Upgrading Synology NAS volume storage

[Enquiries]

I have a Synology DS1621xs NAS with 6 x 12TB drives as a RAID 5 volume and have just reached 80% capacity so am looking to expand the storage without removing all drives at once and having to reinstall everything.

If I were to buy 6 x 18TB Ironwolf drives then would replacing one drive at a time and letting the system rebuild each time be the ‘easiest’ way to do this? I realise I’d be vulnerable to a drive failure and losing all my data during the rebuild. Is there a better way? I’m hesitant to remove all the drives and swap them for higher capacity drives all in one go as last time I did this it mucked up Plex.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[ed]

Indeed, you can opt to replace one drive at a time with larger 18TB Ironwolf drives or consider using an expansion unit. While replacing one drive at a time is feasible and might prompt concerns about parity during the rebuild, it's essential to remember that drive failures often don't occur suddenly. Nevertheless, maintaining a reliable backup solution is crucial, as RAID isn't a substitute for proper data backup. Additionally, for future-proofing your storage, the expansion unit route may be more suitable, allowing you to grow your capacity without disrupting your existing setup. We recommend exploring backup solutions and reading more about expansion units here to make an informed decision that fits your long-term needs.