How should I expand FREENAS storage array?

[bigdawg86]

I am running freenas... I have a 4TB and 2 TB volume, both mirrored (RAID 1). I have PLEX running on the 4TB drives and personal backup on the 2TB drives.
I finally received a warning from the 4TB PLEX volume that I have exceeded 80% of my drives capacity... I want to expand.

I have 2 internal SATA 6GB/s ports available... Should I...

Add a separate array in RAID 1 (probably 4TB or 6TB WD RED Drives)

OR...

Should I add/buy more 4TB drives and incorporate what I already have and make a RAID array to a single volume of larger capacity?

I want to be able to withstand at least one HD failure, but it's not critical to need more.

Thanks in advance.

[fifer55]

Assuming you only want to use the 2x internal SATA ports and do not want to purchase a RAID or JBOD (SATA) PCIe card (ideal), I would buy the most drive I can afford (x2), then software RAID1 one that. Once the OS sees said drive, copy contents of the smallest RAID1 array (which I believe you said was your personal stuff on 2TB). Once copy has been completed from 2TB RAID1, remove said RAID, and place the largest capacity drives you can afford, RAID1 again, then moved your 4TB RAID1 Plex volume onto NEW RAID1 array. Once completed, remove said 4TB RAID1 Plex array and add the largest capacity drives you can afford, and RAID1 that guy.

Why do I recommend this? Cost savings, FORCED backup of personal (2TB RAID1 array) and Plex (4TB RAID1 array) volumes that will be offline.

Obviously, there are pros and cons to this. Pro, cheaper, offline back. Con, no new data will be backed up.

You can also buy a JBOD enclosure that has a 2 drive capacity and plug in whatever offline RAID1 array you have and mount via USB, as long as the drive letter (applied to windows only) is not used, it will just pop up. You can find cheap JBOD 2 or 4 bay enclosures on eBay or Amazon. Just make sure it is not a hardware RAID box (you will be able to tell by the cost of the unit), if not, you risk loosing all your data as when you plug in the your drives, it will want to reformat.

If you have any questions, let me know...

[bigdawg86]

So I ended up buying two 6TB drives... initally I was trying to make a second volume (which was easy), but getting PLEX to recognize both volumes was something I couldn't figure out.

Freenas also has the option to expand a current volume, and turns out that was the easiest method. Connected drives, click "expand volume", choose which one, hit ok, and now it shows a single drive 10TB in size as if it was that size from the beginning.