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Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:56:15 -0500
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From: Randy Bush <randy@psg.com>
To: FreeBSD FS <freebsd-fs@freebsd.org>
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Subject: zfs with a bunch of drives
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we want to build a new 16-drive RELENG_9 server on which we intend to
run a bunch of vboxen.  a couple of years ago, we built a 16-drive
server.  based on advice here not to just do a big raidz, it was
configured as eight mirrors

        tank                ONLINE       0     0     0
          mirror            ONLINE       0     0     0
            label/m00-d01   ONLINE       0     0     0
            label/m00-d00   ONLINE       0     0     0
          mirror            ONLINE       0     0     0
            label/m01-d00   ONLINE       0     0     0
            label/m01-d01   ONLINE       0     0     0

and so forth.  is this still the best advice for performance?

and is there a url for building a bootable RELENG_9 zfs-only system?
last i looked there were a half dozen all somewhat different.

thanks for clue.

randy