Dataset Creation Methodology

[nemo1478]

How do you guys go about creating datasets? Do you create one for each type of share or each new plugin you install etc?

Is it ever ok to just have one dataset?

 

[Bidule0hm]

It's generally better to have one dataset per "thing" but, really, it's up to you to decide what is best for your use case.

 

[nemo1478]

Really need to understand this thing. I have been using 1 dataset for everything hoping to keep things simple but it seems to complicate things somehow with all kind of permission problems for each plugin I install. So frustrated yes.

 

[nemo1478]

I have been following videos on this permissions thing. There is a 'root' user and 'wheel' group that I would think has full control of everything but still another user is created lets call it 'test' along with a 'test' group. When permissions are granted to a new dataset the owner remains as 'root' but the group now becomes 'test'. Baffling stuff

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

Really need to understand this thing. I have been using 1 dataset for everything hoping to keep things simple but it seems to complicate things somehow with all kind of permission problems for each plugin I install.

If you think about the features that datasets offer, that may help you to come up with a strategy. For example, a dataset has ownership, and an optional quota, and the ability to play nicely with either Windows or *nix but not both at the same time. With this in mind, I have:

• a dataset for backups coming from a Windows PC, and it has a quota, because you can't tell Windows Backup to limit its usage
• a dataset for backups coming from multiple Macs, because the backup program I use for that knows how to stick to a storage budget
• a dataset for my VirtualBox jail, which holds the VMs and some disk images
• a dataset for media, which is where I store DVD images

I had a dataset for BTSync storage, but I've stopped using it so that's gone.

More datasets isn't necessarily better, but one dataset probably isn't enough for most setups.

 

[Darren Myers]

I had a RAID10 with 4 partitions originally, so when i migrated to FreeNAS i was going to make 4 pools....but i didnt want another chassis, so i decided on 3 pools of 7 hdds in RAIDz3. From there i created my largest pool of x7 4Tb hdds for my movies (Storage), then created my x2 2Tb (of 7 hdds each) pools for my Data and Data 2, as well as my "internal" dataset. Since 2 of my migrated partitions were small i put them on the same pool and called it a day.