[OpenIndiana-discuss] ZFS pool move from one server to another?

[Bill Sommerfeld]

On 2/2/25 12:53, Carl Brewer via openindiana-discuss wrote:
> What I'd like to do :
> 
> detach the raidz array "bigfish" from the new box, pull the drives out.

Before you disconnect the storage, run "zpool export bigfish" on the 
sending system.  Among other things it will clean up the cachefile on 
the system which tells ZFS to expect the pool to be there at boot time, 
as well as marking the on-disk pool as exported.

> Detach the old raidz array "pond" on the old box, shut it down, remove 
> the old HDDs
> 
> Physically install the new drives in the old box
> 
> Attach bigfish (zpool attach?)

At this point, you run "zpool import" on the receiving box, check that 
it produces output showing a complete pool is ready to import, and then
"zpool import bigfish" on the receiving box here.

"zpool import" without options will look for pools on its own and tell 
you if it can find all the pieces.  If it reports missing devices this 
gives you a chance to fix any cabling or other hardware issues before 
going ahead with the import.

Changes in device names are not a problem and are to be expected; ZFS 
looks at the labels it puts at the start and end of each device which 
identify which place in the pool is occupied by each device.

You can look at these labels yourself with "zdb -l /dev/dsk/...".

If you have some spare disks (even a couple usb sticks will do), I 
recommend doing a test run with a pool you can afford to lose before 
doing this for real on a pool you care about.