How do you partition multi TB arrays?

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bubbles

Limp Gawd
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Dec 16, 2005
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I see some guys here have 4+ TB arrays. How do you partition them?

One big partition? or a few separate partitions?

It seems that one big partition would be more space efficient, but has more risk with file system errors.

Also what file system is recommended for very large partitions?
 
As far as I know only NTFS (for Windows systems anyways) will support multi TB sizes

I myself have it all in one huge partition but its just for movies/music/backup/etc, NO programs or OS on that huge of a partition
 
I don't currently have a setup like that but when I do, it will more than likely be for storage only and on a server at which point I will more than likely leave it as a single partition. I don't usually have a reason to partition my storage drives and don't see a reason to change anytime soon.

 
No partition XFS for me. But if Sun would completely GPL ZFS that is what I would use.
 
bubbles said:
I see some guys here have 4+ GB arrays. How do you partition them?

One big partition? or a few separate partitions?

It seems that one big partition would be more space efficient, but has more risk with file system errors.

Also what file system is recommended for very large partitions?
Click to expand...

All my drives are larger than 4 GB. :p

Oh, you mean 4TB? Well, I just make my arrays one large partition. My storage machine at home is 20 drives and only 8 of those are in an array. It becomes real cumbersome to try and find exactly where I want to put something. I really want to build a new storage server so I can just dump everything quickly instead of having to look for it first.
 
pirate252 said:
I myself have it all in one huge partition but its just for movies/music/backup/etc, NO programs or OS on that huge of a partition
Click to expand...

+1.

Make sure the partition is GPT - GUID Partition Table, so you can address more than 2TB+ as compared to MBR's 2TB limit.
 
3gb RAID+EXT3+Samba = no partition problems noticed for me. Sure, it is under linux as a file server.

I keep local partitions to no more than 1tb.
 
What about using LVM on Linux to put three 6TB arrays into one massive 18TB volume? Anyone tried something like that?
 
bubbles said:
What about using LVM on Linux to put three 6TB arrays into one massive 18TB volume? Anyone tried something like that?
Click to expand...

You could do it! The beauty of LVM, you could have volumes from other RAID cards, a few from the internet SATA then add in a couple USB drives!

Talk about compounding failure points! But you could also stack a pile of RAID5s together..
 
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