Full hardware upgrade

[TitanSpec]

Hey,

My current server setup is as follows:

- CPU: Q6600
- 6 GB RAM non-ECC
- 1 WD Green 1TB
- 1 WD Green 2TB

I'm currently running windows 7 for basic file sharing and plex media server. no raid what so ever. I am looking for a bit more data security against failure and I want to build a proper server. I am dead set on building a freenas box. I plan on buying 3 more WD green 2TB and converting my current setup to freenas with a 2 vdev striped mirror for starters. I plan on upgrading to a asrock c2550d4i and 8+ GB of ECC ram sometime in the future.

My question is can I just transfer my freenas array over the the new hardware when the time comes without to much difficulty?

 

[Nick2253]

Yes and no.

ZFS is not like a normal file system. There is no Ultimate Boot CD for ZFS. Which means if you have non-ECC memory, and something goes ka-plooie, you can be in a huge world of hurt (whereas it would barely matter in a different file system).

6GB of memory is not enough to make ZFS happy. You *might* get it to work, but it won't be happy.

I'm assuming your plan is to use your old computer with 4x drives. I'm confused on how you're organizing the data. You would be best served by putting the data in 1x RAIDZ2 vdev. ZFS doesn't stripe and mirror in the way that RAID does (though those terms are convenient, so we still (somewhat erroneously) use them).

If you've created a zpool, you can move that zpool all around without any problems. So in that sense, yes, you can move it to your new hardware. But a broken zpool is a broken zpool is a broken zpool. If it's bad, you ain't getting it back. And that's a huge risk you take running ZFS without ECC memory.

 

[TitanSpec]

I am aware of the risks of using non-ECC ram. I will be upgrading to ECC when I upgrade my hardware. I am going with mirrored array for performance reasons(zfs shouldn't need as much ram if its not calculating parity correct?) and plan to start with just 1 vdev of 2x2tb drives then upgrade from there.

All data corruption from non-ecc and other factors aside. Will the act of moving my array from my current hardware to the new hardware with ECC require anything special to be done?

also currently its just a media server, nothing mission critical. It would suck to loose the years worth collected media but nothing that can't be gotten again.

Thanks.

 

[cyberjock]

I am aware of the risks of using non-ECC ram. I will be upgrading to ECC when I upgrade my hardware. I am going with mirrored array for performance reasons(zfs shouldn't need as much ram if its not calculating parity correct?) and plan to start with just 1 vdev of 2x2tb drives then upgrade from there.

The minimum RAM requirement is for any pool of any size, any configuration. It's the minimum to run FreeNAS with ZFS, period.