Add 1 disk dedicated to torrenting

[kriegalex]

Hi,

I had been using my server with Ubuntu for a while now with media files storage and torrenting done on a single 5 disk pool. Since yesterday, I've successfully migrated to FreeNAS and I wanted to take a chance while migrating to update/upgrade stuff before I get the server in a "I don't need to touch it anymore" state.

With my old install, I clearly saw and heard my server constantly accessing the 5 disks of my RAIDZ because of the torrenting done (seems obvious duh...). I was wondering if adding a small HDD (like 1TB) just to store the torrent data would improve the life span of my bigger 5 disk pool that hosts the media file. It would also diminish the noise (the disks are in a Supermicro hot swap bay and the case is full aluminium, which doesn't absorb noise well).

That way, 90% of the time there is only one HDD working (for Transmission or similar) instead of my whole 5 disk pool constantly accessing the data. Plus I want to upgrade the pool later on, so there will be even more disks working all the time so even more noise (I can't guarantee I will always have a separate room for the server, right now it's the case so noise is less important).

What do you think ? Will it help to get a better HDD life span for the main 5 disk? At least it would avoid having the server "scratching" all the time (I'm speaking of the noise the cage makes).

EDIT : when no torrenting is done, the server is really quiet, which is nice :) the only noise source are the disks

 

[depasseg]

Create a new pool with that single drive, and use the jail settings to mount it to the inside of the jail.

http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas_jails.html#add-storage

 

[kriegalex]

Create a new pool with that single drive, and use the jail settings to mount it to the inside of the jail.

http://doc.freenas.org/9.3/freenas_jails.html#add-storage

I've already seen that, but thanks anyway. What I want to know is if it will help the 5 disk pool to live longer or if it doesn't change anything? The other benefit being the server will be quieter.

For me it would help. But it's better if I can get some other opinions, I can then safely buy the new required HDD without being worried of throwing my money away.

 

[depasseg]

If your question is about spinning down the drives, there are 2 very strong schools of thought (spinning up and down causes more damage than spinning constantly vs spinning up and down is less stress than spinning constantly), so it really comes down to personal preference and your specific criteria.

If you aren't spinning the drives down, then I don't see an issue using the 5 disk pool.

 

[Yatti420]

I've already seen that, but thanks anyway. What I want to know is if it will help the 5 disk pool to live longer or if it doesn't change anything? The other benefit being the server will be quieter.

For me it would help. But it's better if I can get some other opinions, I can then safely buy the new required HDD without being worried of throwing my money away.

Spinning down will make your server louder as you will be listening and waiting for those drives to spin up.. Takes some time when you have 5-6 drive pools.. Leave the drives spinning..

Now for your torrent pool.. A single drive? No mirror - NO REDUNDANCY? If your a heavy torrentor might save some wear and tear.. You'll stress the single drive more I would assume versus 5-6 drives.. . I just run it right off my pool these days.. Everything is.. mysql xbmc.. etc etc.. and I only have a Pentium chip not a xeon ;),,

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

before I get the server in a "I don't need to touch it anymore" state

In a what?

What is this "don't need to touch it" that you speak of?

IMWTK

;)

 

[kriegalex]

In a what?

What is this "don't need to touch it" that you speak of?

IMWTK

;)

When you migrate your server from Ubuntu to FreeNAS and in the process have backuped all the data, it's the appropriate time to add new disks, buy stuff, upgrade your pools, add a new HBA card, ...

After the migration is done and all the new fancy stuff installed, you configure your FreeNAS and won't be tinkering again until next upgrade/migration/...

Well at least in my case once CIFS shares, timemachines, plex, torrenting is working, I don't need to change stuff in my server anymore except for software updates.

EDIT : in my case I didn't upgrade my hardware, but it's the idea