This guide is for an advanced Debian GNU/Linux installation using the ZFS storage system with an encrypted root volume for security and privacy. It will also be upgraded from the current Stable release (Bullseye) to the rolling-release Unstable version (Sid). ZFS has long been considered the last word on advanced storage developments. With its advanced safety, efficiency, and performance mechanisms it’s easy to see why it’s popular in the storage world, DIY and enterprise alike.

TL;DR The default settings for Logstash index rotation are bad and will break your cluster after a few months unless you change the rotation strategy. If you’re anything like me, you probably read somebody’s cool blog about how awesome ELK stack is and just had to have a piece of it. So you went through the quick start guide, googled your way through getting it up and running, then BAM you had an awesome logging system with all the bells and whistles!

I have, for a long time, been fascinated and terrified by “Virtual SAN” solutions. The idea of combining storage and compute seems on the surface very attractive. It allows us to scale out our storage and compute together or separately in relatively small and affordable units, helping avoid the sticker shock of the upfront cost of storage systems. And as somebody especially prone to capex-phobia, that really is a great solution.

Everybody and their aunt has a NAS at home, but what about something with a bit more pizzazz? How about if I build a system out of standard, off the shelf, ‘surplus sale’ gear and spin it into a really neat storage appliance? The Gear At Fanshawe College, the ‘Asset Sale’ is a proud tradition. IT students line up around the block to get good deals on retired and scratch-and-dent electronics.