I have today a mirror of 2x2TB (1x WD Red CMR + 1x ST IronWolf CMR).
I have a 6 TB WD Red CMR backup drive connected to USB.
My machine is an HP microserver Gen8, which I picked due to its size (it fits perfectly where I cannot put anything else).
Here's my working pool:
Sizes below are consolidated as if I had enough space on the NAS.
Today it is spread across the NAS and two drives):
I have two kind of usage:
- cold storage
sorted pictures: ±300 photo location directories
I do not access them often, and rarely update them either
If the files are there it means I am done with them
Recap on sizes:
Since I'm moving systems, I am also taking time to rethink my pools (and backup strategy...):
Splitting would give me the flexibility to increase the cold storage pool as it grows and also reduce the fragmentation caused by WIP.
I am still undecided if I should do a 3-way mirrors in the cold storage pool (at least of the original pool).
Also, I read that ZFS is better performing with lower occupancy.
However, what if my cold storage has little fragmentation: could I fill it more (like 70/80% before increasing the pool?)
That would decide me if I should go with 6 TB or 8 TB for the first mirror (that's a ~100 euros difference between 2x6 TB and 2x 8TB)
For the time being, I'd still backup to my 6TB USD drive until I figure out how to grow out of my 4-bay system.
I'd for now most likely backup both pools on the same backup drive.
I'm also thinking how to grow: new enclosure or complete new system?
I have a 6 TB WD Red CMR backup drive connected to USB.
My machine is an HP microserver Gen8, which I picked due to its size (it fits perfectly where I cannot put anything else).
Here's my working pool:
Code:
bob: Lightroom DBs# zpool list -v MAIN_POOL NAME SIZE ALLOC FREE EXPANDSZ FRAG CAP DEDUP HEALTH ALTROOT MAIN_POOL 1.81T 1.54T 282G - 49% 84% 1.00x ONLINE - mirror 1.81T 1.54T 282G - 49% 84% ada0.nop - - - - - - ada1.nop - - - - - -
Sizes below are consolidated as if I had enough space on the NAS.
Today it is spread across the NAS and two drives):
I have two kind of usage:
- cold storage
sorted pictures: ±300 photo location directories
I do not access them often, and rarely update them either
If the files are there it means I am done with them
- original files & edit DBs (currently 1.1 TB):
- tens to thousands of original photos files (RAW ~35 MB/file)
- Lightroom catalog (up to 1 GB)
.lrcat extension, which seems to contain an SQlite DB - Lightroom preview data directory (up to a 5/10 GB)
.lrdata (contain hundred of files)
- there are exported files:
- JPGs sorted in directories
- Aperture/iPhoto (230 GB + 50 GB):
- For these two, I might move them out of the NAS and keep them on an disk I connect by USB
- An old Aperture DB (many many small files including links)
- Associated photo files in a separate directory
- iPhoto DBs (many small files including links)
- it's an area where I dump all my unsorted RAW until I am done sorting and editing
- the files there are usually moving between my computer and the NAS
- I copy them locally, cull and transfer back to the NAS
- only after I export the files I move everything to the location described above
- I believe these movements create a lot of fragmentation
Recap on sizes:
- cold
- LR: 1.1 TB
- Export: 20 GB
- Aperture/iPhoto (230 GB + 50 GB)
- WIP: 900 GB
Since I'm moving systems, I am also taking time to rethink my pools (and backup strategy...):
- create two pools instead of one:
- a pool for the cold storage
- should I pick 6 (or 8?) TB for the first mirror?
- a pool for the WIP
- WIP can stay in a 2 TB mirror
- a pool for the cold storage
Splitting would give me the flexibility to increase the cold storage pool as it grows and also reduce the fragmentation caused by WIP.
I am still undecided if I should do a 3-way mirrors in the cold storage pool (at least of the original pool).
Also, I read that ZFS is better performing with lower occupancy.
However, what if my cold storage has little fragmentation: could I fill it more (like 70/80% before increasing the pool?)
That would decide me if I should go with 6 TB or 8 TB for the first mirror (that's a ~100 euros difference between 2x6 TB and 2x 8TB)
For the time being, I'd still backup to my 6TB USD drive until I figure out how to grow out of my 4-bay system.
I'd for now most likely backup both pools on the same backup drive.
I'm also thinking how to grow: new enclosure or complete new system?