# Disk layout



## eyescream (Jan 28, 2011)

Hello,

I'm coming from Linux and I've been playing around with FreeBSD a bit over the last couple of weeks and now I intent on switching my main machine over to it.

However, I am unsure as to how to set up my disks, so I'd appreciate some input.

After searching for some examples, I've found this to be like what I had in mind. A mirrored system plus raidz for other data sounds good.

Is there anything "wrong" with a setup such as this? I don't have any special needs, I'd just like a solid system with some redundancy, yet still plenty of space to store data and the ability to make snapshots. It's mainly going to be a desktop system.

Also, how many disks would be recommend for such a setup involving raidz? The linked thread does it with 3 but I've read that 4 are the "sweet spot". I currently have 2 identical 500GB disks in this machine and I am unsure whether to buy two more or just one.


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## JimW (Jan 29, 2011)

RAID and/or mirroring on a desktop workstation?

This is a somewhat divisive topic that tends to pit the more "geeky" type computer people against the more "practical" type computer users.

In practical terms, there are very few uses were a desktop workstation would ever need such a setup. That's why servers were invented. 

You need to consider what you will be doing with this workstation that would justify such a setup. Not to mention the high possibility and likelihood of future headaches, aggravation, and overall performance hits for the desktop workstation.

If you insist on a desktop workstation that includes some type of RAID and/or mirroring, I would suggest spending some money on a good hardware RAID controller. If you decide on software RAID and/or mirroring, your life will most definitely include some headaches and aggravation in the not too distant future.


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## rusty (Jan 29, 2011)

Worth a read: http://constantin.glez.de/blog/2010/01/home-server-raid-greed-and-why-mirroring-still-best


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## eyescream (Jan 29, 2011)

JimW said:
			
		

> RAID and/or mirroring on a desktop workstation?
> 
> This is a somewhat divisive topic that tends to pit the more "geeky" type computer people against the more "practical" type computer users.
> 
> ...



Well, I can't really justify such a setup with anything but my curiosity and my desire to learn more. Though, I was expecting to run into some fun problems to fix, the way you put it makes me reconsider at least until I have more general experience with FreeBSD itself.

So for now, I guess I want a working system with which I can do my usual while being able to familiarize myself with FreeBSD and zfs without a using a setup that is as complex.



			
				rusty said:
			
		

> Worth a read: http://constantin.glez.de/blog/2010/01/home-server-raid-greed-and-why-mirroring-still-best



Interesting read.

I am not too concerned with losing data as I keep all my important data backed up on several external drives, however, as I stated before, I'd like to play around a little getting to know FreeBSD and zfs.

I am honestly clueless as to what disk setup would work best for that. Maybe just putting the base system on ufs without mirroring and then using one big zfs raidz pool? In this case I'd rather have the space than the performance/extra redundancy and from what I've gathered so far that should be fairly manageable.


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## jem (Jan 30, 2011)

Have you considered an exclusively-ZFS setup with a mirrored pool?  There are a number of good HOWTO's on how to set this up.


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## eyescream (Feb 2, 2011)

I did consider that for a while but after reading around some more I am now pretty much set on keeping the base system on ufs, just for the sake of having the experience with a setup like that.

I am sure that if I enjoy FreeBSD and decide to keep it as my desktop OS, I'll end up reinstalling it at some point and by that point I'll have a better idea of what exactly I want/what is best for me and that might very well be a setup such as that.

For now I'll just go with a similar setup such as the one I linked in my first post and play around 

Thanks for your opinions!


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