# Boost ZFS Performance with a Special VDEV in TrueNAS

DevFeed: [Boost ZFS Performance with a Special VDEV in TrueNAS](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/boost-zfs-performance-with-a-special-vdev-in-truenas-10665.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://technotim.com/posts/special-vdev-truenas/>)

Author: Techno Tim

Published: 2025-05-10T13:00:00Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Techno Tim](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/techno-tim.md>)

Topics: [truenas](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/truenas.md>), [Command-line interface](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/cli.md>), [Testing](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/testing.md>), [Hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/hardware.md>)

Tags: [hardware](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/hardware.md>), [homelab](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/homelab.md>), [how-to](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/how-to.md>), [nvme](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/nvme.md>), [samsung](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/samsung.md>), [terminal](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/terminal.md>), [test](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/test.md>), [testing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/testing.md>)

## AI overview

A video tutorial explains how to configure a special metadata VDEV in TrueNAS and ZFS, including terminal commands and a test script for comparing pools with and without the VDEV. The author reports faster directory browsing and more responsive containers in testing.

## Source excerpt

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. 📺 Watch Video Testing I created a test scr...