nas:build_a_linux_nas
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Table of Contents
NAS - Build a Linux NAS
Determine the available disks
lsblk
returns:
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 8:0 0 232.9G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 1007K 0 part ├─sda2 8:2 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi ├─sda3 253:28 0 8G 0 part [SWAP] ├─sda4 253:29 0 58G 0 part / sdb 8:32 0 14.6T 0 disk sdc 8:48 0 14.6T 0 disk sdd 8:64 0 14.6T 0 disk
NOTE: This shows:
- sda: The boot disk.
- sdb: A free disk.
- sdc: A free disk.
- sdd: A free disk.
The free disks do not have any partitions yet and will be included into a RAID.
Initialize the free disks
sudo fdisk /dev/sdb
returns:
Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.36.1). Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them. Be careful before using the write command. Device does not contain a recognized partition table. The size of this disk is 14.6 TiB (16000900661248 bytes). DOS partition table format cannot be used on drives for volumes larger than 2199023255040 bytes for 512-byte sectors. Use GUID partition table format (GPT). Created a new DOS disklabel with disk identifier 0xc778227a. Command (m for help):
Create a GPT Partition
Command (m for help): g
returns:
Created a new GPT disklabel (GUID: 6D811672-A5FE-BA4F-8F79-D17E0285C5E1).
NOTE: GPT (GUID Partition Table) is much better than MBR (Master Boot Record) partitions:
- GPT supports much larger disks.
- GPT allows for a nearly unlimited number of partitions.
- GPT also stores cyclic redundancy check (CRC) values to check that its data is intact.
- If the data is corrupted, GPT can notice the problem and attempt to recover the damaged data from another location on the disk.
Create a Linux RAID Partition
Command (m for help): n Partition number (1-128, default 1): First sector (2048-31251759070, default 2048): Last sector, +/-sectors or +/-size{K,M,G,T,P} (2048-31251759070, default 31251759070):
returns:
Created a new partition 1 of type 'Linux filesystem' and of size 14.6 TiB.
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NOTE: Just taking the default values uses the entire disk.
Print the Partition
Command (m for help): p
returns:
Disk /dev/sdb: 14.55 TiB, 16000900661248 bytes, 31251759104 sectors Disk model: ST16000NM001G-2K Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disklabel type: gpt Disk identifier: 6D811672-A5FE-BA4F-8F79-D17E0285C5E1 Device Start End Sectors Size Type /dev/sdb1 2048 31251759070 31251757023 14.6T Linux filesystem
NOTE: Just taking the default values uses the entire disk.
Change the Partition Type
Command (m for help): t Selected partition 1 Partition type or alias (type L to list all): 29
returns:
Changed type of partition 'Linux filesystem' to 'Linux RAID'.
NOTE: The type is changed to Linux RAID, which is type 29.
Print the Partition again
Command (m for help): p
returns:
Disk /dev/sdd: 14.55 TiB, 16000900661248 bytes, 31251759104 sectors Disk model: ST16000NM001G-2K Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disklabel type: gpt Disk identifier: EAA2F832-9810-AA45-9DDB-8ED531C20139 Device Start End Sectors Size Type /dev/sdd1 2048 31251759070 31251757023 14.6T Linux RAID
NOTE: This shows the Type has been changed to Linux RAID.
Write the Partition Table
Command (m for help): w
returns:
The partition table has been altered. Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table. Syncing disks.
Partition other Disks
Repeat the above instructions for the other free disks.
Check the available disks again
lsblk
returns:
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 8:0 0 232.9G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 1007K 0 part ├─sda2 8:2 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi ├─sda3 253:28 0 8G 0 part [SWAP] ├─sda4 253:29 0 58G 0 part / sdb 8:32 0 14.6T 0 disk ├─sdb1 8:33 0 14.6T 0 part sdc 8:48 0 14.6T 0 disk ├─sdc1 8:49 0 14.6T 0 part sdd 8:64 0 14.6T 0 disk ├─sdd1 8:65 0 14.6T 0 part
NOTE: This shows the original free disks all now have partitions.
- At this point, these disks can be tied together as a RAID array.
Create a Software RAID Array
sudo mdadm --create --verbose /dev/md0 --level=5 --raid-devices=3 /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1 /dev/sdd1 or sudo mdadm --create --verbose /dev/md0 --level=5 --raid-devices=3 --spare-devices=1 /dev/sd{b,c,d, e}1
NOTE: This created a new block device /dev/md0.
- This device represents the RAID 5 of /dev/sdb1, /dev/sdc1 and /dev/sdd1.
- Obviously other RAID types could be used instead.
Ensure the RIAD Array is reassembled automatically each time the system boots
sudo mdadm --detail --scan | sudo tee -a /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf
NOTE: This saves the RAID configuration in the /etc/mdadm/mdadm.conf file.
- In the background, mdadm will sync the data of these disks.
- This can take a very long time as it requires reading and writing a lot of data depending on the size of the disks.
Check the RAID Status
sudo mdadm --detail /dev/md0
returns:
NOTE: This also displays not only the health, but also the sync status.
Create a Filesystem
sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/md0
NOTE: /dev/md0 can be used now just as any other block device.
Mount the Array
sudo mkdir /mnt/nas sudo mount /dev/md0 /mnt/nas
Check the Mount
lsblk
returns:
NAME MAJ:MIN RM SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINT sda 8:0 0 232.9G 0 disk ├─sda1 8:1 0 1007K 0 part ├─sda2 8:2 0 512M 0 part /boot/efi ├─sda3 253:28 0 8G 0 part [SWAP] ├─sda4 253:29 0 58G 0 part / sdb 8:32 0 14.6T 0 disk ├─md0 9 0 14.6T 0 raid5 /mnt/nas sdc 8:48 0 14.6T 0 disk ├─md0 9 0 14.6T 0 raid5 /mnt/nas sdd 8:64 0 14.6T 0 disk ├─md0 9 0 14.6T 0 raid5 /mnt/nas
Test writing to the mounted array
sudo touch /mnt/nas/test ls -al /mnt/nas/
returns:
total 24 drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 4096 Feb 14 11:19 . drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 4096 Feb 14 11:19 .. drwx------ 2 root root 16384 Feb 14 11:19 lost+found -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Feb 14 11:19 test
Ensure the array always get mounted on boot
echo '/dev/md0 /mnt/nas ext4 defaults,nofail 0 0' | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab
returns:
/dev/md0 /mnt/nas ext4 defaults,nofail 0 0
NOTE: This adds an entry into the /etc/fstab file.
Create Samba Share
Save a backup of the default Samba Config.
sudo cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf.orig
Now edit the Samba Config file, /etc/samba/smb.conf, and populate as:
- /etc/samba/smb.conf
[global] workgroup=WORKGROUP server min protocol = SMB2 server max protocol = SMB3 server string = NAS log file = /var/log/samba/%m.log [data] path = /mnt/nas/data available = yes valid users = peter read only = no browseable = yes writable = yes
Create a Samba user
sudo smbpasswd -a peter
returns:
Added user peter.
NOTE: Make sure that the user has permissions to the files on system level as well.
Test Access to the Share
Within a Web Browser, enter
//192.168.1.5/data
NOTE:
- 192.168.1.5: The IP Address of the NAS.
- Obviously use whatever IP address that device has.
- data: The name of the Samba Share, as defined in the Samba Config file.
nas/build_a_linux_nas.1632584966.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/09/25 15:49 by peter