[kwlug-disc] Filesystems for backups

[Jason Eckert]

Using ZFS raidz (or raidz2 or raidz3) seems like the best fit for what you
want.
Yes, you can't add more drives easily to a raidz, but this is minor,
because you can simply use multiple ZFS pools to extend storage.
Speed and data reliability are the biggest benefits of ZFS.
I do prefer FreeNAS myself (since I've used BSD for what seems like
forever), but it works very well on Linux (I just wish ZFS could legally be
incorporated into the kernel).
ReFS sucks.


On Wed, Aug 7, 2019 at 5:49 PM Paul Nijjar via kwlug-disc <
kwlug-disc at kwlug.org> wrote:

> I have a bunch of drives (mostly 1TB and 3TB) and one of those 24-bay
> disk array shelves I was writing about before. I want to have a big
> contiguous pool of storage onto which I can store backups. Currently I
> need something like 15-20TB of storage to feel comfortable, but this
> may grow over time. I will be backing up using gigabit ethernet (which
> might make restores interesting in an emergency, but oh well).
>
>
> Here is my dream setup:
> - One big storage pool
> - Able to serve up SMB shares for inferior operating systems to use as
>   backup targets
> - Able to add new drives as I need them without worrying about drive
>   sizes too much
> - Able to replace small drives in the array with bigger ones and use
>   the additional capacity easily
> - Able to use a lot of the space on the drives (so full redundancy is
>   not critical)
> - If a drive dies I don't lose everything (but can afford to lose what
>   was on that one drive)
> - Well supported, preferably on Ubuntu
> - (Relatively) easy for others to maintain and use
> - Good power usage?
>
> I do not think I can achieve the dream. Here is what I have thought
> of/looked into so far:
>
>
> ZFS with FreeNAS or Ubuntu (using ZFS on Linux), raidz
> ------------------------------------------------------
>
> - Allows a fair amount of storage without full redundancy?
> - Does NOT allow me to add new drives easily. I can only add entire
>   sets that match the existing raidz array, turning RAID5 into RAID50?
> - If a drive dies I can rebuild (with the usual RAID5 caveats)
> - ZFS on FreeNAS might be preferable to Ubuntu, but I might still go
>   with Ubuntu
> - Good protection against corruption
> - Maybe difficult for others to administer?
>
>
> ZFS with FreeNAS/Ubuntu, raid10 (or mdadm)
> ------------------------------------------
>
> - Easier to add new drives as long as they are in pairs
>   (Do the pairs have to be matched to previous pairs?)
> - Full redundancy which wastes space
> - If a drive dies I can rebuild it
> - Maybe it is hard/impossible to remove a pair of drives from the set
>
>
> ZFS with FreeNAS/Ubuntu, raid0 (or mdadm)
> -----------------------------------------
>
> - Maximize storage
> - But if one drive dies I lose everything
> - Maybe I can easily add to the array?
> - I don't think I can take anything out ever
>
>
> Plain LVM on Ubuntu
> -------------------
>
> - Maximize storage
> - Have one contiguous pool
> - What happens if one drive dies? Do I lose everything?
>
>
> Individual drives
> ------------------
>
> - I lose having a big contiguous pool for backups, which sucks.
> - Easy to add and remove drives, though
>
>
>
> In all cases I think I can serve up SMB 2/3 shares for inferior
> operating systems. Maybe I can do iSCSI something, but I do not know
> whether I should care about this.
>
> Are there other options I am missing or should consider?
>
> I presume (from talking to Lori) that ZFS is the thing I should lean
> towards for data integrity reasons, but I am open to people telling me
> that is overkill and I should use something else instead. It feels as
> if ZFS has the momentum in the storage filesystem wars, anyways (as
> compared to btrfs/xfs, or ReFS on Windows).
>
> A bunch of you are computer/storage geniuses. What do you do? What
> should I do?
>
> - Paul
>
> --
> http://pnijjar.freeshell.org
> https://off-topic.kwlug.org/watcamp
>
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>
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