File type and size

As an example, designing a storage solution for a media streaming server requires the use of large block sizes, as media files tend to be bigger than small text files. If you use a larger block size for the bricks, the GlusterFS volume will not only make more efficient use of the space but will also allow for faster operations, as the transaction size matches the file size.

On the other hand, a storage server for sensor logging that usually creates a large number of small files containing text requires a smaller block size to match the size of the files being created. Using a smaller block size avoids allocating an entire block, say 4 K, for a file that is only 1 K in size.