[OpenIndiana-discuss] what to setup with 4 matched disks

[Harry Putnam]

James via openindiana-discuss <openindiana-discuss at openindiana.org>
writes:

> On 01/11/2020 18:10, Harry Putnam wrote:
>
>> I've been coasting along for several years only using matched and
>> mirrored pairs of disks.
>>
>> Now I would like to do some experimenting with some of the other
>> possible setups.  I'm thinking maybe raidz2 or raidz3.
>
> How much data do you have?  For small amounts stick with mirrors.

Small potatoes.. maybe 4 TB total.  things are complicated a bit by
the fact that my HP xw8600 is not capable of running 3 TB or larger
discs.  And Is somewhat limited in ports, without some creative
cobbling. 


> Do you own the HDDs already?  For 4TB of storage a mirror is about the
> same price as raidz because the price per capacity of HDDs goes up

Well as I mentioned in OP my experimenting is taking place on Vbox VM
where of course disc or limitied only by space on the HOST.

[...]

Something I'm not clear about.
This thread did not cover it..

Is there a big difference between 6 2 disk mirrors in 6 vdevs as
compared to 1 vdev of 3 sets of 2disk mirrors.

I haven't done the second method.  What all does it have going for it
over the multiple vdev case?

>
> "zfs mirror vs raidz":
> https://jrs-s.net/2015/02/06/zfs-you-should-use-mirror-vdevs-not-raidz/
> etc.

Good reading there, thanks.  Although I must admit I probably
understood no more than 60 maybe 65 percent.  I'm sure its more my
shortcoming than the authors. And I'm hope full about  that percentage
rising.
At my age that's always assuming the man with the scythe doesn't burst
upon the scene too quickly ... hehe