Detaching ZFS pools in RAIDZ1 - functional external storage?

[karpodiem]

Hello - I have a question pertaining to a particular use case of ZFS, with FreeNAS. I'd like to store 3TB of data on 2x4TB drives that would be RAIDZ1. I want to disconnect these drives upon copying over the data, and store them on a shelf. I'd then like to test the integrity the drives one weekend a year.

Is this possible with ZFS/FreeNAS? Is it just as simple as un-attaching and re-attaching the pool? Does ZFS store metadata so that when the pool/drives are re-attached, if one of the drives demonstrates bit-rot, the other drive will copy over the correct data?

Thanks!

 

[whitey]

You cannot create a raidz1 on two devices, 3 minimum. This is the simple process that can be done to accomplish what i think you are trying to do.

Regular ZFS usage/growing ZFS datasets into pool
zpool export 'poolname'
Shelf
Time to check data integrity
zpool import 'poolname'

Verify data integrity, 'zpool export poolname', re-shelf. Rinse/repeat

 

[karpodiem]

You cannot create a raidz1 on two devices, 3 minimum. This is the simple process that can be done to accomplish what i think you are trying to do.

Regular ZFS usage/growing ZFS datasets into pool
zpool export 'poolname'
Shelf
Time to check data integrity
zpool import 'poolname'

Verify data integrity, 'zpool export poolname', re-shelf. Rinse/repeat

Ah, yes you are correct - it's not RADIZ1. I'm just mirroring two drives of the same size, so mirrored vdevs.

Thanks for the commands!

 

[Markus]

Just for clarification and my interests: You simply do a manual / explicit scrub after importing the pool again or whats your plan?

Regards
Markus

 

[karpodiem]

Just for clarification and my interests: You simply do a manual / explicit scrub after importing the pool again or whats your plan?

Regards
Markus

Correct. The disks are basically in cold storage - one a year I'd like to pull them out and test data integrity. Not a huge archive, 2x4TB disks for now. I'll add an additional set of 2x4TB disks every 3 or 4 years.