ZFS Advice on formatting an encrypted consumer-grade data disk

[karel]

Hello, I've made an encrypted data disk on consumer-grade hardware like this:

gpart create -s gpt ada0
gpart add -t freebsd-zfs -a 4k -l box0 ada0
geli init -s 4k gpt/box0
geli attach gpt/box0

zpool create box gpt/box0.eli
zfs create box/work
touch /box/work/TEST
...

I've pulled the plug, booted, attached GELI partition and zpool was blank. After some pointless fiddling (export, import, scrub) data reappeared.

Is this setup supposed to survive power failures? Should freebsd-ufs be used as a base partition or maybe UFS instead of ZFS?

Thank you!

 

[SirDice]

Is this setup supposed to survive power failures?

Yes.

Should freebsd-ufs be used as a base partition or maybe UFS instead of ZFS?

No.

But it's more common to encrypt the disk then create the partitions on the .eli device. Instead of the other way around.

 

[karel]

I don't need partitions and would use the whole disk, but I wanted a label if maybe ZFS needs it to find the drive plugged in another slot. Guesswork.

 

[SirDice]

I don't need partitions and would use the whole disk, but I wanted a label if maybe ZFS needs it to find the drive plugged in another slot.

tunefs(8):

     -L volname
             Add/modify an optional file system volume label.  Legal
             characters are alphanumerics, dashes, and underscores.

Then encrypt the volume name and create a pool with the .eli volume name.