The StorCenter ix2 is a very versatile device. It is quick and easy to set up. You can access data via SMB, FTP, NFS, and HTTPS.

You can copy files to it via Windows, then attach it as a datastore to an ESXi server to use those files. Of course, it makes a great backup device. I got nearly 700MB/min over a gigabit network.

However, there are limits to the NFS protocol, and more specifically ESXi’s implementation of it, that severely limit its usefulness for backups as a directly-attached hard disk in a VM.

For one thing, it’s terribly slow. I got less than 100MB/min over the same network, from the same VM, using the same backup software. The only difference was that one test was performed using WBAdmin to do the backup to a UNC path to the StorCenter, and the other was done with the NFS share mounted as a datastore and a VMDK allocated to the VM as a hard disk for Windows Server Backup to use as its backup device.

Another limitation is that you cannot change out the StorCenter for another one easily when it is mounted via NFS. In order to change out your backup device, you’d have to shut down the VM, remove the datastore, change out the StorCenter, mount the new one as a datastore, add a new VMDK to the VM, and boot Windows again. At least you don’t have to reboot ESXi, and you could do it remotely, but it still stinks.

If you need an NFS server in a pinch, or want to back up to a network device using a UNC path with a wbadmin command (perhaps scripted and scheduled), the StorCenter is great.  However, you lose the ability to do a full/incremental schedule with the built-in backup software in Windows 2008. If you have third-party software that can do UNC paths, it’s all good.

If you want to use Windows Server Backup, and you have something else available for offsite backup, then I recommend an eSATA disk for Windows 2008/SBS2008 backups, NOT a StorCenter.

Tags: backup, Iomega, NAS, StorCenter

I have determined that it is possible to replace the hard disks in an Iomega StorCenter ix2 (and have the thing work afterward). You don’t have to send it in for service or throw it away. However, it is not super-easy to do it, and I would not recommend it to anyone who is not comfortable working with the innards of computers.

If you’re not good with hardware, STOP! and take it to an authorized service center.

Note: Follow these instructions EXACTLY. People have tried to take shortcuts by restoring only one partition instead of the entire disk, and it doesn’t work, and they end up asking for help in the comments section. Use the Acronis software, which has an option to restore the entire disk. Keep the partition sizes as close to the originals as possible (even if it does not use up the entire disk capacity). Then, once you have restored the disk, go in with a partition editor and wipe out the large partition. Do this on both disks.

Update: More than one person has indicated that the Windows version of Acronis True Image did not work, but the bootable CD did work. YMMV, but if you try it under Windows and it doesn’t work, use the boot CD instead.

Here is the procedure to replace the hard disks:
1. Remove the existing disks from the unit. That means removing a lot of screws and connectors, and carefully squeezing the disks out. Removing the power and SATA connectors is helpful, but not necessary.
2. Make a disk image of a good disk from the StorCenter, if either of its disks are still good. I used Acronis True Image Home version 11 to back up and restore the disk image.
3. Use disk imaging software to put the images on your new disks. You might only need the image to be on one disk, but I didn’t bother figuring out if that is true, or which one it should be on. You can restore to larger disks, upgrading the capacity of your StorCenter. Be sure to restore the entire disk, with all partitions, I tried restoring just the OS partition, but it would not boot.
4. Use partition editing software (Windows disk manager?) to remove the large partition from each disk, leaving the small (OS) one. The StorCenter will rebuild this on its own.
5. Reassemble the StorCenter, boot it, and check the status on the Disks section of the UI. First it will initialize the data partition, which only takes a few minutes. Then it will reconstruct the data set, which takes much longer – but the drive will be fully functional (albeit slow) while this is happening.

Note: It seems that sometimes it is necessary to delete the large partition after restoring the entire disk image, and sometimes it is not. Try it both ways.

After plugging the disks back into the StorCenter, the blue light should flash for a few minutes (less than 5), then turn red. A few seconds after it turns red, you should be able to log into its web interface and go to Settings -> Disks, where it will tell you it wants to overwrite the disks. From that point forward, you can use the UI to change the protection plan and it will use all of the available space, if you have restored to larger disks than you started with.

The username/password for the Storcenter login is admin/(blank). The password for its Linux OS is root/soho.

Make sure you fix the e-mail setting. It will not prompt you, and it is set to user@domain.com in the image.

In fact, you’ll probably want to run through the quick setup wizard to set everything the way you want it. To do this, click the Settings tab, Device button, and click the Setup link next to Device Setup.

I have run through this procedure with different disk sizes, and with firmware versions 1.1.17.34772 and 2.0.15.43099.

Of course, I am certain that doing this voids any sort of warranty – but if your warranty was still good, you wouldn’t be doing this, would you?

Here is a PDF file containing instructions from Iomega: Replacing_the_StorCenter_ix2_Hard_Drive

Update:
The Acronis images are available here:

NOTE: If you download and use these images, remember to fix the e-mail address that notifications are sent to as soon as you can get into the web interface. It’s nice to see so many people using these images to fix their stuff, but really, you should be getting these notifications, not me. Also, it might help with troubleshooting, if you’re having any trouble getting it working.

• StorCenter ix2 image w/firmware version 1.1.17.34772 and 1 TB disks (2 TB capacity with RAID 0)
• StorCenter ix2 image w/firmware version 1.1.17.34772 and 500 GB disks (1 TB capacity with RAID 0)
• StorCenter ix2 image w/firmware version 2.0.15.43099 and 1 TB disks (2 TB capacity with RAID 0)

Additional:
Here is a thread regarding disk replacement in the ix2-200, which a user posted here in the comments. It requires familiarity with Linux.

Tags: Iomega, NAS, StorCenter