Configuring New Volume

[briandm81]

So go easy on me...I'm a newbie. I'm in the process of setting up my new volume of twelve 3TB drives. I don't want to put them in a single RaidZ2 as it goes past the 10 drive recommended max. I was instead planning on setting them up as two RaidZ arrays of 6 drives. Here's the configuration I'm planning on...

Thoughts?

 

[Ericloewe]

Not a good idea. Performance might be better, but the added risk is quite significant.

 

[gpsguy]

Two, 6 disk RAIDz2 vdev's is one of the sweet configurations for 12 disks.

 

[briandm81]

So I should just go have a couple of additional drives to go with 14 drives and RaidZ2? I need the space, so I might even go 8 drives for each z...

 

[gpsguy]

14 drives in a single vdev is considered to be too wide. Maybe you can sell/upgrade your drives for bigger (4-6TB).

Search the forum for @Bidule0hm 's RAIDzX calculator to identify your actual needs.

 

[nojohnny101]

Two, 6 disk RAIDz2 vdev's is one of the sweet configurations for 12 disks.

+1 for this. Just wanted to point this out as an abundance of caution, but there is a big difference between two pools each containing a 6disk raidz2 vdev AND a single pool with 2 radiz2 vdev's striped together. the later is what @gpsguy is recommending.

 

[briandm81]

Perhaps I'm overcomplicating things. Maybe I just need separate volumes of Raidz2 with 8 drives. That would be 18Tb per volume and that should be plenty. Then I could just have one for backups one for software and other related items and media.

 

[nojohnny101]

Perhaps I'm overcomplicating things.

Not at all. What you are asking and what we recommend is actually quite common. Two vdevs in one pool can be done from the GUI will relative ease. If you are unsure, ask more questions.

 

[Stux]

I would use 2 vdevs in a single pool of either 6,7 or 8 way Raidz2.