Here we go, looking for some input/answers.

[YeongMin]

Objective: Setup FreeNAS 9.3 box to Share files and for backup purposes on a home network. Windows, Linux, and Mac clients. Share permissions will be account based in FreeNAS. ZFS will be used.

The hardware: Xeon E3-1231 v3, 16GB nonECC RAM, 32GB Samsung USB stick (OS drive)
Three hdds will be used for data: 1TB SATA3 5400rpm (no partition), 1TB SATA3 7200rpm (no partition), 1TB USB3 5400rpm (currently holding 500GB of data on NTFS).

Tested similar scaled-down scenario in VirtualBox and would like to set up the two SATA as Mirrored and the USB as Striped. Mirrored would be used for backups while the USB drive would be for temp share on the network.

Step 1: Insert OS USB stick into USB2 socket on mobo. Insert second USB stick providing installation iso.
SATA hdds connected, USB hdd NOT connected.
Step 2: Initial power on will be into BIOS to disable USB3 and set boot device/order/remove hdds from boot. Reboot.
Step 3: Perform installation. Set static IP.
Step 4: Create new Mirrored Volume for the two SATA hdds.
Step 5: Connect USB drive into USB2 port and perform Import Disk to Mirrored Volume.
USB drive folder structure is at top level. When you open the USB drive, you see all the top level folders, ie. Apps, Backups, Drivers, Dumb Stuff, Kpop Videos, Movies, Tmp.
Q: I'm assuming I would create a Dataset for each top level folder instead of a single Dataset and then move all the top level folders into that one Dataset? Or is there a way to share the whole Volume and have the folders reside at the top level as they are currently?
Q: After Import is complete, I'm assuming I can just create the New Volume on USB drive to wipe data? Do I need to mount it first or will FreeNAS do that?
Step 6: Setup Shares, Users, and permissions.

//this concludes the Initial Setup

Thoughts, input, corrections, advisements?

 

[BigDave]

Is there any way you can off-load the NTFS files on to another drive before starting this?
Because if I understand what you are trying to do, steps 4 and 5 are going to leave you
with a mirror of two 1TB drives which will then take the import of the NTFS files, and
then leaving you with one HDD, with no home. You can't then just add this drive to your
mirrored volume. If you use the three drives to form a RAIDz1 volume, and then
import your NTFS files (from the forth source), that will be the end of it.
I hope I'm following you correctly...

 

[gpsguy]

Yeah, but his 3rd 1TB drive is USB. I wouldn't put it in the pool if it were empty, unless the OP was planning to shuck it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BigDave]

Yeah, but his 3rd 1TB drive is USB. I wouldn't put it in the pool if it were empty, unless the OP was planning to shuck it.

I know I did not type that part, but could you not "hear me thinking it"? :D

 

[YeongMin]

Yes, the 3rd drive (USB), will be a standalone drive from the 2 mirrored SATAs and will be used for temporary purposes after the Import.

And yes, I thought about off-loading the files first only if the Import/Create New Single Stripe Volume was going to be risky. Which is why I'm asking you guys, who have experience.

 

[BigDave]

Yes, the 3rd drive (USB), will be a standalone drive from the 2 mirrored SATAs and will be used for temporary purposes after the Import.

And yes, I thought about off-loading the files first only if the Import/Create New Single Stripe Volume was going to be risky. Which is why I'm asking you guys, who have experience.

I'm assuming that being a student means limited resources, but a three drive RAIDz1 volume would mean
twice the capacity with the same redundancy.
The USB interface for import has a certain amount of risk for corruption, but it's a low risk.
The small amount of data being transfered should not be difficult to validate.
Check the manual for steps to import non-ZFS data to your volume.

 

[YeongMin]

yes. section 8.1.5.

thank you.

 

[Mirfster]

16GB nonECC RAM

Can't believe that you didn't get pinged for this already... :P

What Motherboard are you planning on using? Your CPU supports ECC, so unless the Motherboard does not; you need to use ECC RAM.

 

[YeongMin]

Yes. Was excited to have access to a Xeon; but Baby Diaper fund took precedence over my FreeNAS fund. :(

Mobo is an MSI H81I, doesn't support ECC.

 

[YeongMin]

Built. Set stuff in BIOS. Installed. Set static IP. Config for headless. Boot, create new mirror volume on the two SATA via Wizard. Import data from USB Disk. Stuck at 78% (attempted twice). Will probably do manual transfer via USB -> ethernet to NAS.