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Date:      Tue, 9 Apr 2013 14:15:06 +0200
From:      Kai Gallasch <gallasch@free.de>
To:        Guido Falsi <mad@madpilot.net>
Cc:        freebsd-fs@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: FreeBSD 9.1 and swap on zfs
Message-ID:  <AF006790-64C2-49AA-9ED2-32917F514565@free.de>
In-Reply-To: <5162CBE8.5050104@madpilot.net>
References:  <9407C6ED-3B4C-4BA2-8B88-F8A998E0A847@free.de> <5162CBE8.5050104@madpilot.net>

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Am 08.04.2013 um 15:53 schrieb Guido Falsi:
> On 04/08/13 15:08, Kai Gallasch wrote:
>> Hi.
>>=20
>> When running a ZFS on root FreeBSD install..
>>=20
>> is it for FreeBSD 9.1 (ZFS v28) still not advisable to use a vdev as =
swapspace? - like:

> I can share my experience, which is not definitive but I hope can =
help.

thank you!

> I have various machines with ZFS on root. some with swap on ZVOL and =
some with swap on separate partitions (none are mirroring the swap using =
gmirror though).
>=20
> There is a race condition between ZFS' ARC and the VM system when very =
low memory conditions arise and this could happen and the machine just =
starves, I've seen this happen on machines when running buildworld -j =
without enough ram and also on machines running ports tinderbox or =
poudriere. This is not happening when using a separate swap partition. =
In such a case the machine swaps happily and just slows down as =
naturally expected when swapping a lot.

Do you also have machines running on 9.1 that swap on ZVOL and which =
show this behaviour?

> My suggestion is:
>=20
> if you want stability and don't have specific disk layout problems =
create a separate swap.


I think I'll repartition and swap to a gmirror device then.
This also has the advantage of being able to write kernel dumps to the =
swap (not possible with a ZVOL bases swap AFAIK)

Kai.=



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