Using ZFS on single disks, combining them with mergerfs, and paritizing them with Snapraid reddit / selfhosted ---------------------------------------------------------------------- sisalpino 路 2023-12-10 17:03 Most of my data is normal data. But some folders have large amount of small files (10kb~20kb nearly million image files. I tried to copy 500GB to a 1TB exfat formatted external ssd, but disk became full before copy finished.) Upon searching online, I found I need block suballocation or tail merging in file system, which exfat does not support, but zfs, btrfs support. Btrfs is still experimental and many user faced data corruption. Currently, I am building a homelab nas. I would like to maximize available disk space. I have 3 2TB SSD. I am planning to use 1 SSD in exfat fs, another in zfs or both of them in zfs separately (to maximize available disk space). Combine them using mergerfs. Use another 2tb SSD as parity using Snapraid. Whole system brought together using open media vault. Is this a valid / good approach. Please suggest 馃檹 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- thekrautboy 路 2023-12-10 17:08 /r/HomeServer /r/Homelab ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --ddiibb-- 路 2023-12-11 06:56 It depends really on how valuable the data is. raidz0 is still pretty stable, but if a disk fails, then it wont be a good day. That being said, it is what i currently use cos i live so so very dangerously.... If you require an exfat drive, then once you have created your zpool, you could simply create a zvol, and then format that to exfat, doing things this way ensures that you can still use all of the cool zfs things like snapshots, which i would definitely use regularly. For off site/other server backups there are plenty of options. this is [handy](https://raidcalculators.com/zfs-raidz-capacity.php). As is [this](https://arstechnica.com/information- technology/2020/05/zfs-101-understanding-zfs-storage-and-performance/) ( there is a good many decent articles on zfs on ars.) i would look into [freebsd](https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/zfs/), as zfs is default on that, so there are useful resources for learning there. Enjoy :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- sisalpino 路 2023-12-11 07:11 Thank you 馃憤 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --ddiibb-- 路 2023-12-11 07:13 all good, i also highly recommend this [book](https://www.tiltedwindmillpress.com/product/fmaz/), it's worth the purchase! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --ddiibb-- 路 2023-12-11 07:17 oh one last thing, compression is your friend, so make sure you use it, there is a lot a lot in zfs :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- --ddiibb-- 路 2023-12-11 07:21 one last last last thing. If you are more of a gui person, than a headless/cli person, then look into [truenas core,](https://www.truenas.com/truenas-core/) it is based on freebsd, and is accessible via browser once up so can make things a bit less overwhelming :)