How to over-provision NVMe with Installer v1.2
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Where would there be a procedure how to use netgate-installer-v1.2-RELEASE-amd64 to install 26.03.01 on Netgate 4200 using over provisioning method on NVMe?
It appears to me Auto-ZFS is the only method. There is no visable manual method. -
By 'over-provisioning method' you mean configuring the drive partitions to leave some portion of it unused?
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SSD over-provisioning is reserving a portion of the drive's capacity invisible to the user so the controller can manage data more efficiently. This hidden space improves write speeds, reduces wear on memory cells, and extends the drive's lifespan by facilitating background tasks like garbage collection and wear leveling.
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@stephenw10 said in How to over-provision NVMe with Installer v1.2:
By 'over-provisioning method' you mean configuring the drive partitions to leave some portion of it unused?
The term "overprovisioning" really depends from the angle you are looking at it.
If you are the system who creates the partition and want to leave some space left for wear lever etc, then it should be called underprovisioning.But if you are a ssd manufacturer, they see it as "There is more capacity available than reported" so its "overprovisioned".
This is how the marketing dept things, and google will tell us.
Having said that its still marketing which conflict with old bones such us, used to thin provisioning and how to make huge things fit in tiny spaces.
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Right. However since we cannot change the available capacity presented by the SSD firmware in the installer I can only think @crem means deliberately using partitions smaller than the drive. I.E. use a custom partition layout.
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Most manufactors of SSD have free space to begin with. In data centers we over-provision (OP) the free space. It is cost effective to OP. There are several good articals on the internet for OP. The percentage of OP vs TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) varies with the SSD technology "SLC (Single-Level Cell), MLC (Multi-Level Cell), TLC (Triple-Level Cell), QLC (Quad-Level Cell), PLC (Penta-Level Cell)".
This is NOT a request for education on OP (though some people need it). I've been doing OP for decades. NetGate installer prior to v1.2 had a manual option for formatting SSD during installation. The manual option may be hidden in v1.2. There may be a place to download older installers prior to v1.2. There are several way to reformat ZFS but it is hard with pools.
Please focus future responses to solutions not education on old techniques for OP. -
OK, so to be clear, you are asking about options to set a custom partition layout?
@crem said in How to over-provision NVMe with Installer v1.2:
NetGate installer prior to v1.2 had a manual option for formatting SSD during installation.
You mean in the 1.1 and earlier version? Or the legacy installer? The legacy installer certainly had that option but I don't think the Net Installer ever has.
Let me see what I can dig up....
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My understanding might be limited here, and somewhat generic... But my understanding of under sizing the partitioned space on a SSD, was to leave room for Garbage Collection, etc.
Doesn't this really only come into play as you get closer to filling up the disk. Which might be an issue on a users PC or in a DC storage array, etc.
But is this something that would be of concern on your firewall/router - I mean if I put in a 128GB ssd for example.. In what scenario would I ever come close to filling that up?
My 32GB storage on my 4860 - looks like I am using like 4GB of that.
There should be an option for the user to custom partition their storage in the installer - I do agree with that. But with the use case of a firewall/router - not sure just partitioning the full size of the disk is all that bad of a default.
I have not played with the net installer much since I haven't had need to, when new version comes out I just upgrade it in place, etc. I do have a ssd on standby and I keep meaning to do a clean install onto the ssd to preempt any issues with the emmc storage on my getting long in the tooth appliance. But then a new version comes out and I just end up telling myself next time ;)
But I do agree there should be an option for custom sizing in the installer, even if hidden.. I do know for sure the old iso install method for sure had that option. If it is missing in the net installer, it for sure should be added as an option.
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Mmm, I agree. The firmware level ware leveling in any recent SSD doesn't really care what the partition size is. But I also agree it should be possible to set a custom layout for whatever reason.
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@stephenw10 Yeah again going off of my limited knowledge on this subject to be sure. But the way I understood the concept was you left unpartitioned space on the drive so that even if you used up the space that was partitioned you would still have room for GC.
I just looked at my SSDs I have in my main pc - C, which has a bunch of partitions on it (recovery and efi etc) only has 15MB unallocated out of the 1TB disk.. But then again out of the 932GB or primary partition (C:) I am only using like 300GB
And another 1TB ssd with no unallocated space I am only using like 98GB of 932GB. This is just a dump area I use for stuff.. Was old ssd from previous system.. In no scenario would this drive ever come close to being filled up, same goes for the C.. So since never going to fill them, leaving unallocated space for GC is pretty moot is it not..
Or am I missing something?
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Ok currently you cannot set a custom partition layout in the Net Installer.
I'll raise this internally and see what we can do for 1.3.
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