HOw to set up disks in JBOD

[Julianh]

Hi All,

I can't find this in the documentation.
I'm converting several storage servers to a single, big, TrueNas. they all have duplicate servers, acting as backups. If there's a loss of data, disk crash, and I lose it all, I can copy from Backup over. It can be down for some time.
One of the servers is a JBOD array of 2TB, 3TB and 4TB disks. I want to move the disks, I know I'll have to copy the data over, into my truenas server, reducing the number of servers. I will then gradually buy the right disks and replace the jbod with a raid solution.
How do I create a JBOD in Truenas?
Thanks

 

[Arwen]

It is helpful if you use the correct terminology. We can guess for JBOD you mean "Striped Pool", with no redundancy. And for "raid solution", you mean ZFS RAID-Zx or Mirroring. Here is a guide on ZFS terminology;

Terminology and Abbreviations Primer

We realize that new users have a lot to learn when they come to FreeNAS. There's a certain amount of confusion added to discussions when users pick random/approximate terms to describe things. I've spent a lot of time quietly trying to...

www.truenas.com

Unfortunately that terminology primer does not mention Striped Pools.

If you can clarify what you mean by JBOD, that would be helpful. In some instances, JBOD implies the use of an external disk tray without any RAID controller, (so the disks appear as "Just a Bunch Of Disks").

Generally TrueNAS attempts to push the user into well supported choices, (aka pools with redundancy). I think you can use the Advanced option to make a Striped Pool.

 

[Julianh]

Thanks for getting back to me. Sorry I wasn't clear. Currently I have a windows server with a volume that has been extended to include three 4TB drives, a 3TB drive, a 2TB drive and two 8 TB drives.
I'm going to replace them with a raid solution at a later date, as I gradulaly buy new 12 TB drives. I just want to move them into TrueNAS, with my first 12 TB drive to replace the older drives and remove a server to save power.

 

[Arwen]

TrueNAS, (Core or SCALE), generally wants the pool's configuration decided at the start. Adding disks is problematic in the sense you can't convert a Striped Pool into a RAID-Zx pool, (without full backup and re-creation).

You can add a Mirror disk to a Striped disk, converting that single disk vDev into a Mirror vDev. If you have say 2 disks in a Striped Pool, you can add a Mirror disk to each, and convert the pool from no redundancy to 2-way Mirror redundancy. Some people think mirror pools are better because you can add 2 disks at a time to "grow your pool". Or replace 2 existing disks with larger ones to "grow your pool". But, you sacrifice 50% of your storage to Mirroring.

However, a RAID-Zx pool would require a new RAID-Zx vDev to "grow your pool". Or replace every disk in an existing RAID-Zx vDev to "grow your pool".

That's just a bit of background on initial design choices.


If you need to start with a single 12TB disk, you can certainly do so. In TrueNAS SCALE, (I don't have access to the Core GUI at the moment), I can;
Storage -> Create Pool -> Add Available Disks -> Striped, (default if one disk)
Check the "Force" option and accept the warning.
Create

That should create what you asked for, a striped disk pool.

 

[Julianh]

Thank you all for your really helpful advice, It's much apprechiated
But I have some good news, My wife just bought me 3 x 14 TB drives, so I can stripe them.

Now I have a question about controllers, but that's another post, as I think others will benefit from the ansewr. Once again, thank you.