Multiple Volumes or Not?

[Mirfster]

Going to reconfigure a JBOD that to purely to house VMs. It will handle both ESXi and Hyper-V VMs, so I'm going to have both NFS and iSCSI. *** More than likely, still contemplating pure iSCSI...

Now, I will of course keep them separated; but the question is regarding if I should do this as two different Volumes/Pools or DataSet and ZVol?

Thing of it is that I do have enough extra Intel DC S3500s (160GB) and S3710s (200GB) to provide each Volume/Pool its own SLOG and L2ARC (if needed).

If I make it one large Volume/Pool (5 x 4TB Mirrors, with 2 x Hot Spares) I will have more *total* available space; but thinking the SLOG (and possibly L2ARC) will be working for both (DataSet and ZVol).

• In this scenario, I will locate the SSDs in the actual FreeNAS Server and not in the JBOD

If I split them up (2 x 4TB Mirrors, with 1 x Hot Spare for each Volume/Pool); I can then add a SLOG for each Volume/Pool.

• In this scenario, I will locate the SSDs in the JBOD

What would you suggest given that you had?:

• 13 x 4TB HGST SAS Drives
• 3 x 200GB Intel DC S3710
• 4 x 160GB Intel DC S3500
• Plenty of Hard Drive Bays (6 on the FreeNAS Server and 12 on the JBOD)

 

[Sakuru]

I'd suggest 1 pool because you will get more total IOPs. That way all VMs on both hypervisors have access to 5 VDEVs of IOPs instead of 2.

 

[Mirfster]

Just updating, went with this:

• 5 x HGST SAS 4TB Mirrors (10 Disks)
• 2 Hot Spares
• 1 Cold Spare
• A SSD SLOG (Intel DC S3710 200GB)
• L2ARC TBD (if needed)

 

[Spearfoot]

@Mirfster, this mirrored design w/ DC 37xx SLOG should work nicely. I agree with @Sakuru that a single pool would be best.

Do you really need 2 hot spares? Wait! You like to use those El Cheapo used drives off eBay, don't you? Are you sure 2 hot spares are enough??!! :)

 

[Mirfster]

Do you really need 2 hot spares? Wait! You like to use those El Cheapo used drives off eBay, don't you?

Ha. This time the drives were not so cheap... $1,800.00 worth.. That is like 3 highly equipped Dell C2100/FS12-TY servers.. ;)

Are you sure 2 hot spares is enough??!! :)

I got one Cold Spare too... Also, warranty on these things when I checked HGST is out until 2019. Once I finish migrating my ESXi and Hyper-V VMs, I'll have like 24 x 2TB HGSTs that I may re-purpose in other C2100s/FS12TYs as JBODs or backup Server (more than likely using RaidZ2 for CIFs).

Got another server that is 12x2TB as well and the two 24 Bay models just waiting for prices to drop on SSDs...

Gonna have so much space, I'll be neck deep in TBs... ;)

 

[nojohnny101]

dang son, what you running over there? is that all personal?

sounds like you have the syndrome...
CHE (can't have enough)

:D:D:D

 

[Mirfster]

Personal and my own business. But I also am a hardware addict. :D

 

[Stux]

Personal and my own business. But I also am a hardware addict. :D

Your own business... Or mind your own business ;)

 

[Mirfster]

Your own business... Or mind your own business ;)

First one. But could be the 2nd on too... Meh call it both.. :)