When integrating a brand new storage system right into a Synology Community Connected Storage (NAS) system configured for Redundant Array of Impartial Disks (RAID), the brand new system won’t be instantly obtainable to be used. This happens as a result of the newly launched disk hasn’t been assigned a job throughout the RAID array or formatted for file storage. This unassigned state is regularly known as “unallocated” or “not initialized.” For instance, a person could bodily set up a tough drive into their Synology NAS, however the methods storage supervisor will present the drives standing as unallocated till it’s particularly configured.
Addressing this unallocated state is vital for leveraging the added storage capability. Ignoring it renders the brand new drive unusable. Correctly allocating the brand new drive permits the RAID array to broaden, growing general cupboard space or enhancing redundancy, relying on the RAID configuration. Traditionally, managing storage in NAS methods required vital technical experience. Fashionable NAS interfaces, similar to Synology’s DiskStation Supervisor (DSM), have simplified this course of, guiding customers by way of configuration steps with intuitive graphical interfaces. This has made RAID administration and storage enlargement extra accessible to a wider vary of customers.
