*BETA* RAIDiator 4.00b2-p2-T1 available

[yoh-dah]

I see that one of the new features is online expansion (yes!) but it requires journaling enabled.

Since most everyone disables journaling, is it possible to enable journaling, add the new disk, let it expand while online and disable journaling when it is done with the expansion?

Yes, you can do that.

[XLION]

Does really almost everyone disable ext3 journaling?
I can't see/find a performance "boost" that would outweigh the loss of fail-safety.
// Note that I'm refering to "ext3 journaling" and not "full journaling".

For the same reason I would never enable "disk spin down" (which
forces ext3 journaling to be disabled) even if the ReadyNAS power supply
is buffered using a UPS.

Or am I wrong and performance gets MUCH better when disabling the journal?

Axel

[yoh-dah]

Or am I wrong and performance gets MUCH better when disabling the journal?

Axel

If you have journaling enabled, every write will have to write to journal and then write the data, so there will be movement of the disk head which will prevent the disk from being able to write a big chunk of data in one big swipe. On the other hand, unless you really need that extra write performance, it's safer to keep the journal on.

[bhoar]

Since most everyone disables journaling, is it possible to enable journaling, add the new disk, let it expand while online and disable journaling when it is done with the expansion?

1. Most everyone does not disable journaling, at least, I hope most everyone does not.

2. You'd need to reboot when toggling the journal for the change to be effective.

-brendan

[Derek K.]

Since most everyone disables journaling, is it possible to enable journaling, add the new disk, let it expand while online and disable journaling when it is done with the expansion?

1. Most everyone does not disable journaling, at least, I hope most everyone does not.

2. You'd need to reboot when toggling the journal for the change to be effective.

-brendan

ok, well maybe everyone doesn't disable journaling, but usually the standard answer when someone complains about the performance is to enable jumbo frames and disable journaling as long as you have a ups.

since we are on the topic of journaling, I have always found the two different journaling options confusing. what is the difference and does one impact speed more than the other?

[bhoar]

"Full" data journaling impacts speed more: it's actually writing two copies of all file data, one to the journal and one to the target location.

The other journaling option is just for the metadata, and the amount of data written is much less (filename, ctime/mtime, file flags, inode pointers, etc.).

-brendan

[Derek K.]

"Full" data journaling impacts speed more: it's actually writing two copies of all file data, one to the journal and one to the target location.

The other journaling option is just for the metadata, and the amount of data written is much less (filename, ctime/mtime, file flags, inode pointers, etc.).

-brendan

thanks for the explanation!

[Derek K.]

I see that one of the new features is online expansion (yes!) but it requires journaling enabled.

Since most everyone disables journaling, is it possible to enable journaling, add the new disk, let it expand while online and disable journaling when it is done with the expansion?

Yes, you can do that.

sweet! thanks!

[johanvz]

After mulling this over, i've decided to buy another UPS and try that. The current UPS is a "APC BE350R 350 VA" unit that turned out to be a bit underpowered for what is my main file server (only about 9 minutes of battery time). I'll pick something off the supported hardware list and let y'all know how it goes.

Unfortunatly i found out what the problem probably was, and it's not the
UPS. I say unfortunately, because the power supply on my ReadyNAS died a
couple of days after i noticed these USB problems with the 4.0 beta.
Judging from the number of failed power supplies in the NV and NV+ units
(see below), i doubt the 4.0 beta is to blame. (Though i suppose it's
possible it may have affected the unit if fan settings were altered.)

I'll probably start a thread in another forum about this, but i've had to
retract my recommendation of your products to several friends and
coworkers. When i contacted Netgear's technical support about getting a new
power supply, i was informed that the company is out of replacement power
supplies, and all i can do is send my ReadyNAS NV in and wait for it to be
replaced. I was told to expect it to take 2-3 weeks, and that there are
20+ units in line ahead of me.

-johan

[johanvz]

Unfortunately i found out what the problem probably was, and it's not the
UPS. I say unfortunately, because the power supply on my ReadyNAS died a
couple of days after i noticed these USB problems with the 4.0 beta.
Judging from the number of failed power supplies in the NV and NV+ units
(see below), i doubt the 4.0 beta is to blame. (Though i suppose it's
possible it may have affected the unit if fan settings were altered.)

I'll probably start a thread in another forum about this, but i've had to
retract my recommendation of your products to several friends and
coworkers. When i contacted Netgear's technical support about getting a new
power supply, i was informed that the company is out of replacement power
supplies, and all i can do is send my ReadyNAS NV in and wait for it to be
replaced. I was told to expect it to take 2-3 weeks, and that there are
20+ units in line ahead of me.

I wanted to followup regarding these two issues here.

First, Netgear replaced my NV (with the dead power supply) with a new NV+,
and only took one day to turn-around and ship the replacement NV+, once
they had received my dead NV. So kudos to Infrant and Netgear for coming
through for your customers.

Second, after i brought the new new NV+ up to 4.0b2-p2-T1, i had the same
problems with a USB-connected APC UPS -- the Infrant didn't seem to see
it. However, i upgraded to 4.0b4-p1-T2, and the UPS is recognized.

4.0b4 is looking good so far. (Of course, i'll post if i hit any snags.

-johan