Replaced failed QNAP with replacement QNAP - No config needed?!

[CHiLL]

I'm super confused. Our QNAP TVS-1271U-RP failed and we ordered a TVS-1272XU-RP to replace it. It arrived today, so I've removed the old server and fitted the new one, then swapped the drives over and connected the power and network. Since it's a new server, first use would involve it obtaining a DHCP address, I used QNAP QFinder to locate it...and this is where it gets weird.

 

QFinder lists the device, but it was the same name and IP address as the old one! So I browsed to the IP address in Chrome and was able to log in with the credentials used on the old server. All the file shares and data are also there. The old server was configured with two RAID groups, 8x 8TB drives in bays 1-8 and 3x 3TB drives in bays 10-12. I installed the 8TB drives back into bays 1-8 and 3TB drives into bays 10-12. I doubt the exact drive went into the exact same bay number though.

 

At first, I thought I'd done a stupid and removed and then refitted the server. But no, the system information lists the new model number, new CPU and it's diagram of port layout also reflects the new server.

 

The only thing I can think of is that QNAP have taken the config/backup of the failed server and configured the new one with it. Though I didn't supply them with a backup/config data. The only thing I've sent to them previously is error logs and they didn't make me aware of anything like this.

[Michael]

It kind of reminds me similarly to the way HP and Dell servers work. The RAID configuration is stored on the drives themselves, in the event you needed to change the controller.

[CHiLL]

It kind of reminds me similarly to the way HP and Dell servers work. The RAID configuration is stored on the drives themselves, in the event you needed to change the controller.

That would make sense, though it's the rest of the config that confuses me. I'm under the assumption that core config data is all stored on the internal storage.

Edited September 7, 2020 by CHiLL

[Michael]

I can only presume the whole configuration is stored on the drives if you swapped out the motherboard.