Are datasets necessary?

[tastyhouse]

Hi - a quick question - I setup a volume on my FreeNas server and I never remember creating a dataset. After the volume was created I shared it through CIFS and migrated my files to it. When I look under volume manager I see the volume I created and no datsets underneath it.

In reading the forums it says that the volume is a block device and can't be used to share anything so you need to create a dataset etc. What I'm wondering is if FreeNas creates a default dataset for the volume so all the space is accessible?

In addition if I'm just using it to host my media (pictures, music, videos) is there any benefit to carving up the volume into different filesystems/datasets and sharing them out individually?

I'll be the only one accessing the data so user access and permissions aren't really an issue.

 

[dlavigne]

Can you access your data over the CIFS share? If so, your setup is working for you. Datasets are useful, but not mandatory. They are useful in that they allow you to create different storage areas for different users, different types of shares, to set properties such as compression and quotas, to snapshot/replicate on a per-dataset basis, etc. If you don't need any of that, you don't need datasets.

 

[tastyhouse]

Yes I can access the data no problem. I'm wondering how I can without having a dataset established if the volume is a block device. I'm thinking one got created somehow.

 

[dlavigne]

A volume is a filesystem. A zvol is a block device, but that is something different created under volume in order to create an iSCSI device extent.

 

[Knowltey]

No, datasets are not requisite. I use them for organization purposes and to allow for variations in configuration and quotas between areas of the pool.