How it works
Vdev redundancy
Pool reliability depends on topology: adding vdevs changes performance and failure domains.
Capacity
Plan free space and snapshot growth; pool exhaustion can disrupt services.
Scrubs
Scrubs verify checksums and attempt repair when redundancy allows.
Worked examples
Each example explains the question it answers, a reproducible starting point, what to look for, and operational precautions.
1. Pool health
Use this as a starting point for pool health.
zpool status -vInterpretation: Check command output against the expected host configuration; record the before/after state.
Operational note: Run commands in a test environment first; confirm device names, privileges and release-specific options.
2. Inspect layout
Use this as a starting point for inspect layout.
zpool list -vInterpretation: Check command output against the expected host configuration; record the before/after state.
Operational note: Run commands in a test environment first; confirm device names, privileges and release-specific options.
3. Observe I/O
Use this as a starting point for observe i/o.
zpool iostat -v 2Interpretation: Check command output against the expected host configuration; record the before/after state.
Operational note: Run commands in a test environment first; confirm device names, privileges and release-specific options.
4. Start scrub
Use this as a starting point for start scrub.
zpool scrub tankInterpretation: Check command output against the expected host configuration; record the before/after state.
Operational note: Run commands in a test environment first; confirm device names, privileges and release-specific options.
5. Find errors
Use this as a starting point for find errors.
zpool status -xvInterpretation: Check command output against the expected host configuration; record the before/after state.
Operational note: Run commands in a test environment first; confirm device names, privileges and release-specific options.
Primary documentation
Read the relevant Oracle documentation for exact version-specific flags, supported platforms and limitations: Oracle primary reference ↗.
This field manual is independent, not affiliated with or endorsed by Oracle. Command examples should be adapted to your environment.