Installation of FreeNAS on a USB 3.0 device

[guillaumesoucy]

Good evening everyone!

My question is very simple. Someone know if it will be possible to install FreeNAS on a USB 3.0 drive (USB key) in the future? The reason is also very simple, I want to order a dedicated server and currently, there was USB 2.0 ports on every servers they offering but, they saids in next year, so in 2016 they will stop to offering servers equipped with USB 2.0 ports. So if I order the server this year or in the early 2016, I will be fine, but if I have to change my server by ordering a new one, I run a chance to get a server with only USB 3.0 ports and even USB 3.1 ports so, I will not be able to install FreeNAS anymore. I rely on FreeNAS for many years now and I never got serious issues and I never want to use another software since FreeNAS meets all my needs, the software is very stable and the forum community is excellent too, so why I should go away?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Guillaume

 

[solarisguy]

Good question, misleading wording...

You are asking at what point in time FreeNAS would start supporting USB 3.x chipsets, as you are afraid that in a not too distant future all motherboards that are of interest to you would be coming only with USB 3.x chipsets.

You do not actually care whether the devices plugged into those ports would be USB 2.0 or USB 3.x devices.

P.S.
I wrote 3.x since at home we have now both storage and computer systems with USB 3.1, although they are not being used together :D yet :D

 

[guillaumesoucy]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply! Did you mean there was no matter if I plug the boot drive into a usb 3.x port?

 

[solarisguy]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply! Did you mean there was no matter if I plug the boot drive into a usb 3.x port?

The opposite!

Your thread title is "Installation of FreeNAS on a USB 3.0 device" and I am telling you that it does not matter whether you are going to use USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 or USB 3.1 memory device.

On the other hand, it matters whether the chipset responsible for USB on your motherboard is supported by your FreeNAS version. You have to verify that each time before acquiring a motherboard.

I am not seeing people complaining about no usable USB ports (maybe they are around, but I have not seen them), so unless you intend to acquire bleeding edge exotic motherboards in the future, I would not loose any sleep over this particular issue.

To me, the memory compatibility is the issue many users are struggling with.

 

[guillaumesoucy]

Oh boy! Oh boy! Yes I should check the MB before buy. Thanks for your advices! ;-)

 

[guillaumesoucy]

Hi solarisguy!

So I am at the point to install my FreeNAS on my new dedicaded server via the IPMI. I ask the company to install the USB drive I ordered into a USB 2.0 port, they check and there was no USB 2.0 ports on the server motherboard. The USB key is a 16 GB USB 3.0 , what I should do for getting things work because I just don't see the USB drive on the FreeNAS setup. drive selection.

 

[guillaumesoucy]

Nah never mind, I juste change some settings in the server's BIOS and all work fine now.

 

[pirateghost]

Wait. Why are you running freenas in a data center? What exactly are you going to do with this?

 

[guillaumesoucy]

Just for security reason. :)

 

[pirateghost]

How is that secure at all?

 

[guillaumesoucy]

A data center is more secure than my appartment so in case of fire, theft or all other threat happened at my place, my data will stay safe. Heat also is a big con, even with AC, its a bit hot in the summer here.

 

[pirateghost]

Except you can't use it as a NAS, which is its primary purpose....

 

[guillaumesoucy]

Yes correct.

 

[pirateghost]

OK. I hope that network really is secure....

 

[solarisguy]

@guillaumesoucy, I am glad that you found a setting in the BIOS that fixed your issue.

What did it do? Did it make USB 3.x ports operate as if they were USB 2.0 ?

 

[gpsguy]

Frankly, if the server is located elsewhere don't even both with USB flash drives. Use a small SSD or SATA DOM. Better yet, get two and mirror them.

 

[guillaumesoucy]

@guillaumesoucy, I am glad that you found a setting in the BIOS that fixed your issue.

What did it do? Did it make USB 3.x ports operate as if they were USB 2.0 ?

Yes, I set the USB 3.o port opperate as a 2.0 port.