Setting up RAID 5 on a FreeNAS server

A short video tutorial showing how to set up RAID 5 (with 3 hard disks) on a FreeNAS server.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• technology
• freenas
• raid5
• freebsd

[learnfreenas]

The RAID5 configuration here is handled 100% by software, you don't need a hardware RAID controller.

[learnfreenas]

The equation for RAID5 is simple:

Size of disk * (number of disks - 1)

So in your case it would be:

2 * 3 = 6GB

I hope this helps,

Gary

[xxgg]

Even if I use say... a lot more HDDs?

2GB x ( 6HDDs - 1 ) = 10GB

True?

Won't it need more HDD or space if I build with more HDD?

Also, will I be able to add additional HDD to existing RAID5 setup? and still keep all the data on the existing RAID5 setup?

Future upgradeability?

[learnfreenas]

It doesn't matter how many disks you use the formula remains the same. So for 6 x 2GB the total would be 10GB as you say.

You can't add disks to an existing RAID5 setup. In version 0.7 of FreeNAS the ZFS file system is supported which allows storage pools extended.

[J2897Tutorials]

Awesome Video! :D

Just built my FreeNAS box:

Pentium III 498MHz, 128MB Mem, **2TB RAID 5, Gb LAN (WoL), O/S FreeNAS on 4GB Compact Flash.

**Still waiting for the Drives to be delivered, but everything seems to be functioning.

'Memory usage' is only showing up as 34MB for some reason (Status>System).

I'm currently having a very hard time trying to find out how to create Partitions in a 'RAID 5' configuration though... Was hoping to have an Encrypted Partition.

I'm experimenting with the VM.

[J2897Tutorials]

@zer0nix I'm still using it. I have just transferred a 1GB film from my NAS to PC via ethernet in around 2 minutes. The speed was about 75Mbps.

[signalsoldier]

How do you import a RAID5 array into a newer version of FN 0.7.xx. without doing the final format? I was using a thumb drive for my OS and it recently became corrupt and I cannot recover (or at least I do not know how to) my config. So on a separate thumb drive I installed 0.7.2.6567. Can I recover the existing RAID5 withing blowing my data?

[zer0nix]

@J2897Tutorials what kind of file transfer speeds did you get off of the pentium 3 nas? was it anywhere close to 30Mbps?

[leehong8882221]

lol 4gb of space

[phamcs]

@learnfreenas : Yes, it's possible to add new hard drive to existing array .. LOL .. you just like a frog in the bottom of the well so you think the sky is small .. The trick is you have to use the same size HD get it ready by going through all the add, format and then unmount the array and use the linux command to insert the new drive into the array. After that then remount the array.

[2000jago]

Let's say one of the disks in the RAID5 array fails. How is one made aware of this failure?

[yapanuwan]

OMG !  You are running FreeNAS on a Virtual Machine !!!!

[DocSommer]

Hi there, I'm planning to set up a freenas System with a HP ProLiant N36L and four 2GB harddrives in Raid5 or RaidZ1 mode. I'm kind of newish with these things and I'd really like to know how I recognize when one of the discs fails and how I determine wich disc I have to replace. The next question is the decision between Raid5 and RaidZ1 - any recommendations? thx

[oxide112]

i've a problem im running the latest freenas, im also trying 2 get a raid5 with 3disks 250GB each , but it doesnt do anything ? just says rebuilding,.. but at info tab there is nothing shown

[bhiller06]

@learnfreenas My set up is 3 2TB drives. I have my OS installed on drive 1 "AD0" I want all three drives in the RAID 5. Can I do this? Right now my log says "root: graid5: Can't store metadata on /dev/ad0: Operation not permitted." Is there a way I can get this to work?