Storage pools are used to aggregate disk storage into a large pool of storage that can be conveniently allocated and shared by volumes.
To achieve Storage pool’s optimal performance, SoftNAS recommends the use of disks of same sizes, types and performance characteristics, and RAID level (if there’s redundancy requirements) when creating and/or expanding a Storage pool.
Below are some of the important points considered why SoftNAS came up with such recommendation above as guidance when establishing a Storage pool to achieve its optimal performance:
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ZFS is a powerful and feature-rich file system that's well-suited for both personal and enterprise storage needs. Its combination of data integrity, scalability, and flexibility makes it a popular choice for managing and protecting data in a wide range of environments. |
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1. SoftNAS recommends the use of disks of same sizes, types and performance characteristics when creating and/or expanding a Storage Pool
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Creating and/or expanding a ZFS storage pool using disks of different types can lead to several problems and performance challenges. |
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In summary, while ZFS is flexible and allows you to create pools with different types of disks, it's generally recommended to use disks of the same type, size, and performance characteristics when building a ZFS storage pool. This ensures predictable performance and simplifies management and maintenance. If you have disks of different types, you might consider creating separate pools with similar disk types to avoid the performance and reliability issues associated with mixed disks. |
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2. SoftNAS recommends the use of same RAID level when creating and/or expanding a Storage Pool with redundancy requirements
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Creating a ZFS storage pool with mixed RAID levels, also known as a "hybrid" pool, can be done to achieve specific performance and redundancy requirements. However, it introduces complexity and potential issues that should be carefully considered. |
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In summary, while it's technically possible to create a ZFS storage pool with mixed RAID levels to achieve specific performance and redundancy goals, it introduces complexity, management challenges, and potential risks. Careful planning, monitoring, and documentation are essential when implementing such a configuration to ensure it meets your objectives while minimizing potential issues. |
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3. To achieve optimal performance of an existing Storage Pool composed of disks of different types and sizes, SoftNAS recommends to update all disks in an existing storage pool to be of same size, types and performance characteristics.
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For optimal performance and simplicity, it's generally recommended to use disks of the same size, type, and performance characteristics in a ZFS storage pool. This uniformity helps ensure consistent performance, ease of management, and predictable behavior. However, whether you should adjust disks to achieve this uniformity in an existing storage pool depends on your specific circumstances and requirements. |
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Below are the guides and additional considerations on how to update existing disk size, type and performance characteristics in different supported clouds and on-premise environments such as AWS, Azure, OCI and VMware:
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