Linux md raid - mix & match drives

[The Hunter]

Okay, I'm fairly certain that I know the answer to this question already, but just wanted to post here incase I've over looked something.

Currently I'm running a 3x 500GB Seagate 7200.10 raid5 using Linux md (software raid) as a media NAS. It's just about full, so I'm looking at putting another drive in and expanding the array.

The new 500GB 7200.11 drives are much more plentiful and cheaper than getting my hands on an older (but identical) 7200.10. I know that in theory for md raid shouldn't care about what type/model of drive it is, as long as the size is ≥ the old drive (I checked and the sector counts are identical on Seagate's site, so that shouldn't be a problem). I'm not concerned about the performance either, given that it's software raid running on an ancient 800MHz Duron system with mere 100Mbit networking.

So my question is, does anyone have any experience mixing and matching drives like this? Is there anything I'm overlooking?

 

[axan]

mix and match all you want as long as new drives are => then biggest existing drive. MD doesn't care

 

[unhappy_mage]

I wouldn't have any concerns about such a setup. Go for it.

 

[drizzt81]

I am running a mixed array with:
2x120GB WD drives
1x36GB Quantum Fireball KX+
1x60 GB IBM DeathStar

not a problem in 10 months.

 

[nitrobass24]

id do it if it were my setup

 

[Eva_Unit_0]

linux mdraid rocks, go to town and create whatever whacky arrays you want, it'll handle it.