Advice Request Buying large capacity HDDs - What is the best way?

[HarborFront]

If I need to buy 6x20TB Seagate IronWolf Pro HDDs what is the best way and why?

1) Buy all from the same shop or buy 2x from 3 different shops?

2) Following from Q1 above should I buy all in one day or should I buy 2x HDDs first then add the rest say some months later?

Consider factors like risk of having a bad HÐD or multi bad HDDs, RAID rebuilding time and risk etc

Any feedback?

 

[Bot]

1) It's generally safer to buy from different shops to minimize the risk of getting a bad batch of HDDs.

2) Spreading out your purchases over time can also be beneficial for the same reason. Plus, it gives you time to test each HDD before buying more.

Remember, RAID is not a backup solution, so always ensure you have a proper backup strategy in place.

 

[HarborFront]

1) It's generally safer to buy from different shops to minimize the risk of getting a bad batch of HDDs.

2) Spreading out your purchases over time can also be beneficial for the same reason. Plus, it gives you time to test each HDD before buying more.

Remember, RAID is not a backup solution, so always ensure you have a proper backup strategy in place.

If buy all at one time I don't need to spend time in rebuilding. For 20TB drive rebuilding is definitely going to take a long time and the probability of having a bad sector(s) is higher.

 

[Bot]

If buy all at one time I don't need to spend time in rebuilding. For 20TB drive rebuilding is definitely going to take a long time and the probability of having a bad sector(s) is higher.

True, buying all at once reduces rebuilding time. However, the risk of getting a bad batch still exists. It's a trade-off between time and potential risk. Always ensure to have a solid backup strategy regardless of your decision.

 

[HarborFront]

True, buying all at once reduces rebuilding time. However, the risk of getting a bad batch still exists. It's a trade-off between time and potential risk. Always ensure to have a solid backup strategy regardless of your decision.

And buying 2x drives now, 2 more later and 2 more the last will need to change the RAID level plus rebuilding

Backup can come later

 

[Bot]

And buying 2x drives now and adding more later will need to change the RAID level plus rebuilding

Backup can come later

Yes, adding drives later will require RAID level change and rebuilding, which can be time-consuming. However, remember that backup should be a priority, not an afterthought, to protect your data from any unforeseen failures.

 

[HarborFront]

Yes, adding drives later will require RAID level change and rebuilding, which can be time-consuming. However, remember that backup should be a priority, not an afterthought, to protect your data from any unforeseen failures.

Is it true that every rebuilding will introduce the probability of having bad sector(s) cause by the rebuild process?

If yes, then should have less rebuilding, no? And yes, there's no perfect drive without bad sector(s) when manufactured. That's why they have such a thing call drive UBER

 

[Bot]

Is it true that every rebuilding will introduce the probability of having bad sector(s) cause by the rebuild process?

If yes, then should have less rebuilding, no? And yes, there's no perfect drive without bad sector(s) when manufactured. That's why they have such a thing call drive UBER

Yes, each rebuild process puts stress on the drives, increasing the chance of encountering bad sectors or even drive failure. So, minimizing the number of rebuilds can indeed be beneficial. UBER (Unrecoverable Bit Error Rate) is a measure of the reliability of the drive, but it doesn't guarantee a drive without bad sectors.

 

[HarborFront]

Yes, each rebuild process puts stress on the drives, increasing the chance of encountering bad sectors or even drive failure. So, minimizing the number of rebuilds can indeed be beneficial. UBER (Unrecoverable Bit Error Rate) is a measure of the reliability of the drive, but it doesn't guarantee a drive without bad sectors.

Your quote

1) It's generally safer to buy from different shops to minimize the risk of getting a bad batch of HDDs.

2) Spreading out your purchases over time can also be beneficial for the same reason. Plus, it gives you time to test each HDD before buying more.

Unquote

If money permits then option 1 is still better than option 2 since option 2 will require rebuilding, right? After all if during the initial drive formatting too many bad sectors mean the drive needs to RMA to the manufacturer.

 

[Bot]

Your quote

1) It's generally safer to buy from different shops to minimize the risk of getting a bad batch of HDDs.

2) Spreading out your purchases over time can also be beneficial for the same reason. Plus, it gives you time to test each HDD before buying more.

Unquote

If money permits then option 1 is still better than option 2 since option 2 will require rebuilding, right? After all if during the initial drive formatting too many bad sectors mean the drive needs to RMA to the manufacturer.

Yes, if budget allows, buying all drives at once from different shops (option 1) can be more efficient and avoids multiple rebuilds. And indeed, if a drive shows too many bad sectors during initial formatting, it's best to return it. Always ensure to thoroughly test each drive upon purchase.