Boost ZFS Performance with a Special VDEV in TrueNAS

Curious about how a special metadata VDEV can boost ZFS performance, especially with spinning disks? In this video, I walk through what it is, why it matters, and how to set it up in TrueNAS and some from the terminal. I’ll also share real-world benchmarks comparing pools with and without a special VDEV, so you can see the difference for yourself. While enterprise gear is great for businesses, I have found that if you have a good warranty, redundancy, and understand the trade-offs, consumer gear works great for home. Samsung 990 Pro: https://amzn.to/4d9JKXk (affiliate link) Video Notes: https://technotim.live/posts/special-vdev-truenas/ You can find the script here: https://github.com/techno-tim/zfs-tools/tree/main Merch Shop 🛍️: https://l.technotim.live/shop Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/technotim Sponsor me on GitHub: https://github.com/sponsors/timothystewart6 Subscribe on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/technotim Become a YouTube member: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOk-gHyjcWZNj3Br4oxwh0A/join Gear Recommendations: https://l.technotim.live/gear Get Help in Our Discord Community: https://l.technotim.live/discord 2nd channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Technically-Tim (Affiliate links may be included in this description. I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.) 00:00 - Intro 00:53 - Quick ZFS Primer: What’s a VDEV 01:41 - Special VDEV & Metadata 02:33 - Metadata VDEV in TrueNAS 05:19 - Setting configuring small blocks 07:05 - Testing small blocks 08:47 - Special VDEV performance testing 11:57 - Should I use a special vdev? Thank you for watching!