New Build/No Files - Topology and setup

[glitch]

I just finished my first build using a C2550D4I as the main board and 12 x 2TB HDs setup as one volume as a Raidz2. I have not done anything else yet other than configure the drives as a volume. No shares or files on the drives yet, so if I need to change anything I can just start over.

So here is where I have run problems. While navigating through my "Topology" of my drives enabling the SMART feature and setting power management to Level 1 - Minimum power. I found I can't reach the higher (right most) drives from the topology menu. The Drive info covers the drives so I cannot select drives ada10 and ada11. Also changing the zoom menu doesn't help

My goal is to setup this machine for light two person use closet NAS. Buy 32GB of ECCRAM for it, and set it and forget it. Basically have it store family phones, music, and PC game saves. I'm open to advice, as I am learning while building so be gentle.

Specs:
FreeNAS Corral 10.0.4 off a USB 2.0 16GB Kingston Drive

Platform
C2550D4I



1.82TB x 12
Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU C2550 @ 2.40GHz
4 Cores @ 2.4GHz

Memory 16GB

 

[dlavigne]

FreeNAS Corral 10.0.4 off a USB 2.0 16GB Kingston Drive

Any particular reason you're not running 9.10-STABLE?

 

[glitch]

Any particular reason you're not running 9.10-STABLE?

I wanted to start with the newest version so I wouldn't have to relearn a different interface. Should I switch to 9.10? Right now I have my files "Backed-up" on two USB hard drives, so me crashing my NAS a few times while learning wouldn't ruin much. My thought process was, "By the time I learn how to setup and use FreeNAS correctly, odds are they'll have a stable release".

 

[gpsguy]

YES!

Corral is dead - read the announcement: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/important-announcement-regarding-freenas-corral.53502/

I wanted to start with the newest version so I wouldn't have to relearn a different interface. Should I switch to 9.10? .

 

[glitch]

Downloading 9.10 now. Thanks. Shame about Corral, I was using the FreeNASTeam's videos on it's youtube channel.

 

[Vito Reiter]

ECC RAM is definitely something you're going to want, especially if you have important data going through your NAS. Now, this is going to sound weird but it is unrecommended to have any more than 11 drives in a vdev, granted you can have unlimited drives in a volume. Your best bet is to set up two 6 drive RaidZ2 vdevs in a single volume. You will lose a little bit of space but you'll have better redundancy, a faster NAS, and quicker rebuild times. For some reason, I have heard of people losing their pools over having more than 11 drives in a single vdev. Just something you should research, but otherwise, it looks like you're on the right path, thanks for posting all your specs and welcome to the forums! P.S. definitely use 9.10 STABLE :)

Good luck,
Vito Reiter

 

[glitch]

ECC RAM is definitely something you're going to want, especially if you have important data going through your NAS. Now, this is going to sound weird but it is unrecommended to have any more than 11 drives in a vdev, granted you can have unlimited drives in a volume. Your best bet is to set up two 6 drive RaidZ2 vdevs in a single volume. You will lose a little bit of space but you'll have better redundancy, a faster NAS, and quicker rebuild times. For some reason, I have heard of people losing their pools over having more than 11 drives in a single vdev. Just something you should research, but otherwise, it looks like you're on the right path, thanks for posting all your specs and welcome to the forums! P.S. definitely use 9.10 STABLE :)

Good luck,
Vito Reiter

Yes, the default config tried to split up the drives into 2 separate 6 drive vdevs. I didn't understand why I would want that so I did the 12 drive setup. I figured just get started and get the server online so I can "learn by doing". ECC ram is the priority, but at the moment out of the budget. Until that point I'm going to consider the install a "temporary setup", that can be reinstalled without loosing anything of value.

Should I leave the drives setup with 2vdevs as raidz1 or change it to raidz2? I like the idea that I could have one drive fail and during a rebuild a second drive fail without too much panic. Also thanks everyone for the input.

 

[gpsguy]

As Vito said, one of the popular configurations is a pool consisting of 2 x 6 disk RAIDz2 vdev's. Yes, you will lose the equivalent of 4 drives to parity, but it provides benefits. RAIDz2 is preferable over RAIDz1 - search the forums for numerous discussions. If you ever want to grow you pool size by replacing the disks, you'll be glad you made the right decision now.

 

[Vito Reiter]

You'll want RaidZ2, as you can't change this without rebuilding the whole volume. I've used that redundancy for a while now, on non-enterprise drives, on failing drives, and in a completely unstable environment and it's been good so far (remember redundancy is not a backup), basically moral of the story is you can always replace small drives with bigger ones to expand the pool but you can't change the redundancy level of any vdev. With current drive sizes and rebuild times RaidZ2 is incredibly safe and exists only because RaidZ1 is no longer that safe.

 

[Pitfrr]

I'm just wondering: is a 12 drives vdev not recommended regardless of the RaidZ level?

I mean, I've read in the forum that a 12 disks RaidZ2 vdev is not recommended (and I would follow the advice of course) but what about 12 disks in a single RaidZ3, would that be more "acceptable" of is it the same?

I am curious and since I never tested with more than 6 drives in a vdev, I though I'd ask. ;-)

 

[nojohnny101]

I'm just wondering: is a 12 drives vdev not recommended regardless of the RaidZ level?

The advice goes that this applies to all raidz levels.

 

[glitch]

Okay we are back online with everything set to 2x6 drives raidz2. Curses, a drive has failed. Oh well, toss it out. Replaced. Time to hit the books.

 

[Vito Reiter]

Okay we are back online with everything set to 2x6 drives raidz2. Curses, a drive has failed. Oh well, toss it out. Replaced. Time to hit the books.

Awesome dude, glad everything worked out well.