From owner-freebsd-fs@FreeBSD.ORG Sat Jun 22 19:51:46 2013 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-fs@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5DB88D0F for ; Sat, 22 Jun 2013 19:51:46 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from prvs=1885c13778=killing@multiplay.co.uk) Received: from mail1.multiplay.co.uk (mail1.multiplay.co.uk [85.236.96.23]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id E166D1B37 for ; Sat, 22 Jun 2013 19:51:45 +0000 (UTC) Received: from r2d2 ([82.69.141.170]) by mail1.multiplay.co.uk (mail1.multiplay.co.uk [85.236.96.23]) (MDaemon PRO v10.0.4) with ESMTP id md50004466869.msg for ; Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:51:43 +0100 X-Spam-Processed: mail1.multiplay.co.uk, Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:51:43 +0100 (not processed: message from valid local sender) X-MDDKIM-Result: neutral (mail1.multiplay.co.uk) X-MDRemoteIP: 82.69.141.170 X-Return-Path: prvs=1885c13778=killing@multiplay.co.uk X-Envelope-From: killing@multiplay.co.uk X-MDaemon-Deliver-To: freebsd-fs@freebsd.org Message-ID: <12FB82C142E74924B27F4DBB642D0D1F@multiplay.co.uk> From: "Steven Hartland" To: "Jeremy Chadwick" , "John" References: <51C5B4EE.3010601@growveg.net> <81EDE2A7D67241DAB985C38662DA57DD@multiplay.co.uk> <51C5EAB0.7040009@growveg.net> <20130622191619.GA73246@icarus.home.lan> Subject: Re: Dell R710 with PERC H310. GPT issues and hardware raid or ZFS? Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 20:51:56 +0100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.5931 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.6157 Cc: freebsd-fs@freebsd.org X-BeenThere: freebsd-fs@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.14 Precedence: list List-Id: Filesystems List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 19:51:46 -0000 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jeremy Chadwick" To: "John" Cc: Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2013 8:16 PM Subject: Re: Dell R710 with PERC H310. GPT issues and hardware raid or ZFS? > On Sat, Jun 22, 2013 at 07:19:28PM +0100, John wrote: >> Hello, thank you for your reply. >> >> On 22/06/2013 18:48, Steven Hartland wrote: >> > I see you have an dell + mfi controller, there was an important FW update >> > released a week or so back do ensure you have that installed or you'll >> > suffer from nasty IO stalls. >> >> Thats... thats what I was seeing!!! I was running a svn update for ports >> and svn just sat there like a piece of cheese in a state of wdrain >> according to top. >> >> OK so firstly I need to update the controller. After some googling I >> found this site https://calomel.org/zfs_raid_speed_capacity.html where >> they "raid0" each disk to take advantage of the controller, but it seems >> (so far) with my controller that once hardware raid is enabled it can't >> be disabled. It does not allow the opportunity to make one raid0 disk >> from one disk and then go to another disk to do the same. Maybe I should >> do it with the first one then let zfs do the remaining three. > > 1. I would recommend you avoid use of the controller entirely. Get > yourself a different controller that doesn't do RAID and use that. If > you can disable the on-board controller in the BIOS, and pick yourself > up a Supermicro AOC-USAS2-L8e HBA (around US$140) and use that > (or even a siis(4) controller (around US$30)), you'd be better off. > > http://www.supermicro.com/products/accessories/addon/AOC-USAS2-L8i.cfm?TYP=E > > This uses the mps(4) driver. > > I'm intentionally keeping this terse rather than going into the > different HBA types (ex. the 2108 uses mfi(4) (avoid please), and there > are other models which do RAID but some which can have RAID disabled by > using a different "version" of firmware (have to ask Technical Support > for it, etc.). > > 2. The "make each disk a RAID 0 volume" has caveats which the author of > that article does not disclose. One of the biggest is if you plan on > using SSDs with the controller -- you won't be able to get TRIM/UNMAP > support (via SCSI commands 0x85 (PASS-THROUGH-16) or 0xa1 > (PASS-THROUGH-12) doing that, which will hurt you **big time**. Some mfi controllers actually have a JBOD option, if it does you'll be able to this controller if not watch out as using the RAID 0 option will almost certainly cause you pain. mps as Jeremy has said is better option. Regards Steve ================================================ This e.mail is private and confidential between Multiplay (UK) Ltd. and the person or entity to whom it is addressed. In the event of misdirection, the recipient is prohibited from using, copying, printing or otherwise disseminating it or any information contained in it. In the event of misdirection, illegible or incomplete transmission please telephone +44 845 868 1337 or return the E.mail to postmaster@multiplay.co.uk.