Newbie question about volumes/pools (new install)

[rarick123]

Just finished building a new (to me) server, Dell R510 w/ H200, cross flashed to IT mode. I currently have four 2TB drives and four 4TB drives, and I'm wondering how best to set everything up. I know I can create raidz1 pools of 6TB and 12TB (N-1 in both pools), but is it possible to use the four 2TB drives as two 4TB pools, then lump those in with the other 4's and make something like a 16TB or 20TB volume when it's all done?

 

[Arwen]

Short answer no.

Next answer, really no.

You should read up on ZFS terminology. You seem to be using "pool" when you mean vDev.
Also, you can have a ZFS pool with 2 vDevs, 1 of which consisting of 4 x 4TB in a RAID-Z1, and the other consisting of 4 x 2TB in a RAID-Z1. The space from both vDevs will be added together into a single pool. However, it's not a good idea to use RAID-Z1 with disks larger that 1TB.


Long answer, it depends on exactly what you mean.
If combining 2 x 2TB disks in to a 4TB psuedo disk, and using it as part of a ZFS vDev made up of 4TB disks & 4TB psuedo disks, then yes, it's possible.
Is it recommended? NO.
Is that going to be reliable? NO.
Can you do it from the GUI? NO.

Basically if this was your question, and you have to ask the question, you don't have the skills to actually do it. (And support it after...) Sorry. This comes up every now and then.