fresh installation: ZFS without Raid

[maxprox]

Hello,
a new 4.2 install here. I will use the ZFS Filesystem but without any raid.
Which option should I choose - zfs (RAID0) zfs (RAID1) in the dialog box?
And in the next step simply select only one hard drive?
Must be then followed up after basic installation anything else?

Or is that way impossible and has to be done on a Debian Jessie basic installtion?

(I don not need any raid for this server)

regards,
maxprox

 

[dietmar]

Why don't you use the normal LVM setup if you do not read RAID?

 

[maxprox]

Hi Dietmar,
yes, that is the question and indeed I am not sure with ZFS. On this server I never will use any raid,
(my Hardware: MB: Fujitsu D3417-B, XEON E3-1245V5, Samsung 2x16GB, DDR4-2133, ECC M391A2K43BB1-CPB)
This server is for my Homeoffice and also test environment.
For my (new) customer Proxmox Server I use ZFS WITH raid (and with Support Subscription ;-)

The reasons for me, to use ZFS:
- I will use the same Filesystem on my server and test environment as with my customers and because ZFS is new for me, I can so better practice.
- I think it's more stable than ext4 and with the option "sync = disabled" as fast

You would prefer ext4 with LVM (as default)?
regards,
maxprox

 

[LnxBil]

You gave yourself your answer why you should use raid in your home/test environment as well: "I can so better practice". Use raid1 in ZFS to do exactly this. The main part which fails in a server system is the harddisk, so you should play around with exactly this scenario. If you have server grade hardware with expensive ECC memory, money should not be your problem, so an additional harddisk for your server is a nobrainer. ZFS puts the I(nexpensive) in RAID into perspective again.

ZFS is not as fast as ext4, even if you disable sync (which can of course also be disabled on ext4). I compared it several times on different systems and if you consider snapshots, etc. you will be slower. It is never as fast as ext4, but you gain a ton of extra features, ext4 simply does not have and this is the main part why to use ZFS over anything else. Memory is also a big thing! Keep in mind that ZFS uses at most 16 GB of your RAM.

 

[maxprox]

Hello LnxBil,
yes I know your right with everything you say. I have read a lot about ZFS (
https://calomel.org/zfs_raid_speed_capacity.html , http://jrs-s.net/2015/02/06/zfs-you-should-use-mirror-vdevs-not-raidz/ ...
I have to think about it, - one more reason for a mirror is the better read performance -
thanks for the answer

 

[maxprox]

So, half a year ago I bought a second hard drive and now runs for over half a year the system with Raid 1
and without any problem... ;-)
And now I am building the next Proxmox system with the same board, but with Raid 10 and 4x 4kn hdd's, but that is another thread

best regards,
maxprox

 

[LnxBil]

Nice to hear! Thank you for reporting back.