WD EX4100 to Synology 1522 - Data Migration

[Enquiries]

I can't find a video about how I can migrate my data from the WD EX4100 (Media files which are large and I don't want to have to re-download everyone of them) to my new "upgrade" to a Synology 1522.

Can someone help? I found tons of videos on synology to synology but not WD to Synology.

I tried the hotswapping drive and using migration station but it wants to wife the data from the WD EX4100 which defeats the purpose.

Can I just do a USB to USB data migration? As much as I hate how friggin' slow I'm sure it's going to be...is it even possible?

I have both a mesh network (M9+) network and Wifi 6 xfinity modem and wifi in the house. My family wants to be able to watch the movies and media on at least one place while I am doing the migration...so taking 2-5days to migrate the 16TB from WD to Synology without access would be a problem...can you help? I need a strategy that allows for a media server uptime, but a strategy to move the data also between nas'es

Thank You,

Stephanie Miller

[TribalHound]

Hi Stephanie.
Sounds like you've accumulated a lot of stuff and have quite a demanding family. Personally I'd tell them 'it's off line' while you get on with migrating their extensive catalogue of 'data stuff'.

So firstly you're never going to be able to hot swap a HDD from one brand of NAS to another. Hopefully you put them all back and they still work as they did before you put them in another manufacturers operating system ?

You make reference to mesh M9+ and wifi - does this mean both NAS are connected to your home network via wifi ??
Whilst wifi might be 'OK', or even more than OK for some uses, NAS are big data, and big data really wants to use a cable to connect to the network, even if your phone / tablet / TV doesn't. If either NAS are wifi connected then you are going to run into transfer speed issues for sure.

In order to get your data transferred effectively and whilst keeping the data accessible you're best route would be:
Plug both NAS in via cable to your network for starters, maybe put them side by side even and plugged into the same network switch, or both directly into your router (or whichever device is your local DHCP server).

Using your Synology access the File Station and via Tools, Mount Remote Folder to your WD. (Hopefully all your media is beneath a single parent folder at the top level - this will be your mount point).

Once you have mounted your WD to your Synology you should be able to run a file sync from the 'old folder' to a 'new folder' on your Synology.

By syncing, the Synology will take control and clone EVERYTHING while you get on with life and the family continue to access the 'old data' which isn't moving, it's cloning. (Make sure where you're syncing too has enough space available in the storage pool / network share allocation)

When it finishes (hours / days) - run the same job again, make sure you don't have it set to copy over files if already exist. The reason being it will pick up any new files the family have created and skip ones already cloned. For this step you really need the family out as it's the final refresh - probably only a few hours at most.

When that completes - unplug the WD from the network totally / switch it off. Therefore no data can be written to it 'accidentally'. Configure your Synology as required to be the new media server.

Now everyone has access to all their data (practically seamlessly) and you haven't had to spend days watching it copy via USB or wifi speed).

Give it a couple of days for everyone to get used to using the Synology with the WD turned off - then quietly fire up the WD and remove the family's access to the old data / media software on it.

For all the other data on your WD simply do the same.

Now it's up to you at this point - do you 'bin' the WD, or do you make it a 'slave' to the synology as a data backup. If you don't already have a spare copy of your data stored somewhere else then I'd chose the latter. If your family can't live without streaming for 2 days - imagine what they' be like if the Synology 'got sick' and all that media & data was lost - likely you would be blamed for it, so the WD is now your insurance - once it's set up right.

This video might help a little - even though it's Netgear to Synology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CQUsQcj...ilioAguero

Hope this helps.