EXT3 filesystem. From 4.2.7 onwards these volumes have been mounted as EXT4 to get some of the benefits of this, but they are still EXT3 volumes at heart.

12-bay ReadyNAS (3200, 4200) use native EXT4.

RAIDiator x86 4.2.10 was special firmware just for the 4200 and 3100. These systems came with native EXT4.

With the introduction of RAIDiator x86 4.2.11, the default filesystem for 4-bay and 6-bay ReadyNAS was changed to native EXT4. For 4-bay (except the 3100) and 6-bay systems initially setup or last factory reset on older firmware, you need to update to RAIDiator x86 4.2.11 then do a factory reset to get native EXT4.

EXT4 brings some nice improvements, one of the key ones being support for file sizes larger than 2TB and up to 16TB. This is most useful if using iSCSI (before creating an iSCSI target larger than 2TB do check to make sure the initiator on the client machine supports iSCSI targets larger than 2TB).

For 32-bit x86 ReadyNAS (i.e. NVX, 2100v1) there is no huge file support (support for file sizes larger than 2TB) in RAIDiator 4.2.11

An easy way to check if you have native EXT4 is to download the logs (Status > Logs > Download all logs), extract zip contents and look at initrd.log. If the oldest firmware version listed there is 4.2.11 or newer then you have native EXT4.

A better check would be to look in volume.log and look at the filesystem features line. If you have native EXT4, it should mention things like “huge_file” and “extent” e.g.

Filesystem features:      has_journal ext_attr resize_inode dir_index filetype needs_recovery extent flex_bg sparse_super large_file huge_file uninit_bg dir_nlink extra_isize

Though not mentioned in the RAIDiator x86 4.2.12 Release Notes, if you did initial setup or last did a factory reset on a 32-bit x86 ReadyNAS on RAIDiator x86 4.2.12 or later you will have huge file support. See this thread on the ReadyNAS forums: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=126&t=47087

4k sector partition alignment

As the move was made to higher capacity disks, disk manufacturers began to release 2TB disks using 4k sector partitions in preparation for when it would be needed with 3TB disks (3TB disks are supported if you update to RAIDiator x86 4.2.16 before adding the disk, with the exception of the 3200 and 4200 which only support 3TB disks in bays 1-4).

The ReadyNAS needs to format the disks you use. Before RAIDiator x86 4.2.12, when disks were formatted they would be formatted for 512-byte sector alignment, but not 4k sector alignment. When 4k sector disks are not properly aligned you will have poor write performance.

If your x86 ReadyNAS came with RAIDiator x86 4.2.12 or later installed or you last did a factory reset on RAIDiator x86 4.2.12 (or later) your disks would be 4k sector aligned.

If you did the last factory reset (or initial setup if you’ve never factory reset the unit) of the ReadyNAS on RAIDiator x86 4.2.11 or earlier then any disks last added to the ReadyNAS before updating to RAIDiator x86 4.2.12 would not be 4k sector aligned.

So a quick way to confirm you definitely have 4k sector alignment is to download the logs (Status > Logs > Download all logs), extract zip contents and look at initrd.log. If the oldest firmware version listed there is RAIDiator x86 4.2.12 or newer then your disks would definitely be 4k sector aligned.

If the oldest firmware listed is RAIDiator x86 4.2.11 or earlier then take a look at partition.log. If your disks are 4k sector aligned the entry for a disk should have start sectors that are divisible by 8 (remember 4096 = 8 * 512, so 4k sector aligned disks are also 512-byte sector aligned)

On RAIDiator x86 4.2.12 to RAIDiator x86 4.2.15 a 1.5TB disk that is 4k sector aligned should look something like this:

Disk /dev/sdd: 1500.3 GB, 1500301910016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdd1              64     8388671     4194304   fd  Linux raid autodetect
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdd2         8388672     9437247      524288   fd  Linux raid autodetect
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdd4         9437248  2930272064  1460417408+   5  Extended
/dev/sdd5         9437256  2930272064  1460417404+  fd  Linux raid autodetect

On RAIDiator x86 4.2.16 or later  a 1.5TB disk that is 4k sector aligned should look something like this

Disk /dev/sdd: 2930277168 sectors, 1.4 TiB
Logical sector size: 512 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): XXXXXXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX-XXXXXXXXXXXX
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 2930277134
Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries
Total free space is 5108 sectors (2.5 MiB)

Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
   1              64         8388671   4.0 GiB     FD00  Linux RAID
   2         8388672         9437247   512.0 MiB   FD00  Linux RAID
   5         9437256      2930272064   1.4 TiB     FD00  Linux RAID

Disk /dev/sdd: 182401 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
Units = cylinders of 8257536 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

   Device Boot Start     End   #cyls    #blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdd1          0+ 181688- 181689- 1465138583+  ee  EFI GPT
/dev/sdd2          0       -       0          0    0  Empty
/dev/sdd3          0       -       0          0    0  Empty
/dev/sdd4          0       -       0          0    0  Empty

If your disks are not 4k sector aligned, I would suggest you backup your data, then verify the backup was successful, check to make sure that the Volume Status under Volumes > Volume Settings in Frontview is “redundant” and then update to the latest firmware (if you haven’t already).

Then:
Two options:
Option i

1. Run the “Disk Test” boot option using the boot menu
2. If all disks pass the disk tests then hot-remove (remove while NAS is on) one disk that is not 4k sector aligned, wait a minute or two. Then hot-add the disk again. The disk should be wiped and re-added to your array.
3. Once your volume status is “redundant” again, download your logs and check to confirm that the disk is now 4k sector aligned.
4. Repeat for the next disk that is not yet 4k sector aligned.

Option ii

1. If you haven’t already backup your data and then verify the backup was successful
2. Do a System > Config Backup (keep the zip file that is downloaded. If it is extracted automatically you may find the zip file in the Recycle Bin)
3. Do a factory reset, either via System > Update > Factory Default or via the boot menu
4. Restore Config Backup
5. Restore data from backup

If you are unsure about whether your disks are 4k sector aligned you can seek help by posting on the ReadyNAS forums or contacting NetGear technical support

16TB limit

On x86 ReadyNAS currently you cannot expand a volume past 16TB, you have to factory default with the drives in place.

Please note that the volume capacity is after redundancy.

ReadyNAS 3200 and 4200 hardware limitation

The 8 port SAS/SATA controller on the 3200 and 4200 does not support 64-bit addressing. As a result 3TB drives are only supported in drive bays 1-4. This is a hardware limitation and cannot be overcome by a firmware update.

How should I proceed with doing a factory reset

If you want to backup all data and do a factory reset proceed as follows (this assumes you have a fully working system and have access to your array. if not you can skip some steps as appropriate):

1. Backup all data
2. Verify backup is good
3. Upgrade to latest RAIDiator for your NAS if you haven’t already. You can check the latest version of RAIDiator under System > Update > Remote in Frontview. If a newer version than what you’re running is offered, update. Be sure to reboot the NAS when prompted to complete the update.
4. Optional – If you don’t want to reconfigure the NAS manually and would rather restore the NAS configuration after the factory reset, do a System > Config Backup (keep the zip file that is downloaded as this is what you will need to restore later). If your NAS has a configuration problem restoring the config may well bring that configuration problem back, so if you are having what you think is a configuration issue you may not want to restore it.
5. Power down the NAS.
6. If you wish to add or remove disks, do this now.
7. Do a factory default using the ReadyNAS boot menu
8. Optional – if you don’t want to reconfigure the NAS manually, restore the Config Backup.
9. Restore data from backup

However, there are multiple reasons why one might want to factory reset a Sparc ReadyNAS (e.g. Duo, NV, NV+, X6, Repertoire, 1000s, 600, 1100):

1. Sometimes when troubleshooting a problem e.g. a performance issue, a factory reset can be necessary to help isolate the cause of the problem. This would be one of the last things to try after exhausting other options first.
2. A factory reset after updating to the latest firmware gives you a clean setup on the latest firmware. This would mean that in some ways your ReadyNAS would be in a better condition than when it left the factory!
3. A factory  reset can be much faster than expanding your X-RAID volume particularly when using high capacity disks.
4. You cannot reduce the number of disks and expand your X-RAID volume i.e. if you have 4x1TB disks installed you can expand to have a volume of 4x2TB disks, but you cannot expand to have a volume of 3x2TB disks.
5. You cannot add smaller capacity disks and expand your X-RAID volume e.g. if you have a 4-bay Sparc ReadyNAS with 2x2TB disks installed you cannot expand your volume by adding 1TB disks. Smaller capacity disks must be added first. However as X-RAID uses the capacity of the smallest disk you probably wouldn’t want to add a smaller capacity disk to a ReadyNAS array anyway even if it were possible.
6. On Sparc ReadyNAS, Flex-RAID volumes cannot be expanded. Using Flex-RAID you can have multiple volumes (up to four, with any given disk being included in these) but you may prefer the simplicity of having a single volume or you may already have the maximum number of volumes and be unable to add additional volumes to utilise additional space from higher capacity disks.
7. The reason we all hope we never have: You’ve had multiple disk failures and had catastrophic data loss. You’ve contacted tech support for assistance, they’ve confirmed this and repairing one of your disks for data recovery has not been possible. Disks can and do fail at any time, so it is recommend that you backup important data primarily stored on the ReadyNAS regularly. See Preventing Catastrophic Data Loss
8. Unfortunately some benefits cannot be obtained without a factory reset.
9. Unfortunately some expansion limitations cannot be overcome without a factory reset. You can seek advice as to whether you are affected by any expansion limitations by posting on the ReadyNAS forums or contacting NetGear technical support

Benefits and expansion limitations that require a Factory Reset

Regarding the last two points above, the following is a list of major reasons why you may wish to do a factory reset to remove expansion limitations and for other reasons. This list is current as of RAIDiator 4.1.7. It is by no means exhaustive, but lists the key reasons why one would want to do a factory reset on a system that is functioning fine.

The block size

Unless you’ve had your Sparc ReadyNAS for years you shouldn’t be affected by this issue. Users who did their last factory reset (or initial setup if they’ve never factory reset the unit) on RAIDiator 4.x will already have a volume with a block size of 16384. If you did last factory reset (or initial setup if you’ve never factory reset the unit) of a Sparc ReadyNAS on RAIDiator 3.x, your volume would have a block size of 4096. A factory reset on RAIDiator 4.x gives a volume with a block size of 16384. The new block size provides some important benefits:

1. A performance gain
2. Slightly larger volume capacity with same disks installed
3. Can expand volume beyond 5TB up to around 5.4TB when using 4x2TB disks. If your Sparc ReadyNAS has a block size of 4096 and you intend to use 2TB disks in your ReadyNAS in the future, backing up your data, upgrading to the latest RAIDiator 4.x firmware then doing a factory reset is recommended.

You can read more on this issue including how to check the block size here: Upgrading from RAIDiator 3.x to 4.x on the ReadyNAS

Please note that x86 ReadyNAS use the standard block size of 4096 and are not affected by this issue.

4k sector partition alignment

First of all please note that this is not to be confused with the block size issue. As the move was made to higher capacity disks, disk manufacturers began to release 2TB disks using 4k sector partitions in preparation for when it would be needed with 3TB disks (please note that 3TB disks are not supported on Sparc ReadyNAS – this is a separate issue).

The ReadyNAS needs to format the disks you use. Before 4.1.7, when disks were formatted they would be formatted for 512-byte sector alignment, but not 4k sector alignment. When 4k sector disks are not properly aligned you will have poor write performance.

If your Sparc ReadyNAS came with RAIDiator 4.1.7 (or later if newer firmware is released) installed or you last did a factory reset on RAIDiator 4.1.7+ your disks would be 4k sector aligned. If not, unfortunately to get 4k sector alignment you need to upgrade to RAIDiator 4.1.7+, backup all data, do a factory reset then restore data from backup. This is strongly recommended if you intend to move to 2TB drives in the future as most 2TB disks are 4k sector disks.

If unsure if your disks are 4k sector aligned,  download your logs (Status > Logs > Download all Logs), extract the zip contents and look at partition.log. If your disks are 4k sector aligned the entry for a disk should look something this (you can see the start sectors are divisible by 8, remember 4096 = 8 * 512, so 4k sector aligned disks are also 512-byte sector aligned):

Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/hdc1              32     4096031     2048000   83  Linux
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/hdc2         4096032     4608031      256000   82  Linux swap / Solaris
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/hdc3         4608032   976736335   486064152    5  Extended
/dev/hdc5         4608040   976736335   486064148   8e  Linux LVM

Do note that in an X-RAID (eXpandable-RAID on Sparc ReadyNAS) array one of your disks is the parity disk and will not have a partition table.

If you are unsure about whether your disks are 4k sector aligned you can seek help by posting on the ReadyNAS forums or contacting NetGear technical support

How should I proceed with doing a factory reset

If you want to backup all data and do a factory reset proceed as follows (this assumes you have a fully working system and have access to your array. if not you can skip some steps as appropriate):

1. Backup all data
2. Verify backup is good
3. Upgrade to latest RAIDiator for your NAS if you haven’t already. You can check the latest version of RAIDiator under System > Update > Remote in Frontview. If a newer version than what you’re running is offered, update. Be sure to reboot the NAS when prompted to complete the update.
4. Optional – If you don’t want to reconfigure the NAS manually and would rather restore the NAS configuration after the factory reset, do a System > Config Backup (keep the zip file that is downloaded as this is what you will need to restore later). If your NAS has a configuration problem restoring the config may well bring that configuration problem back, so if you are having what you think is a configuration issue you may not want to restore it.
5. Power down the NAS.
6. If you wish to add or remove disks, do this now.
7. Do a factory default using the ReadyNAS boot menu
8. Optional – if you don’t want to reconfigure the NAS manually, restore the Config Backup.
9. Restore data from backup

You may wonder, surely it can’t be as simple as following the advice in the links I gave above to expand a ReadyNAS volume? Well, it is.

However there are some additional steps one should take if possible before embarking on the process of expanding one’s volume.

Do you need to expand your volume?

Have you accumulated a whole lot of data you no longer need to keep. Deleting old files you no longer need is a great way to free up space and delay the need to expand your volume. Data hoarders like me may find this harder than others, but it is worth noting.

Are there any reasons why it would be better to backup the data and do a factory reset?

Yes.

1. A factory reset after updating to the latest firmware gives you a clean setup on the latest firmware.
2. A factory  reset can be much faster than expanding your volume particularly when using high capacity disks.
3. You cannot reduce the number of disks and expand your volume i.e. if you have 4x1TB disks installed you can expand to have a volume of 4x2TB disks, but you cannot expand to have a volume of 3x2TB disks.
4. You cannot add smaller capacity disks and expand your volume e.g. if you have a 6-bay x86 ReadyNAS with 4x2TB disks installed you cannot expand your volume by adding 1TB disks. Smaller capacity disks must be added first.
5. Unfortunately some benefits cannot be obtained without a factory reset.
6. Unfortunately some expansion limitations cannot be overcome without a factory reset. You can seek advice as to whether you are affected by any expansion limitations by posting on the ReadyNAS forums or contacting NetGear technical support

If you want to backup all data and do a factory reset proceed as follows:

1. Backup all data
2. Verify backup is good
3. Upgrade to latest RAIDiator for your NAS if you haven’t already. You can check the latest version of RAIDiator under System > Update > Remote in Frontview. If a newer version than what you’re running is offered, update. Be sure to reboot the NAS when prompted to complete the update.
4. Optional – If you don’t want to reconfigure the NAS manually and would rather restore the NAS configuration after the factory reset, do a System > Config Backup (keep the zip file that is downloaded as this is what you will need to restore later).
5. Power down the NAS, remove old disks (label order) you no longer wish to use in the NAS, if any.
6. Put the new disks in the NAS and do a factory default using the ReadyNAS boot menu
7. Optional – if you don’t want to reconfigure the NAS manually, restore the Config Backup.
8. Restore data from backup

If you still wish to expand your volume, read on.

Do you have a current and complete backup?

Whilst the process of adding/replacing disks one at a time does work fine almost all the time you should note that when you add disks to your volume or replace disks used by your volume the redundancy is broken until the resync completes. This means that if a disk fails during this process other than the disk you just added you could experience catastrophic data loss (if you are using RAID-6 or X-RAID2 dual-redundancy – available on 6-bay or greater ReadyNAS – you have protection against two disk failures, so you have some more protection). You should note that a resync puts all your drives under heavy stress so if a disk is failing the resync could finish it off.

Once you’ve made your backup, be sure to verify that it is good.

Are you running the latest version of RAIDiator for your NAS?

After ensuring you have an up-to-date backup, you should upgrade to latest RAIDiator for your NAS if you haven’t already. Sparc ReadyNAS use RAIDiator 4.1.x firmware and x86 ReadyNAS use RAIDiator x86 4.2.x firmware.

You can check the latest version of RAIDiator under System > Update > Remote in Frontview. If a newer version than what you’re running is offered, update. Be sure to reboot the NAS when prompted to complete the update.

Some expansion problems are addressed by firmware updates and when disks are added to the ReadyNAS Hardware Compatibility List they may have only been tested on the latest firmware and require fixes included in that firmware for compatibility.

What drives should I choose?

Please only choose drives from the ReadyNAS Hardware Compatibility List. NetGear will deny support if you have issues using any drives not listed on the compatibility list. The drive you purchase must be one of the models listed there.

You can seek advice on the ReadyNAS forums as to which of these would be best for you. If using in production in a business environment I would strongly recommend enterprise drives (these tend to have 5 year warranties, rotational vibration safeguard and cost at least twice as much as consumer drives)

It is strongly recommended only to use brand new disks. If you choose to use used disks please hook them up to a PC and delete the partitions on them before use.

What volume capacity can I expect after expansion?

Using X-RAID2 single-redundancy on a x86 ReadyNAS you can take a look at the animation X-RAID2 Single-Redundancy in Action. Your volume can only expand when redundant space can be added. For example, if you have 4x500GB disks in the NAS and expand your volume to have 2x1TB and 2x2TB disks your ReadyNAS will expand to have a dual-layer array. You will need to add the 1TB disks first. You will end up with a RAID-5 layer of 4x1TB and a RAID-1 layer of 2x1TB on top. After redundancy you will have 3x1TB + 1x1TB = 4TB before overheads after expansion.

Using X-RAID2 dual-redundancy your volume will only expand if redundant space can be added. Take a look at X-RAID2 dual-redundancy expansion paths

Using X-RAID (on Sparc ReadyNAS) you can expect the volume to expand using the capacity of the smallest disk e.g. If you have 4x500GB disks and expand to use 2x1TB and 2x2TB disks your volume will treat this as if you had 4x1TB disks. There will be the redundancy of one disk, so you will have 3TB of space before overheads after expansion.

Using Flex-RAID on x86 ReadyNAS your RAID-5 or RAID-6 (RAID-6 is available on 6-bay or greater ReadyNAS) your volume will use the capacity of the smallest disk. You can add additional volumes to utilise any unused space if you wish.

Flex-RAID volumes cannot be expanded on Sparc ReadyNAS, but you can add additional volumes to utilise any unused space.

Please note that Flex-RAID supports up to 4 volumes (any given disk can be included in two of these)

You should note a key difference in measurement. Disk manufacturers treat 1 KiloByte as 1000 Bytes. The NAS like most computers considers 1 KiloByte to be 1024 Bytes. So a 1TB (1000GB) drive is considered to be a 931 (1000 * 1000^3 / 1024^3) GB drive by the ReadyNAS. This can be considered to be much like people measuring a person’s height in feet or metres (the number you get is different depending on which measurement you use, but the height is still the same).

After you allow for the measurement difference, there are still overheads, but these typically make up a small number of gigabytes. If you wish to calculate an estimate take a look at Why is my volume capacity lower than expected?

Can I migrate to dual-redundancy rather than expand my volume?

Yes, if you have a 6-bay or greater ReadyNAS with 3 or more disks installed, a redundant volume and at least one empty drive bay you can. Take a look at Converting an X-RAID2 system to dual-redundancy

Checking disk health

You can mitigate the risks of a disk failing, by checking the health of your disks before beginning the process of replacing the disks one by one.

Disks currently in the ReadyNAS

If you have a x86 ReadyNAS you should check the health of the disks currently in the ReadyNAS using the “Disk Test” boot option on the ReadyNAS boot menu. Whilst the NAS runs short online SMART tests daily as well as when you boot the NAS, these will not always pick up a problem with a disk. The “Disk Test” boot option runs a long offline SMART test on each disk which takes hours to complete and should identify if one of the disks currently in the NAS has a problem.

If you have a Sparc ReadyNAS, then you don’t have a “Disk Test” boot option. So you can:

1. Go to Status > Health in Frontview and check the SMART+ stats for each of your disks.
2. If you are able to, it would be best to power down your NAS, remove your disks (label order), hook the drives up to a SATA port on your PC and check the disks using vendor tools running both short and long tests. Then put the disks back in your ReadyNAS.

If you have any questions about the health of your disks please seek advice on the ReadyNAS forums and/or contact NetGear technical support

Disks not yet in the ReadyNAS

If you are able to, I would hook the new drives up to a SATA port on your PC and check the disks using vendor tools running both short and long tests. If you are unable to run vendor tools do note that the ReadyNAS does run a short SMART test when adding a disk which will hopefully identify if the disk is bad. Running vendor tools is recommended as long tests in particular check the disks very thoroughly.

Before adding the disks

Before you begin to add the new disks, there are a few more steps you should take. You will need to do these steps before expansion can take place. Please note that some of these steps may not apply to your ReadyNAS. If you do not see the option or the setting is already correct, please skip this step.

1. Delete any active snapshot and disable the snapshot schedule

2. Make sure the disk spindown feature is disabled.

3. Make sure “Disable Journaling” Feature in System->Performance tab is unchecked. Note that this option is obsolete on x86 ReadyNAS and thus may not appear (if so, skip this step).

Add the disks

If your ReadyNAS supports hot-swapping (all x86 ReadyNAS and later Sparc ReadyNAS such as the Duo, NV and NV+) then you can add the disks while the NAS is on.

Remember you cannot add smaller capacity disks than are in your array currently (e.g. if the highest capacity disk in your array is 1TB, that is the minimum capacity the disks you add can have).

You should also note you must add the smaller capacity disks first e.g. if you have a 6-bay ReadyNAS with 2x500GB disks and want to add 2x1TB and 2x2TB disks to the empty drive bays then you must add the 1TB disks first then the 2TB disks.

Please add one disk at a time. Wait for the resync to complete and the Volume Status under Volumes > Volume Settings in Frontview to return to “redundant” before adding the next disk.

Expansion

Once the volume can expand, expansion should take place automatically (if using X-RAID or X-RAID2, remember on x86 ReadyNAS running 4.2.16 or later some Flex-RAID volumes can be expanded manually). You may be prompted to reboot before expansion can take place. If you have expansion difficulties please take a look at What To Do When Expansion Doesn’t Start. If the advice there doesn’t help contact NetGear technical support for assistance.

This explains the steps to migrate your disks from a Sparc ReadyNAS to another Sparc ReadyNAS or from a x86 ReadyNAS to another x86 ReadyNAS.

There are a few things that make it easy to remember which ReadyNAS units belong to which platform.

All Infrant (this company was acquired by NetGear) ReadyNAS are Sparc ReadyNAS.

To the best of my knowledge all NetGear ReadyNAS are x86 ReadyNAS except for the Duo, NV+ and 1100 (Sparc ReadyNAS)

At the time of writing x86 ReadyNAS are the NVX, NVX Pioneer, Ultra Series (Ultra 2/4/6), Ultra Plus Series (Ultra 2/4/6 Plus), Pro Business Edition, Pro Pioneer, Pro Series (Pro 2/4/6), 1500, 2100, 3200, 3100 and 4200.

If unsure after reading the FAQ and the above comment which ReadyNAS units belong to which platform, please ask for advice on the forum.

If the unit  you are migrating to is running an older version of firmware than the unit you are migrating from, you may run into issues.

For this reason if both ReadyNAS are in working condition I recommend the following procedure:

1. Backup all data

2. Verify backup is good

3. Upgrade to the latest RAIDiator (via System > Update in Frontview) on each unit. If the unit you are migrating to is empty, you could use a spare disk you have lying around (must not be from your array as you can’t migrate a non-redundant volume, note also that you may need to do a factory default – wipes all data, settings, everything if this spare disk is a used disk).

4. Do a System > Config backup (keep the zip file). Like the backup of your data, you shouldn’t need to restore this, but it’s nice to have a backup of the config just in case.

5. Power down both ReadyNAS Remove all disks from both ReadyNAS (label order).

6. Move the disks across keeping the ordering the same.

7. Power on. It wouldn’t hurt to do a firmware update (via System > Update) just to make doubly sure that the firmware on the disks is the same as that on the flash. Do the required reboot when prompted.

8. Be sure to recalibrate the fan under Status > Health in Frontview.

If the source ReadyNAS is not in a working condition:

1. Try to remember what firmware your dead ReadyNAS is running. If so, using a spare disk (must not be from your array as you can’t migrate a non-redundant volume, note also that you may need to do a factory default – wipes all data, settings, everything if this spare disk is a used disk) and check what firmware you see running on the replacement unit (this is displayed on the home page of Frontview, the web-interface of the ReadyNAS). Don’t downgrade the firmware, but if it is older than the firmware on your dead ReadyNAS be sure to do a firmware update. If you can’t remember what firmware version was running on the dead ReadyNAS update the firmware on the replacement ReadyNAS to the latest version.

2. Power down, remove the spare disk, then migrate the disks from the dead unit to the replacement one keeping the order the same.

3. Install the latest RAIDiator (over the top of itself if necessary) via System > Update. Reboot when prompted.

4. Recalibrate the fan under Status > Health in Frontview.

Q&A

1. Can I migrate disks from a Sparc ReadyNAS to a x86 ReadyNAS?

No, unfortunately. These are on separate platforms. They use different OSes and have partitions setup differently. You can reuse the disks in the new unit but data cannot be retained. I have a detailed recommendation as to how I would do this migration outlined in my guide available on my Online Store.

2. Does the firmware version really matter?

Yes. If the ReadyNAS you are migrating to is running older firmware than the ReadyNAS you are migrating from you may encounter issues.  Your data would still be O.K., but the NAS may refuse to boot.

3. In regards to the x86 ReadyNAS, does 32-bit vs 64-bit matter?

This is a good question. The NVX, NVX Pioneer and 2100v1  are 32-bit ReadyNAS (2100v1 is no longer in production, 2100v2 is a 64-bit ReadyNAS). These run a 32-bit kernel as opposed to the 64-bit kernel that the 64-bit models (all other x86 ReadyNAS) use. Personally, I wouldn’t migrate from a 64-bit ReadyNAS to a 32-bit one (I think this may possibly not work, your data should still be O.K., but the NAS may refuse to boot). If possible, I’d recommend transferring data across your network, rather than migrating disks across between a 32-bit and a 64-bit ReadyNAS.

4. The firmware in the flash in the replacement unit is newer than the firmware in the old unit, can I do a firmware re-install to update the firmware on the disks?

Yes you can. Please do make sure that the firmware is newer in the flash in the replacement unit. There are certain firmware downgrades that are dangerous (to your data) to attempt such as trying to downgrade a Sparc ReadyNAS from RAIDiator 4.x to RAIDiator 3.x (or earlier), downgrading a x86 ReadyNAS unit that runs 4.2.6 or later to earlier firmware, downgrading a x86 ReadyNAS running 4.2.16 to earlier firmware, downgrading firmware to an earlier version than what was current when your model was first released.

5. Is backing up data before a migration really necessary?

It’s not essential, but strongly recommended if the old ReadyNAS is in working condition. It is possible to damage drives when handling them bare without realising it (not to mention possible obvious accidents like dropping disks to the floor). You should backup your important data primarily stored on the ReadyNAS regularly anyway (see Preventing Catastrophic Data Loss).

6. What should I do in the highly unlikely event I have a problem with the migration?

Don’t panic, contact tech support and wait for their expert advice.

Currently the Duo, NV+, Ultra Series (Ultra 2/4/6), Ultra Plus Series (Ultra 2/4/6 Plus), Pro Series (Pro 2/4/6), NVX Pioneer, NVX, Pro Pioneer, Pro Business Edition, 1500, 2100, 3200, 3100 and 4200 are sold by NetGear.

Previously in Which ReadyNAS Model is right for a home user? the home models were discussed.

In this article it’s time to consider the business products: NVX (not Pioneer), Pro Business Edition (not Pioneer), Pro Series (Pro 2/4/6), 1500, 2100, 3200, 3100 and 4200. Though targeted at business users the desktop business models can be used by the home user. For the very advanced home users who need business features or home users who simply want the extra peace of mind of a 5 year warranty these are great choices.

Business Features

You can see these in the detailed Comparison Chart

The most obvious one would be Active Directory. This allows you to integrate the ReadyNAS into your Windows Domain and work with the same users and groups on your Windows Domain. This is an essential feature for many business users, particularly those with large numbers of users. You can configure permissions for shares following this guide: Setting up Active Directory folder permissions on the ReadyNAS

Some of the other key ones to highlight would be NIC Teaming (this allows you to use multiple ethernet NICs in your ReadyNAS to obtain faster performance than over a single gigabit connection, failover if a NIC or ethernet cable etc. fails or both), Rsync over SSH, VLAN support and the snapshot feature.

The Snapshot feature allows you to backup your data frozen at a point in time. Backups can take a long time to complete (particularly if doing a full backup of TBs of data or backups over the internet) so it’s important to choose the snapshot space suitable for your backup needs. Whilst backups should be run when minimal writes are made to your ReadyNAS this is not always possible.

The snapshot feature is used (on the source ReadyNAS) by the excellent new backup software ReadyNAS Replicate. This utilises the same software VPN as ReadyNAS Remote and allows you to backup your data securely over the internet from one ReadyNAS to another ReadyNAS without the need for a complex hardware VPN setup. Replicate also allows you to keep multiple versions of your files (this is not to be confused with the ReadyNAS snapshot feature), so if you accidentally delete a file/folder or have some other mishap you can retrieve it from your backup. which there is a free trial available.

Rackmount ReadyNAS use ECC RAM (not sure about the 1500). Why you might want this higher quality memory is well described in The Definitive Guide to the ReadyNAS 4200. The 4200 has the most RAM of all the ReadyNAS models so ECC RAM is very important for it. It should be noted that memory upgrades are not supported so if you need ECC memory choose a model that has it. The memory included with the ReadyNAS business models is plenty.

Like all ReadyNAS, business ReadyNAS run heavily customised Debian Linux optimised for the ReadyNAS hardware. This is a highly reliable, slim and efficient Operating System that makes effective use of the resources available. Some ReadyNAS users have been known to run their ReadyNAS units for years without ever needing to reboot.

Desktop Business ReadyNAS

NVX and Pro Business Edition

The NVX (not Pioneer) is a business ReadyNAS. You should be aware that it does have a 32-bit processor, but it’s a good choice for those looking for a 4-bay ReadyNAS suitable for their business with a limited budget.

The Pro Business Edition (not Pioneer) was the first ReadyNAS to have an Intel processor and hence used the Intel (x86) platform. It’s a 6-bay ReadyNAS, uses a 64-bit CPU and it’s fast. With NIC teaming using LACP you can achieve speeds considerably faster than you would over a single gigabit connection. It’s another excellent choice.

Pro Series (Pro 2/4/6)

The Pro Series is the latest addition to the desktop business ReadyNAS range. You can see a listing of the CPUs used in these and the previously mentioned ReadyNAS models here: CPU Specs of the ReadyNAS

2-bay units are great for those with limited storage needs, who don’t anticipate filling 2TB of storage any time soon. Small and compact these are also suitable for those with limited space. Unlike the 4-bay and 6-bay models, the 2-bay models have a USB 3.0 port on the front, which is great for fast backups to USB 3.0 devices such as the waterproof and fireproof ioSafe Solo Pro. If you store important data primarily on your ReadyNAS, you should back it up regularly (see Preventing Catastrophic Data Loss). A good backup strategy involves on-site and off-site backups and the ioSafe is a great choice for on-site backups. With the ever present danger of fires and flooding, having a backup device capable of surviving such disasters is invaluable.

4-bay units provide a good balance in-between the 2-bay and the 6-bay units. Unlike the 2-bay units, the 4-bay and 6-bay units have a display on the front, which can be invaluable for knowing what the device is doing on the rare occasion there’s a problem. Using the default X-RAID2 on the 2-bay units, there is a 50% overhead to redundancy (i.e. with 2x2TB disks you get 2TB of space before overheads etc.). Using the default X-RAID2 on the 4-bay units there is a 25% overhead to redundancy which means you can have 3 times as much capacity on the 4-bay units compared with the 2-bay units. For those whom 2TB of space would be limiting in the near future, the 4-bay unit is a great option well worth considering.

6-bay units are my personal favourite. These provide the greatest capacity of the home ReadyNAS models and also have a useful feature called dual-redundancy. This option allows you to configure your ReadyNAS to have protection against two disk failures, rather than one. With large amounts of important data this does provide great peace of mind especially considering that the disks are the most likely hardware to fail in your ReadyNAS unit. The 6-bay units are larger which allows for a larger better fan than on the 4-bay units and better airflow. The 6-bay units are less noisy than the 4-bay units, which makes them a great choice if a noise levels are a concern.

Rackmount Business ReadyNAS

At the Office

The rackmount options for the office are the 1500 and the 2100.

The entry-level, the rackmount, 1500 is an exception when it comes to business products in that it carries a 3 year warranty. It does retain the business feature set.

Those looking for the peace of mind of a 5-year warranty should look at the 2100.

One should also note that v1 of the 2100 (no longer in production) has the same 32-bit CPU as the NVX. 2100v2 has a 64-bit CPU.

The 1500 and 2100 are less noisy than the other rackmount models and are the only ones you should consider putting in the rack in your office. If you need more space than a single unit can offer, you can buy multiple units. Several units will fit in a single rack.

Like the desktop models, the 1500 and 2100 have a single power supply, but the 1500 and 2100 do feature the X-Change module option, a great feature which is discussed in The Definitive Guide to the ReadyNAS 2100

For the server room or the data center

The 3200, 3100 and 4200 are for the server room, the data center, the basement or anywhere where noise isn’t of a concern. The fans run on full to provide maximum airflow. These are designed for maximum performance. You can consider the 3100 and 3200 as similar to the Pro Series performance wise and the 4200 far ahead in a league of its own.

Dual-redundant hot-swappable power supplies are only found on these models. The 3200 has the option for an additional two gigabit NICs to be added via an optional PCI-express card. The 4200 has the option for a similar card but with 10-gigabit NICs of two types as discussed in The Definitive Guide to the ReadyNAS 4200

The 3200 and 4200 are the only rackmounts to support dual-redundancy (unlike all other ReadyNAS models this is the default, provided you start with four or more disks installed). With 12 disks, protection against dual-disk failures is a vital feature.

What form factor is right for you? Desktop or Rackmount?

The choice to use a Desktop or a Rackmount model is an important one.

For the small office without a server rack, the choice to use a desktop model may be pretty obvious, but for larger businesses the choice may not be so easy.

Rackmount models may take up less space for the business which has spare room in a server rack.

On the other hand using desktop models can be handy for users (or small groups within a business) who wish to have a ReadyNAS on their desk. They may need the to work with a large amount of data, but have the ability to easily share it with fellow users whilst at the same time to be able to easily manage the unit from their desk (e.g. to add disks, troubleshoot problems with the ReadyNAS as much as possible from their desk in the event the need arises).

You may wish to use multiple ReadyNAS and get the best of both the desktop and rackmount lines for your business. The choice is up to you.

Conclusion

Please take the time to look at the detailed Comparison Chart of ReadyNAS models.

Some business users may be interested in the home models, but please do be aware that they are able to be attractively priced for the home user do the lack of business features and the 3 year warranty.

Still finding it difficult to choose the right ReadyNAS model for you? Think you might need multiple units and some advice tailored to your situation? If so, please join the ReadyNAS forums.

Currently the Duo, NV+, Ultra Series (Ultra 2/4/6), Ultra Plus Series (Ultra 2/4/6 Plus), Pro Series (Pro 2/4/6), NVX Pioneer, NVX, Pro Pioneer, Pro Business Edition, 1500, 2100, 3200, 3100 and 4200 are sold by NetGear.

In this article we will consider the home products (Duo, NV+, Ultra Series, Ultra Plus Series, NVX Pioneer and Pro Pioneer). Though targeted at home users these can be used by the business user. However one should note that the home models are priced to suit the budgets of home users. As a result these carry a 3 year warranty (vs 5 years on the business units) and lack business features found on the business units.

For a discussion of the business models, please see Which ReadyNAS Model is right for a business user?

Entry level

The ReadyNAS Duo and the ReadyNAS NV+ are entry level ReadyNAS. These are perfect for the user on a tight budget with limited performance needs. Utilising Infrant Sparc processors these models as opposed to the much faster Intel x86 processors in the other ReadyNAS models currently sold, the Duo and NV+ are the least future proof of all ReadyNAS currently on the market.

For this reason, unless your budget does not permit, I’d avoid the ReadyNAS Duo and ReadyNAS NV+.

Advanced Home User

The NVX Pioneer, Ultra Series (Ultra 2/4/6), Ultra Plus Series (Ultra 2/4/6) and Pro Pioneer are targeted at the Advanced Home User. These provide impressive performance gains over the Duo and NV+ and a greater range of features, with nice media streaming options as documented in The Definitive Guide to the ReadyNAS Ultra Series.

The NVX Pioneer uses a 32-bit processor and is the least future proof of these options. As time goes on 3rd party development will eventually focus on 64-bit processors and drop support for 32-bit. For some time most new PCs have been 64-bit and all ReadyNAS for the Advanced Home User apart from the NVX Pioneer are 64-bit.

The Advanced home models largely share the same feature set and 3 year warranty, with the CPU being the main difference (see CPU Specs of the ReadyNAS). Those using the ReadyNAS for tasks that require optimum performance should choose the Ultra Plus models (or the Pro Pioneer which uses the same CPU as the Ultra 6 Plus).

Whilst the Pioneer models don’t have iSCSI or the media streaming addons of the Ultra/Ultra Plus pre-installed these can be installed later via addons.

Choosing the number of drive bays

The Ultra/Ultra Plus Series are available as 2-bay, 4-bay and 6-bay units. All are great choices, but for different needs.

2-bay units are great for those with limited storage needs, who don’t anticipate filling 2TB of storage any time soon. Small and compact these are also suitable for those with limited space. Unlike the 4-bay and 6-bay models, the 2-bay models have a USB 3.0 port on the front, which is great for fast backups to USB 3.0 devices such as the waterproof and fireproof ioSafe Solo Pro. If you store important data primarily on your ReadyNAS, you should back it up regularly (see Preventing Catastrophic Data Loss). A good backup strategy involves on-site and off-site backups and the ioSafe is a great choice for on-site backups. With the ever present danger of fires and flooding, having a backup device capable of surviving such disasters is invaluable.

4-bay units provide a good balance in-between the 2-bay and the 6-bay units. Unlike the 2-bay units, the 4-bay and 6-bay units have a display on the front, which can be invaluable for knowing what the device is doing on the rare occasion there’s a problem. Using the default X-RAID2 on the 2-bay units, there is a 50% overhead to redundancy (i.e. with 2x2TB disks you get 2TB of space before overheads etc.). Using the default X-RAID2 on the 4-bay units there is a 25% overhead to redundancy which means you can have 3 times as much capacity on the 4-bay units compared with the 2-bay units. For those whom 2TB of space would be limiting in the near future, the 4-bay unit is a great option well worth considering.

6-bay units are my personal favourite. These provide the greatest capacity of the home ReadyNAS models and also have a useful feature called dual-redundancy. This option allows you to configure your ReadyNAS to have protection against two disk failures, rather than one. With large amounts of important data this does provide great peace of mind especially considering that the disks are the most likely hardware to fail in your ReadyNAS unit. The 6-bay units are larger which allows for a larger better fan than on the 4-bay units and better airflow. The 6-bay units are less noisy than the 4-bay units, which makes them a great choice if a noise levels are a concern.

Diskless, semi-populated or fully-populated?

ReadyNAS models come in diskless, semi-populated and fully-populated versions. If you can source your own disks from the Hardware Compatibility List you may find that purchasing your own disks is cheaper. You may also have a disk brand that you prefer to use or wish to use enterprise disks (these are designed for 24/7 use in RAID arrays) for additional peace of mind.

The semi-populated and fully-populated versions of home ReadyNAS models use consumer-grade disks from the Hardware Compatibility List. The disks chosen may vary depending on availability. With the disks pre-installed you can get up and running very fast and have the added convenience of purchasing a single item.

Conclusion

Please take the time to look at the detailed Comparison Chart of ReadyNAS models.

Some home users may be interested in some of the business models (e.g. NVX, Pro Series, Pro Business Edition). Whilst these are targeted at business users, some home users find the additional features and 5-year warranty attractive. Whilst the business models don’t have the Ultra media streaming addons pre-installed they can be installed later on. The Business units have all the features of the home models plus more. When it comes time to making a purchasing decision, ultimately the price can be a deciding factor as to what unit you purchase. If you can get a business unit for not much more than a similar home unit it is a very attractive option.

I hope this article has helped you choose the right ReadyNAS model for use in your home. However, if you need additional help choosing your ReadyNAS please post on the ReadyNAS forums. There is plenty of great advice tailored to your needs to be had there.

Phone Support - http://kbserver.netgear.com/kb_web_files/n101460.asp

This method should be used to get the fastest response. Also note that each ReadyNAS comes with 90 days of basic phone support.

During these 90 days you can get help for the basic setup of your unit. If you want additional phone support for software issues after the 90 days you should get a ProSupport contract. ProSupport Contracts are also useful for getting advanced help configuring your ReadyNAS in a business environment e.g. for use with VMWare ESXi.

Free phone support is still available for hardware issues such as processing RMAs after the first 90 days.

If you don’t wish to purchase additional phone support you can make an Online Submission

Online Submission - https://my.netgear.com/myNETGEAR/support.asp

These can be made for free to NetGear tech support regardless of whether you are still within the first 90 days since purchase or not.

Online Submissions to tech support are a good way to get help. It’s also nice that you can view your case history and past cases online and see all your registered NetGear devices listed.

ReadyNAS forums: http://www.readynas.com/forum/

This is a great place to get help from the ReadyNAS community. The community consists of users (such as myself), some NetGear support staff and some Jedi. The Jedi develop the ReadyNAS products and work on the firmware and are thus more knowledgeable on the products than tech support.

The forum is helpful to get tips, a range of views on how to deploy your ReadyNAS and advice from fellow users in the community. Whilst the community does it’s best to help solve issues, sometimes issues are encountered that require expert attention from tech support. In these cases it is a good idea to post the case number (or RMA number, depending what you have) in your thread on the forum.

If you have an older NAS that is out of warranty, such as many of the Infrant models e.g. X6, 600, 1000S, NV, the forum can be particularly useful for getting help on fixing problems with your ReadyNAS.

Data Recovery Services

If things like multiple disk failures happen, you may need to consider using NetGear’s data recovery services. These are very reasonably priced compared with data recovery services you can get from third parties. You should note that there is an important step you can take to avoid the need to use such a service or at least reduce the likelihood of needing to use it. You should ensure you have multiple backups of important data, preferably with a copy stored off-site at all times. Take a look at Preventing Catastrophic Data Loss. NetGear tech support is great, but they can’t do the impossible. It’s your data so look after it.

As I have mentioned elsewhere on my blog, one of the great features of the x86 ReadyNAS desktop line (NVX, Ultra, Pro) is that it uses a new improved boot menu: http://home.bott.ca/webserver/?p=252

However the instructions for this refer to a display with text on it. The latest additions to the ReadyNAS line, the 2-bay x86 models, namely the  Pro 2, Ultra 2 and Ultra 2 Plus don’t have a display, so you need to use the light patterns to select the appropriate boot option.

First you should familiarise yourself with the layout of the ReadyNAS box from diagrams found in the manuals: http://www.readynas.com/docs

Here are the instructions for using the Boot Menu (thanks to Chewbacca on the ReadyNAS forums):

2-bay Boot Menu

1. Power off the NAS.

2. Using a straightened paper clip, hold down the reset button (located on the back of the ReadyNAS).

3. Press the power button to turn on the NAS.

4. Continue to hold the reset button until all the lights are lit up (this happens after about 20 seconds).

5. Press usb backup button multiple times until you see the light pattern for the desired option.

6. Press the reset button again to confirm your choice.

Light Patterns:

• Boot Menu – All lights lit
• Normal – Power Led lit
• Factory Default – Disk 1 Led Lit
• OS Reinstall – Disk 2 Led Lit
• Tech Support – USB and Backup Status Led Lit
• Skip Vol Check – Power Led and Disk 1 Led Lit
• Memory Test – Power led and Disk 2 Led Lit
• Test Disk – Power Led and USB Led and Backup Status Led Lit

So here’s my gear:

2x RND4000 – ReadyNas NV+ Diskless. Hard Drives: 4x ST31500341AS (each NAS). RAM: 256MB (each NAS).

1x RNDU6000 – Ultra 6 Diskless. Hard Drives: 6x ST31500341AS. RAM: 1GB.

1x APC SMART-UPS 1000XL SUA1000XLI – USB monitoring cable hooked up to my main NV+ and monitored over my network by the Ultra 6.

1x APC SMART-UPS 1000 SUA1000I – USB monitoring cable hooked up to my backup NV+.

Here’s what you need to do:

First do a full USB backup normally using Frontview backup.

Then:

1. Under Services > Standard File Protocols turn Rsync on.
2. Go to Volumes > USB Storage (if not found here the settings for the USB drive will be under Shares > Share Listing) and turn on Rsync for the USB drive and set the permissions.
3. Go to Backup > Backup Listing, and open a backup job’s properties to edit it.
4. Change the backup job properties to use Rsync. I can’t remember whether 127.0.0.1 (localhost) works. If it doesn’t work you can try the static IP address of the NAS.
5. Specify the path. This will be the name of the USB HDD e.g. USB_HDD_1 or perhaps USB_HDD_1/foldername
6. Press Test Connection to make sure you have the backup job settings correct.
7. If you want the backup to be an exact mirror of the source i.e. wipe the USB HDD (or folder inside that if specified), then make sure that the “Remove deleted files…” option is checked.
8. Check the rest of the settings and make appropriate changes (if any) then run the backup job.

Do you use it to backup your new ReadyNAS, use it as a NAS to develop cool add-ons, use it as a NAS to test beta firmware to give back to the community, give it to a family member, give it to a friend or do you sell it?

Well that choice is up to you, but if you decide to sell it or give it away then there are some steps you should take:

1. Backup all data e.g. onto another ReadyNAS
2. Update to the latest stable firmware. You can install the latest firmware via System > Update > Remote in Frontview. Alternatively you can download the latest image (4.1.x for Sparc or 4.2.x for x86 ReadyNAS) from readynas.com and install it via System > Update > Local in Frontview.

3. Verify that the NAS is still working. This should include running the memory test a few times. See the manuals for instructions. Be sure to provide an honest evaluation of the state of your ReadyNAS. A good seller will accurately describe what he wants to sell. Remember also that there is no warranty on second-hand ReadyNAS purchases.

If selling without disks:

Note that all data, OS, settings, personal information etc. is stored on the disks, so removing the disks is sufficient to ensure the buyer won’t get your data.

You can either:
4. Move the disks to another ReadyNAS on the same platform

or 5. Simply remove the disks.

6. Put the screws for the disk trays back in the zip lock bag they came in (if you still have it), put the disk trays back in the NAS and package the NAS up as neatly as you can. Preferably use original packaging. If not, find the best packaging you can.

7. Proceed to sell the NAS (or give it away). If you like you can use the ReadyNAS Marketplace forum or a site like eBay to sell the NAS. If posting on the ReadyNAS Marketplace forum be sure to indicate roughly where you are e.g. the US (if it’s not already mentioned in your profile or forum signature).

If selling with disks

This is more complicated. You want to keep your personal data safe, and also take reasonable steps to check that the disks are in working condition.

4. With the disks in place, factory default (wipes all data, settings, everything) the NAS. Instructions are in the manuals. The default RAID settings should be fine. This should make data recovery sufficiently difficult for it to not be worth trying, as well as setting up a clean installation of the latest OS, so that the ReadyNAS is ready to be setup quickly when the purchaser installs it.

5. The extra cautious will want to securely wipe the NAS. On x86 ReadyNAS, you can securely wipe the disks. You will need RAIDiator 4.2.7 or later installed (you should already have the latest version installed at this point) and RAIDar 4.3.0 or later (you can download the latest version at http://www.readynas.com/download). After initiating a factory default, you will notice there is a 10 minute countdown in RAIDar. Click Setup, leave the RAID settings at default, but down the bottom choose to securely erase the disks. If you choose this option the disks will be securely erased in parallel as part of the factory default process. If you wish to securely erase disks from a Sparc ReadyNAS you will need to remove them and hook them up to a PC and use that to do so, ideally before doing the factory default (of course put the disks back in the NAS before doing the factory default).

6. During the factory default process the NAS may encounter a bad disk. If it does you should remove the disk, hook it up to a SATA port on a PC and check it using vendor tools. If it fails the test then either get it replaced (if still under warranty) or put it in the trash.

7. You should take reasonable steps to check that the disks are O.K. This may include one or more of:

• Checking the SMART+ health of the disks under Status > Health > SMART+ in Frontview
• If it’s an x86 ReadyNAS you should run the Test Disks boot option. Instructions are here. If the disks pass these tests then they should be O.K.
• If you really want to you can power down, label the order of your disks and checking the disks using vendor tools. Put the disks back in the NAS in the same order as before if they pass the tests. If it fails the test then either get it replaced (if still under warranty) or put it in the trash.

8. Now that you’ve checked the disks if any of them were bad you may wish to factory default with the disks left to sell in place. If you had to throw aways some disks, put the screws for the relevant disk trays in the ziplock bag (the one they came in preferably). Also be sure to put the disk trays (with disks screwed in if they are still working and you intend to sell them) back in the NAS and package the NAS up as neatly as you can. Preferably use original packaging. If not, find the best packaging you can.

9. Proceed to sell the NAS (or give it away). If you like you can use the ReadyNAS Marketplace forum or a site like eBay to sell the NAS. If posting on the ReadyNAS Marketplace forum be sure to indicate roughly where you are e.g. the US (if it’s not already mentioned in your profile or forum signature). Also indicate the age of the disks and what warranty is remaining on them as this can be important to some purchasers.

This guide refers to Sparc and x86 ReadyNAS. Sparc ReadyNAS include e.g. ReadyNAS Duo, NV, NV+, X6, Repertoire, 1000s, 600 and 1100. x86 ReadyNAS include e.g. NVX, Pro, Ultra, 1500, 2100, 3100, 3200 or 4200. If unsure which model you have or you are unsure about anything mentioned in this guide please ask about it on the ReadyNAS Forum.

Here are the steps:

1. Create a Gmail (or Google Apps) email account.

2. In Gmail (i.e. when logged into gmail.com or online into your Google Apps account), click the settings link in the top right hand corner.

3. Click on the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.

4. Make sure that at least one of POP or IMAP is enabled (don’t forget to save your changes).

5. In Frontview go to System > Alerts.

6. Enter your gmail email address as Alert Contact 1

7. Select Gmail as the email provider.

8. Enter your email address as the user and enter your password. The Advanced Options section should automatically be filled in for you.

9. Apply your changes and send a test message. Make sure it arrives in your inbox. Then you’re done!

Legacy settings

The above settings are for RAIDiator 4.2.11 and later on x86 ReadyNAS and 4.1.7 or later on Sparc ReadyNAS. Older versions of RAIDiator will work differently. The gmail (or Google Apps) settings for those are as follows:

SMTP Server:smtp.gmail.com
SMTP Port:587
User:myemailaddress@gmail.com
Password:mygmailpassword
From:myemailaddress@gmail.com
Login Type:login
Use TLS:checked
Use STARTTLS:checked

Custom email settings

This guide is written for using Gmail or Google Apps. If you like you can try using a different email provider either via a preset (should work similar to configuring Gmail) or using custom email settings.

Using custom settings here are a few tips:

1. “Alert Contact 1″ should be the email address from which you are sending alerts.

2. Under Advanced Options make sure you are using the correct SMTP port for your email provider (it may not be the default port 25, you could try other common ports such as 587 and 465). Try both with and without TLS.

3. Under Advanced Options make sure in the From field you have the email address you are using to send email alerts (this may not be necessary but some ISPs may block email treating it as spam if the from address doesn’t match the account it is really being sent from).

Background

My first ReadyNAS purchase was a ReadyNAS NV+. I found the NV+ great for storing my files and sharing them wirelessly with devices across my network. I was impressed with the device and realised that storing data on a single device is not a backup, so I purchased another NV+ to use as a backup to my main NV+. This setup works great for me.

So why have the Ultra Series?

The ReadyNAS NV+ is a great product with a great range of features. However with only minor differences compared with the NV released back in early 2006, the NV+ is not a fast NAS anymore. Whilst it was originally targeted at business users, with speeds in the 20-40 MB/s range over gigabit ethernet, it’s now targeted at entry level home users.

Of course, NetGear has released newer models since the ReadyNAS NV+. The ReadyNAS Pro, a 6-bay ReadyNAS, that is king of the desktop ReadyNAS line performance wise, and the ReadyNAS NVX, a 4-bay ReadyNAS are both great improvements over the ReadyNAS NV+. However these were introduced at price points that clearly indicated an intended market of business users, with home versions (the Pioneer) released later in reaction to unexpected demand from home users for the devices.

Whilst the NVX and the Pro are faster than the NV+, both consume more energy. With rising electricity prices and increasing costs of living, not to mention environmental concerns about energy usage, many would like to have the best of both worlds. A good balance between high performance and low energy usage. The ReadyNAS Ultra Series provides this. The Ultra 4 has slightly less energy usage than the NV+, whilst the Ultra 6 still uses more. The Ultra 4 and Ultra 6 are more power efficient than the NVX and Pro respectively.

First impressions of the ReadyNAS Ultra 6

With my main NV+ filling up earlier this year, I was rapidly coming to the conclusion that I need a new ReadyNAS for extra space. When the opportunity came along I jumped at the chance of testing a new ReadyNAS product. I soon learned that it was targeted at Advanced Home Users and received a diskless ReadyNAS Ultra 6 unit to test. Apart from the colour of the casing, the ReadyNAS Ultra 6 looks much the same as the ReadyNAS Pro. The ReadyNAS Ultra has a dark metallic charcoal coloured casing as opposed to the black casing of the Pro.

Initial setup

When I received the unit, I simply connected the supplied network cable up to my router, put a disk in the NAS and turned the NAS on. The NAS formatted the disk and set it up using the default X-RAID2 configuration found on x86 ReadyNAS. I didn’t have to wait long for the OS to be installed before I was able to open Frontview (the ReadyNAS web interface) and take a look around. One of the great things about the ReadyNAS line is, as NetGear puts it: “Regardless of whether you’re using a 2-bay ReadyNAS Duo or a 12-bay ReadyNAS 4200, the user interface remains consistent. Once you’ve used one ReadyNAS, you already know how to use them all.”

Moving from a ReadyNAS NV+ to a ReadyNAS Ultra 6

The NV+ is on the Sparc platform and the ReadyNAS Ultra 6 on the newer x86 platform. Unfortunately you can’t move the disks across from a NV+ to a ReadyNAS Ultra 6 and keep data intact. One of the focuses of my testing was moving from a Sparc ReadyNAS to a x86 ReadyNAS and I’ve written an easy to follow Unofficial Guide for Moving from Sparc ReadyNAS to x86 ReadyNAS on how to do this, which is available in my Store.

Performance

I was impressed with the speed of the unit. Not only was the web interface quicker, but using X-RAID2 dual-redundancy (similar to RAID-6 and like RAID-6 available on 6-bay or greater x86 ReadyNAS) with six SeaGate ST31500341AS 1.5TB disks I achieved an internal disk benchmark DD result in excess of 110 MB/s using super-poussin’s Bonnie++ add-on. The ReadyNAS Ultra 6 can do much more than the NV+. Whilst the NV+ is good as a basic file server, it’s Infrant Sparc CPU is fairly slow by today’s standards. The ReadyNAS Ultra has an Intel Atom processor giving it the horsepower to do much more, whilst at the same time still being energy efficient.

It’s so fast that my MacBook could not keep up with it over gigabit LAN. The hard drive in my laptop is the bottleneck.

Media Streaming

In the 21st century, digital media collections are becoming more and more prevalent. Not only have we had the iPod craze (where people have moved to storing digitally their Music and playing this back on a portable mp3 player such as Apple’s iPod), more and more, the Advanced Home User is storing video (such as home movies) electronically as well.

With the ReadyNAS Ultra targeted firmly at the Advanced Home User, NetGear saw the importance of not just making the Ultra a great place to centrally store media, but as a device to stream that media from as well.

Unfortunately, I don’t have an iPhone/iPod/iPad yet, so I was unable to test Orb, but I was able to test Skifta. Skifta allows you to stream media from your ReadyNAS at home to a UPNP/DLNA device at a remote location. I was able to give this a try. Though it understandably didn’t work properly with my slow, unreliable internet connection, it showed great promise to be really useful in the future (I wish I had a fibre internet connection). Accessing a vast media collection away from home without having to take it all with you is a great feature.

The ReadyNAS Ultra also has a nice feature for archiving non-DRM protected shows recorded on a TiVo. TiVo‘s have limited hard drive space and this feature allows you to automatically backup videos to a ReadyNAS and play them back on demand. TiVo missed the boat in my country in my opinion. I use EyeTV tuner sticks hooked up to Mac Minis and don’t like how locked down TiVo boxes are here (ad-skipping is not allowed). However for those who’ve come to love the TiVo, I’m sure the TiVo archiving feature will be very welcome.

Sure these media features are also available on the ReadyNAS NVX and ReadyNAS Pro, but they were introduced primarily with the ReadyNAS Ultra Series in mind. These features take advantage of the fast CPU found in the Ultra.

What I like about the ReadyNAS Ultra Series – Keeping data safe.

The ReadyNAS Ultra 6 shares the same boot menu found on the ReadyNAS Pro, and likewise also has a display that shows important information such as the status of disks. This boot menu is a great improvement over the one found on the ReadyNAS NV+. There is also a nice new feature, the “Test Disks” boot option useful for testing the disks before replacing/adding disks. This will help identify failing disks, before it’s too late.

The ReadyNAS Ultra has the option to schedule an Online File system Consistency Check and Disk Scrubbing with Auto Parity disk. Scheduled during off-peak usage periods these are designed to detect problems before they become serious. With the Disk Scrubbing in particular, the fast CPU in the Ultra 6 is of great help. The ReadyNAS NV+ just isn’t fast enough to make Disk Scrubbing practical.

Whilst these great features help look after your data, they don’t eliminate the need for backups e.g. to a USB disk or another ReadyNAS, but they do mean that you are less likely to need to restore from backup.

What I like about the ReadyNAS Ultra Series – Great build quality

Whilst the ReadyNAS Ultra Series lacks business features such as Active Directory for integration with a Windows Domain, the hardware is built to an enterprise standard. It runs a customised form of Debian Linux optimised for the ReadyNAS hardware and in my experience runs reliably 24×7 just like my ReadyNAS NV+. Linux is an incredibly stable and efficient operating system and NetGear has done a great job to make it work well with the ReadyNAS hardware. Only needing to reboot to install updates is great.

Protecting the ReadyNAS with a UPS and thus safe shutdowns

My ReadyNAS NV+ is connected to a UPS from the compatibility list for greater peace of mind. With USB monitoring, it is shutdown safely in the event of an extended power failure by my UPS. I also have the ReadyNAS NV+ configured to share the UPS monitoring over my network with the ReadyNAS Ultra 6 as well. The UPS battery is so good that the ReadyNAS haven’t had to shutdown during a power failure yet. I even had a power failure of about an hour recently and the UPS battery was sufficient to keep two ReadyNAS and a couple of routers running for that time. Of course depending on your needs you can purchase a much lower end UPS. The ReadyNAS only needs about a minute or so, to shutdown safely.

iSCSI – another great feature

Network protocols such as CIFS/SMB (Windows File Sharing), AFP (Apple Filing Protocol), etc. are great for sharing files, but some programs are not written to work with a network drive. iSCSI allows you to mount a volume stored on the ReadyNAS as if it was a local disk. With the fast speed of the ReadyNAS Ultra 6, you can work with huge volumes of data stored on iSCSI volumes and not be able to tell the difference between working with them on your local disk. It’s an awesome feature.

Backups

The ReadyNAS Ultra 6 has the same comprehensive Frontview Backup as found on all other ReadyNAS. I’m a big fan of using Rsync to backup NAS to NAS, but this is CPU intensive as it compares files on the source and destination and only copies the changes to files across. I’ve noticed this is much quicker using the ReadyNAS Ultra 6. With a growing data collection, keeping backup times to a minimum is very important to me.

As the ReadyNAS Ultra, like the ReadyNAS Pro (but not the NVX) is a 64-bit x86 ReadyNAS, it has a 4TB limit for Time Machine. This is double the 2TB limit on the NV+. Using Time Machine on my Macs, my data is automatically backed up wirelessly to the ReadyNAS! No need to think about using USB disks with each of my Macs or backing up using lots of CDs/DVDs!

What’s more, if the hard disk in a Mac fails, you can put a new hard disk in and easily restore from a Time Machine backup! Or if you spill some coffee by mistake onto your Mac, you can even buy a new Mac and restore onto that and then keep working with all your applications and data as if nothing had gone wrong!

Much more

With its fast CPU, there is a vast range of applications for the ReadyNAS Ultra. There is a vast collection of community add-ons available on the ReadyNAS forum. Whilst I haven’t tried many of these, you can do a wide variety of things such as managing the files on your ReadyNAS using a File Manager, downloading Torrents using Transmission, providing extra ways to monitor your ReadyNAS e.g. using the iStat app on your iPhone, or even to host a website with a WordPress blog! This is just a few of the many things you can do.

Which ReadyNAS is right for you?

I hope this guide has helped you decide which ReadyNAS to purchase. If you need help deciding which ReadyNAS to purchase please ask for advice on the ReadyNAS forum. You can also learn more about the ReadyNAS Ultra Series, such as specifications from its Definitive Guide. You can compare the features of various ReadyNAS models using the Comparison Charts.

Recommendation

This is an excellent product for advanced home users. I give it a rating of 10/10.

Disclaimer

As a ReadyNAS Ultra 6 beta tester, I received a free RNDU6000 (Diskless) unit to test. Please take this into account before making a product purchase. This review is based on my use of the product and I hope you find it helpful.

What is this guide for?

You cannot migrate disks from a Sparc ReadyNAS to a x86 ReadyNAS as they are on different platforms. Normally, one of the great features of the ReadyNAS line is that when you want to move to a newer ReadyNAS you can make sure your array is redundant (i.e there are no dead or missing disks) then migrate to a newer ReadyNAS. See this FAQ entry on the ReadyNAS forum.

If you have a Sparc ReadyNAS e.g. ReadyNAS Duo, NV, NV+, X6, Repertoire, 1000s, 600 or 1100 you can use this manual as a guide for moving to a x86 ReadyNAS e.g. NVX, Pro, Ultra, 2100, 3100, 3200 or 4200. You’ll notice that all the Infrant (Infrant was acquired by NetGear) models are Sparc ReadyNAS. So if your ReadyNAS doesn’t say NetGear on it, it is definitely a Sparc ReadyNAS.

What does this guide contain?

In this extensive, thorough guide (currently 18 pages including some screenshots), I address this issue and provided a very detailed plan for you to follow to make the move as simple as possible. I have over 10,000 posts on the ReadyNAS forum (I am the user ‘mdgm‘) and know a great deal about the ReadyNAS line. As an example of how long the move may take, transferring 3.7TB of data (that’s over 3700GB) from a NV+ to an Ultra 6 took me a few days (your mileage may vary).

Feedback is appreciated

If you have questions with the guide or suggestions on how to improve it, I would be very happy to hear them and will consider taking them onboard. Enjoy. My guide is available in my Store and download links will be automatically made available once your payment has been received securely through Paypal.

License types

There are two options, home use and business use (both guides have the same content). The home use license costs $9.95 USD (was $30 USD) and the business use license costs $19.95 USD (was $50 USD). If I was to manually help someone make the switch from a Sparc ReadyNAS to a x86 ReadNAS, my charge would have to be much greater. This DIY (Do It Yourself) guide, will help you make the move as easy as possible. Please feel free to make an optional donation to support my work in addition to the product price if you wish.

The license is for use to guide you moving from one Sparc ReadyNAS to one x86 ReadyNAS. If you need to more moves, please purchase the appropriate quantity of the product. I will endeavour to make a reasonable effort to help you if you have issues. All questions and feedback should be sent to me (the user ‘mdgm‘) via PM on the ReadyNAS forum.

Just repeating, my guide is available in my Store.

Welcome and I hope you enjoy this site.