From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Nov 18 12:16:55 2010 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1F776106566B for ; Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:16:55 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from wodfer@gmail.com) Received: from mail-gw0-f54.google.com (mail-gw0-f54.google.com [74.125.83.54]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D06038FC1D for ; Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:16:54 +0000 (UTC) Received: by gwj20 with SMTP id 20so1822165gwj.13 for ; Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:16:54 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:received:received:date:message-id :subject:from:to:content-type; bh=NofPYdmMZeOzPQdmNr/HahTJuNaN5LM3X87n/pRzWx8=; b=DaZ5YGe4yZNp9ftS0QHGrYewND5tBZcbjWqYCOZ7mABf+cLhkJZJMIZ0FHJarlqkMj 12DeofWxPFH8yjMyV6OOr1J/DVYevpI1/TrYqmg3yn+y6ARDRMl3B5Y1bNfBVTt89DrD jTldeYXWxRHc+aeZiPHmV3bKAfM3nwzc3Y4nA= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:date:message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; b=Y5pmsEgQRbvCZ9gxOnG4kra9/CcKrLDvbudE2EbcsX/dBEsT0j3Ng2jNIAb2CP4QRT NbzLSfqzrqpK9MauH0QATPOPj9YqpXffY4LT+23qwN1tNTF0X4uIzoXlJT8+3YXeLDOh hHC/wrTuYoyg3HHW6XSkpBN1K4PQRH4tk6GxQ= MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.90.231.10 with SMTP id d10mr970532agh.44.1290082614094; Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:16:54 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.90.254.3 with HTTP; Thu, 18 Nov 2010 04:16:53 -0800 (PST) Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2010 13:16:53 +0100 Message-ID: From: Andy Wodfer To: freebsd-questions Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Subject: FreeBSD and large harddrives X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:16:55 -0000 Hi, I'm going to build a server that's intended to store uncompressed videofiles (where 1 hour film equals about 500GB). I plan on using Western Digital 2TB or 3TB SATA harddrives. Total storage in version 1 of this server will probably be 8-12 TB. Harddrive speed is not so important so a 5400rpm drive would be OK. Seems like the green line of WD harddrives use both 5400rpm and 7200rpm. I will use RAID 5. The processor will be a 64bit capable Intel processor and I plan on using a Highpoint Rocketraid or 3ware Raid controller. So now my questions: 1. Which FreeBSD version should I install? (it must support large drives). I'm currently using the standard FreeBSD 8.1 (STABLE) on several servers, but this is a 32bit version, right? I suppose I need a 64bit version when I use large harddrives? 2. I know that the 3ware Raid controller supports larger drives than 2TB (or was it 1TB?). The Highpoint controller I'm not so sure of, but I've had good experience with these on a few Windows servers and on one FreeBSD server. My setup would be to use the entire disk for both operating system and filestorage (in version 1). How can I create this huge partition/slice? I don't think the installer (atleast on the standard FreeBSD version) supports these large drives? Thanks for your help. I might have follow-up questions as my project make progress. Best, Andy