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[glight]

I'm not sure what I'm planning to do with my newly purchased DNS323 is sane or not, please help me out!

Up until now I ran an old PC repurposed as a home server. I had it set up on Linux with 3 HDD's tied together into LVM. Well, I recently had one of the HDD's commit suicide and several issues with the mobo requires me to not only replace the dead drive but my mobo too. Rather than incur that cost (about $200) and end up with the same unreliable system I looked into NAS and ended up choosing the DNS-323. A tad bit more cash but a better solution (IMO so far). 

Now, I have a backup of the old data that was on the now dead PC. It is on a 1.5TB HDD (WD15EADS) that I would like to have put into the NAS. My first question is that by doing that would I lose my data? (the drive is a single ext3 partition)

My second question is that if I want to use the NAS as RAID 1 am I allowed to use a 2TB drive paired with the 1.5TB drive? (I know I will only be able to use 1.5TB but I bought the 2TB drive because it was only an extra $10. I was thinking that if I used two 1.5TB drives that when it came time to upgrade to 2TB of storage I would have to buy 2x 2TB drives (more expensive).

Basically I am wondering if I can put the drives in the NAS, have the data remain on the 1.5TB drive and then have the NAS treat the 2TB drive as a 1.5TB companion to the first 1.5TB drive in a RAID 1 setup.

If that is not the case would I still be able to set up a blank 1.5TB RAID 1 array with a 1.5TB and a 2TB drive? From there I can copy over the backup from another source?

[gunrunnerjohn]

If you have no backup for the data on the 1.5TB drive, my advice is to forget about that option!

I suggest you put the 2TB drive in the DNS-323, put the 1.5TB drive in a USB enclosure, and use it for backup.  Remember, RAID is NOT backup, and you appear to be in a dilemma precisely because you have no backup for your data!

Unless you run a high availability server, you'll be better off with EXT3 formatted single disks in the NAS and a separate enclosure for a complete backup of that data.
 

[glight]

thanks gunrunnerjohn, why should I not run RAID1? I thought that if one of the drives dies in the RAID then you still have your data?

Also: Does your response mean that any drive inserted into the NAS will be wiped and formatted by the NAS (ie I will lose my data if I put my 1.5TB drive in?) I have a couple of spare 500GB drives that I can move my backup data over to in order to wipe the 1.5TB drive so I *could* have it empty when I first put it in the NAS (I just dont want to move my backup data back and forth)

[gunrunnerjohn]

I have no idea if your drive will be recognized, but I sure wouldn't take that chance.

As far as RAID, you're far more likely to lose your data to either malware, a simple slip of the finger, or a system crash that corrupts the drive.  The whole point of backup is to not only insure against a drive failure, but also have a true extra copy of your data.

[glight]

Thanks again, I will make sure to move my data on to my spare drives before putting the 1.5TB in the NAS. I get what you are saying about a true backup as well. 

[gunrunnerjohn]

You are wise, many folks don't get it, even when we explain it in detail.