[Cubox-I] Include ZFS / SPL kernel modules and create ZFS / SPL package

[CurlyMoo]

I've tested ZFS on the Hummingboard i2ex and i must say it runs pretty decent.

Test environment (Old laptop, Hummingboard, 1 USB stick):

SMB windows --> ZFS USB

root@cubox:~# rsync --progress /mnt/curlymo/ZFS/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /offsite/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
    368,534,820 100%    2.09MB/s    0:02:48 (xfr#1, to-chk=0/1)

BTRFS SD --> ZFS USB

root@cubox:~# rsync --progress /root/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /offsite/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
    368,534,820 100%    3.34MB/s    0:01:45 (xfr#1, to-chk=0/1)

ZFS USB --> BTRFS SD

root@cubox:~# rsync --progress /offsite/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /root/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
    368,534,820 100%    2.10MB/s    0:02:26 (xfr#1, to-chk=0/1)

Reference SMB --> BTRFS SD

root@cubox:~# rsync --progress /mnt/curlymo/ZFS/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /root/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
    368,534,820 100%    1.55MB/s    0:03:47 (xfr#1, to-chk=0/1)

For those interested in creating an slow (offsite) backup solution. This could well be it. Just drop a Hummingboard with HDD @family and it will do fine. Most internet connections won't pass the 100mbit upload anyway.

It did some tuning, but will cover that when people are interested.

Tuning: Add vmalloc=512M to the kernel cmdline /etc/modprobe.d/zfs.conf:

options zfs zfs_arc_max=41943040 zfs_vdev_cache_size=5242880 zfs_prefetch_disable=1 zfs_txg_timeout=1 zvol_threads=2

---

Same tests on a Raspberry Pi Model B

root@xbian:~# rsync --progress /mnt/curlymo/ZFS/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /offsite/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
   368534820 100%    1.79MB/s    0:03:16 (xfer#1, to-check=0/1)

sent 368579893 bytes  received 31 bytes  1856825.81 bytes/sec
total size is 368534820  speedup is 1.00

root@xbian:~# rsync --progress /offsite/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /root/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
   368534820 100%    5.31MB/s    0:01:06 (xfer#1, to-check=0/1)

sent 368579893 bytes  received 31 bytes  4947381.53 bytes/sec
total size is 368534820  speedup is 1.00

root@xbian:~# rsync --progress /root/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /offsite/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
   368534820 100%  912.30kB/s    0:06:34 (xfer#1, to-check=0/1)

sent 368579893 bytes  received 31 bytes  931934.07 bytes/sec
total size is 368534820  speedup is 1.00

Reference

root@xbian:~# rsync --progress /mnt/curlymo/ZFS/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz /root/xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
xbian-source-imx6.tar.gz
   368534820 100%    2.06MB/s    0:02:50 (xfer#1, to-check=0/1)

sent 368579893 bytes  received 31 bytes  2100170.51 bytes/sec
total size is 368534820  speedup is 1.00

Tuning: Add vmalloc=256M to the kernel cmdline.txt Change the gpu_mem_128=32 in the config.txt

/etc/modprobe.d/zfs.conf:

options zfs zfs_arc_max=20971520 zfs_vdev_cache_size=2621440 zfs_prefetch_disable=1 zfs_txg_timeout=1 zvol_threads=1

[mk01]

what is your uptime on it ?

I was testing that already, but having 32bit access to memory via vmalloc caused colapse after 24-48h (depending on actual data update amount).

[mk01]

btw: ZFS project promised to remove dependency on this model with each release having it completely out with 0.7. I tested maybe 0.6.1

[CurlyMoo]

Uptime was a few days. It needed some amount of tweaking as you can see on both the RPi and Cubox-I

[mk01]

ok, that means progress.

[mk01]

ad headers: xbian-package-kernel has now kernel-headers hook which in step "deb" creates additional headers package and linux-libc-dev package.

(i tested on ZFS compiled via dkms debs installed to system).

ad include ZFS: this is not allowed because of CDDL license - GPL in tree build is not possible. but we can distribute zfs.dkms.debs. zfsutils binary debs is no problem.

[CurlyMoo]

I know we can't provide with the same kernel package. But what about providing a additional package for each kernel providing the ZFS modules?

[CurlyMoo]

I've been working on it but are lost on where to go next :)

[CurlyMoo]

The ZFS and SPL kernel module plugin is done. Please test!

[CurlyMoo]

The ZFS and SPL userland packages are also ready to be cloned: https://github.com/CurlyMoo/xbian-package-spl https://github.com/CurlyMoo/xbian-package-zfs

[CurlyMoo]

Confirms that the current implementation works (after accepting my pull request).