ZFS Splitting a mirrored non-root ZFS pool

gofer_touch

gofer_touch

I currently have a few non-root mirrored (two disks) ZFS pools under FreeBSD (3) and FreeNAS (1) that I am interested in splitting and storing the mirrored halves of each pool offsite.

I found some information concerning this feature from Oracle's documentation and wondered if anyone has had experience using this successfully under FreeBSD and FreeNAS.

According to Oracle https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E19253-01/819-5461/gjooc/ its a matter of:

# zpool split tank tank2
# zpool import tank2
# zpool status tank tank2

Before I carry this out, are there any caveats that I should be aware of that others have run into? Also, what would be the equivalent way to do this under the FreeNAS GUI - as mucking around with the CLI under FreeNAS seems to be discouraged.
 
Last time I had to do something "interesting" with ZFS it was because my UFS SSD that the OS was installed on on my home NAS died and I wanted to revive it without messing with all my backup data on my ZFS pool. I set up a mock up in VirtualBox, removed the first drive, then figured out how to manually install to the existing ZFS pool without losing data. So bottom line is if you don't get any feedback, try it out yourself in a virtual environment and see if it works before you attempt for real.

No idea on the FreeNAS GUI part. That question would best be directed to the FreeNAS forums. As a reminder:
https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/pc-bsd-freenas-nas4free-and-all-other-freebsd-derivatives.7290/
 
This is helpful and makes sense. I do have two machines that have GELI-encrypted mirror pools. I am not sure if I it is a catastrophe waiting to happen if I try and split them, but trying it out in a VM seems doable.
 
I have done/tried this a bunch of times, works as advertised. I have even done it with FreeNAS boot drives and second system booted right up! I haven't tried encrypted though.

If your data is important to you though I would recommend replication instead. Once you split those mirrors you will have no redundancy and you know, Murphy's law.
 
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