diff --git a/snapraid.1 b/snapraid.1 index 43b9e0f3..8e6bb2eb 100644 --- a/snapraid.1 +++ b/snapraid.1 @@ -1222,52 +1222,60 @@ This configuration file is located in /etc/snapraid.conf in Unix or in the execution directory in Windows. .PP It should contain the following options (case sensitive): -.SS parity FILE -Defines the file to use to store the parity information. +.SS parity FILE [,FILE] ... +Defines the files to use to store the parity information. The parity enables the protection from a single disk failure, like RAID5. .PP -It must be placed in a disk dedicated for this purpose with -as much free space as the biggest disk in the array. -Leaving the parity disk reserved for only this file ensures that +You can specify multiples files that should be in different disks. +When the first file cannot grow anymore, the next one is used. +The total space available must be as big as the biggest data disk in +the array. +.PP +Leaving the parity disks reserved for parity ensures that it doesn\'t get fragmented, improving the performance. .PP This option is mandatory and it can be used only one time. -.SS [2,3,4,5,6]\-parity FILE +.SS (2,3,4,5,6)\-parity FILE [,FILE] ... Defines the files to use to store extra parity information. -For each parity file specified, one additional level of protection +.PP +For each parity specified, one additional level of protection is enabled: .PD 0 .IP \(bu -2\-parity enables RAID6 double parity. +2\-parity enables RAID6 dual parity. .IP \(bu 3\-parity enables triple parity .IP \(bu -4\-parity enables quad parity +4\-parity enables quad (four) parity .IP \(bu 5\-parity enables penta (five) parity .IP \(bu 6\-parity enables hexa (six) parity .PD .PP -Each parity level requires also all the files of the previous levels. +Each parity level requires the precence of all the previous parity +levels. .PP -Each file must be placed in a disk dedicated for this purpose with -as much free space as the biggest disk in the array. -Leaving the parity disks reserved for only these files ensures that -they doesn\'t get fragmented, improving the performance. +You can specify multiples files that should be in different disks. +When the first file cannot grow anymore, the next one is used. +The total space available must be as big as the biggest data disk in +the array. +.PP +Leaving the parity disks reserved for parity ensures that +it doesn\'t get fragmented, improving the performance. .PP These options are optional and they can be used only one time. -.SS z\-parity FILE +.SS z\-parity FILE [,FILE] ... Defines an alternate file and format to store the triple parity. .PP This option is an alternative at \'3\-parity\' mainly intended for low\-end CPUs like ARM or AMD Phenom, Athlon and Opteron that don\'t -support the SSSE3 instructions set, and in such case it provides +support the SSSE3 instructions set. In such cases it provides a better performance. .PP -This format is similar, but faster, at the one used by the ZFS RAIDZ3, -but it doesn\'t work beyond triple parity. +This format is similar, but faster, at the one used by the ZFS RAIDZ3. +Like ZFS, it doesn\'t work beyond triple parity. .PP When using \'3\-parity\' you will be warned if it\'s recommended to use the \'z\-parity\' format for a performance improvement. @@ -1450,7 +1458,7 @@ for each disk. This may be required for RAID controllers and for some USB disk that cannot be auto\-detected. .PP DISK is the same disk name specified in the \[dq]disk\[dq] option. -PARITY is one of the parity name as \[dq]parity,[1,2,3,4,5,6,z]\-parity\[dq]. +PARITY is one of the parity name as \[dq]parity,(1,2,3,4,5,6,z)\-parity\[dq]. .PP In the specified OPTIONS, the \[dq]%s\[dq] string is replaced by the device name. Note that in case of RAID controllers the device is likely diff --git a/snapraid.conf.example b/snapraid.conf.example index c6bbd6e5..f43fd3c3 100644 --- a/snapraid.conf.example +++ b/snapraid.conf.example @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ # Defines the file to use as parity storage # It must NOT be in a data disk -# Format: "parity FILE_PATH" +# Format: "parity FILE [,FILE] ..." parity /mnt/diskp/snapraid.parity # Defines the files to use as additional parity storage. @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ parity /mnt/diskp/snapraid.parity # To enable, uncomment one parity file for each level of extra # protection required. Start from 2-parity, and follow in order. # It must NOT be in a data disk -# Format: "X-parity FILE_PATH" +# Format: "X-parity FILE [,FILE] ..." #2-parity /mnt/diskq/snapraid.2-parity #3-parity /mnt/diskr/snapraid.3-parity #4-parity /mnt/disks/snapraid.4-parity @@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ parity /mnt/diskp/snapraid.parity # You must have least one copy for each parity file plus one. Some more don't hurt # They can be in the disks used for data, parity or boot, # but each file must be in a different disk -# Format: "content FILE_PATH" +# Format: "content FILE" content /var/snapraid.content content /mnt/disk1/snapraid.content content /mnt/disk2/snapraid.content diff --git a/snapraid.conf.example.windows b/snapraid.conf.example.windows index 492ce2ba..d9df193b 100644 --- a/snapraid.conf.example.windows +++ b/snapraid.conf.example.windows @@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ # Defines the file to use as parity storage # It must NOT be in a data disk -# Format: "parity FILE_PATH" +# Format: "parity FILE [,FILE] ..." parity E:\snapraid.parity # Defines the files to use as additional parity storage. @@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ parity E:\snapraid.parity # To enable, uncomment one parity file for each level of extra # protection required. Start from 2-parity, and follow in order. # It must NOT be in a data disk -# Format: "X-parity FILE_PATH" +# Format: "X-parity FILE [,FILE] ..." #2-parity F:\snapraid.2-parity #3-parity G:\snapraid.3-parity #4-parity H:\snapraid.4-parity @@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ parity E:\snapraid.parity # You must have least one copy for each parity file plus one. Some more don't hurt # They can be in the disks used for data, parity or boot, # but each file must be in a different disk -# Format: "content FILE_PATH" +# Format: "content FILE" content C:\snapraid\snapraid.content content K:\array\snapraid.content content L:\array\snapraid.content diff --git a/snapraid.d b/snapraid.d index a88888db..2ec81caa 100644 --- a/snapraid.d +++ b/snapraid.d @@ -925,48 +925,56 @@ Configuration It should contain the following options (case sensitive): - parity FILE - Defines the file to use to store the parity information. + parity FILE [,FILE] ... + Defines the files to use to store the parity information. The parity enables the protection from a single disk failure, like RAID5. - - It must be placed in a disk dedicated for this purpose with - as much free space as the biggest disk in the array. - Leaving the parity disk reserved for only this file ensures that + + You can specify multiples files that should be in different disks. + When the first file cannot grow anymore, the next one is used. + The total space available must be as big as the biggest data disk in + the array. + + Leaving the parity disks reserved for parity ensures that it doesn't get fragmented, improving the performance. This option is mandatory and it can be used only one time. - [2,3,4,5,6]-parity FILE + (2,3,4,5,6)-parity FILE [,FILE] ... Defines the files to use to store extra parity information. - For each parity file specified, one additional level of protection + + For each parity specified, one additional level of protection is enabled: - * 2-parity enables RAID6 double parity. + * 2-parity enables RAID6 dual parity. * 3-parity enables triple parity - * 4-parity enables quad parity + * 4-parity enables quad (four) parity * 5-parity enables penta (five) parity * 6-parity enables hexa (six) parity - Each parity level requires also all the files of the previous levels. + Each parity level requires the precence of all the previous parity + levels. - Each file must be placed in a disk dedicated for this purpose with - as much free space as the biggest disk in the array. - Leaving the parity disks reserved for only these files ensures that - they doesn't get fragmented, improving the performance. + You can specify multiples files that should be in different disks. + When the first file cannot grow anymore, the next one is used. + The total space available must be as big as the biggest data disk in + the array. + + Leaving the parity disks reserved for parity ensures that + it doesn't get fragmented, improving the performance. These options are optional and they can be used only one time. - z-parity FILE + z-parity FILE [,FILE] ... Defines an alternate file and format to store the triple parity. This option is an alternative at '3-parity' mainly intended for low-end CPUs like ARM or AMD Phenom, Athlon and Opteron that don't - support the SSSE3 instructions set, and in such case it provides + support the SSSE3 instructions set. In such cases it provides a better performance. - This format is similar, but faster, at the one used by the ZFS RAIDZ3, - but it doesn't work beyond triple parity. + This format is similar, but faster, at the one used by the ZFS RAIDZ3. + Like ZFS, it doesn't work beyond triple parity. When using '3-parity' you will be warned if it's recommended to use the 'z-parity' format for a performance improvement. @@ -1142,7 +1150,7 @@ Configuration some USB disk that cannot be auto-detected. DISK is the same disk name specified in the "disk" option. - PARITY is one of the parity name as "parity,[1,2,3,4,5,6,z]-parity". + PARITY is one of the parity name as "parity,(1,2,3,4,5,6,z)-parity". In the specified OPTIONS, the "%s" string is replaced by the device name. Note that in case of RAID controllers the device is likely diff --git a/snapraid.txt b/snapraid.txt index 0726b7b2..72272cbe 100644 --- a/snapraid.txt +++ b/snapraid.txt @@ -989,39 +989,47 @@ in the execution directory in Windows. It should contain the following options (case sensitive): -7.1 parity FILE ---------------- +7.1 parity FILE [,FILE] ... +--------------------------- -Defines the file to use to store the parity information. +Defines the files to use to store the parity information. The parity enables the protection from a single disk failure, like RAID5. -It must be placed in a disk dedicated for this purpose with -as much free space as the biggest disk in the array. -Leaving the parity disk reserved for only this file ensures that +You can specify multiples files that should be in different disks. +When the first file cannot grow anymore, the next one is used. +The total space available must be as big as the biggest data disk in +the array. + +Leaving the parity disks reserved for parity ensures that it doesn't get fragmented, improving the performance. This option is mandatory and it can be used only one time. -7.2 [2,3,4,5,6]-parity FILE ---------------------------- +7.2 (2,3,4,5,6)-parity FILE [,FILE] ... +--------------------------------------- Defines the files to use to store extra parity information. -For each parity file specified, one additional level of protection + +For each parity specified, one additional level of protection is enabled: -* 2-parity enables RAID6 double parity. +* 2-parity enables RAID6 dual parity. * 3-parity enables triple parity -* 4-parity enables quad parity +* 4-parity enables quad (four) parity * 5-parity enables penta (five) parity * 6-parity enables hexa (six) parity -Each parity level requires also all the files of the previous levels. +Each parity level requires the precence of all the previous parity +levels. -Each file must be placed in a disk dedicated for this purpose with -as much free space as the biggest disk in the array. -Leaving the parity disks reserved for only these files ensures that -they doesn't get fragmented, improving the performance. +You can specify multiples files that should be in different disks. +When the first file cannot grow anymore, the next one is used. +The total space available must be as big as the biggest data disk in +the array. + +Leaving the parity disks reserved for parity ensures that +it doesn't get fragmented, improving the performance. These options are optional and they can be used only one time. @@ -1232,7 +1240,7 @@ for each disk. This may be required for RAID controllers and for some USB disk that cannot be auto-detected. DISK is the same disk name specified in the "disk" option. -PARITY is one of the parity name as "parity,[1,2,3,4,5,6,z]-parity". +PARITY is one of the parity name as "parity,(1,2,3,4,5,6,z)-parity". In the specified OPTIONS, the "%s" string is replaced by the device name. Note that in case of RAID controllers the device is likely