# Freebsd jails with zfs vs ezjails



## wonslung (Nov 7, 2009)

I have a FreeBSD 7.2 fileserver.  I use ZFS.

I'm running 7 jails on this system.  Originally, i opted to go with ZFS clone based jails.  This seemed to make the sense, but now i'm wondering if i should have done things different.

I've been using ezjails a lot lately on other systems and i've grown to love how easy it makes many things.

My main question is:  Is there any noticeable advantage/disadvantage to using ezjail's nullfs mount system over ZFS clones.  I know the one big thing is that it's much easier to upgrade all jails because you only need to upgrade the base jail.

I originally considered the ZFS clone method to be a great idea but with 8.0 right around the corner, i'm starting to think the space savings from the original setup is going to disapear when i have to upgrade 7 clones..I guess i could back up the configuration data from my jails and rebuild them...

I'm starting to think ezjails may be a better idea even for ZFS...but before i switch i'm just currious to see what you guys think


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## graudeejs (Nov 7, 2009)

clones don't use space. Only when you modify files on clone or original fs, they start to use some space

(only diffs use space)


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## wonslung (Nov 8, 2009)

yes, i know that. BUT

Let's say you start out with a clone of 7.2 p1

you make 7 jails.  Then you have to update the jails.  With EZJIALS you just update the base jail.  With ZFS jails when you update the base jail it doesn't have the same effect because the clones are tied to an earlier dataset.  So to update you have to update all 7 jails.


This is what i'm talking about.
With a more than a few this will grow in size over time.  So my original post still applies


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## dennylin93 (Nov 8, 2009)

Use nullfs with ZFS?


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## graudeejs (Nov 8, 2009)

dennylin93 said:
			
		

> Use nullfs with ZFS?



Just what I wanted to say.
You can use zfs + nullfs


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## wonslung (Nov 9, 2009)

LOL, that's the entire point of the post!

It was a question as to the PERFORMANCE of nullfs VS ZFS.  

Ideally i'd like to use a ZFS filesystem for my base jail and EZJAILS's nullfs system for the rest, but i want to know if the performance is going to suffer, or be better, or what.  This is what i thought i asked in the first post.


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## graudeejs (Nov 9, 2009)

normally it shoudn't, if you have decent PC with enough ram


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## dennylin93 (Nov 9, 2009)

I agree with killasmurf86. As long as you have sufficient RAM, and ZFS is using an entire disk, the speed should be ok.


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## DutchDaemon (Nov 9, 2009)

Note that one is asking about 'nullfs OR zfs', while others are suggesting 'nullfs ON zfs'. Make sure you're talking about the same thing


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## wonslung (Nov 10, 2009)

Yeah, it's cool.  I just can't find much information about the performance of Nullfs jails on a ZFS filesystem VS the performance of ZFS only jails on the same system.

Currently, i have 7 jails on my ZFS system, all are ZFS clones of a single base jail.  

I'd like to know if there is any performance hits for switching the same system to Nullfs based jails on the same system.  On this system I'd likely make a ZFS filesystem for the basejail and use EZJAILS.


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