BUILD A new build, need a look over.

[eledore]

I been planning to build a FreeNas system and i would love some recommendations on Hardware.
Yes i have read the "Hardware recommendations", still i would love extra input based on my situation.

This will be for *ahum* home usage. And i plan to get bang/buck's worth for a long duration.
I have build/bought a new "storage systems" every 6 years now. Hoping a DIY FreeNas might give me 10?
Will be migrating from my current storage system, a Qnap so nothing fancy is required (that i think).
It will be used for mass data-storage, Samba for the most part. And two iSCSI targets. (200gb each)

Will be trying to cut costs by re-using old equipment.
Be planning to re-use the following;

Chieftec UNC-410F-B
four Startech sata backplanes = 12 hdd bays + 2 internal
Thermaltake Toughpower 850W (80 plus gold) (from 2006, replace?)​

At first ill be planing to use eight (pre-used) 1tb drives.
But i will be adding six more 4/?tb drives later.
Hoping to replace the 1tb drives in the future and might even add a extra backplane. (15 hdd bays)

I myself was looking at;

Asrock C2750D4I
KVR16E11K4/32​

Was noting the marvell controllers and a few hits in the forums here, they still good?
So any advice or input on choosing a board for 12+ hdd's is helpfull.

Thanks in advance,

Extra;

I have already asked this question in the dutch forum (in dutch, but more detailed).
But the lack of reply made me put it here in english.
I would be asking about vDev and Pools for my usage (as is in dutch) but, first hardware.
Can't do any of that it i don't have a system to use it on.​

 

[Dice]

-Does the "Startech sata backplanes" support 'recent' aka +2tb sized hdds? Worth taking a look at that before getting larger drives.
-for 12port board, I'd go back looking at the X10SL7-F which gives 14 ports.
-The alternative is to get a cheap HBA (1015 or 9211-8i) off ebay. Which would add 8 ports at the cost of about 110€ including cables.
-I'd recommend against the 2750 for this application. For Samba you will benefit from higher clock, not additional cores (which is the reason-to-get&forté of the c2750)

 

[Ericloewe]

Even a puny C2750 atom core can do multi-GbE. That's really not an issue anyone should be particularly worried about, especially because every connection gets its own thread.

Was noting the marvell controllers and a few hits in the forums here, they still good?

They were never good. Experiences vary from "meh" to "kill it with fire".

Thermaltake Toughpower 850W (80 plus gold) (from 2006, replace?)

Probably a good idea to replace. PSUs have improved tremendously.

Hoping a DIY FreeNas might give me 10?

I don't think it's particularly realistic, but it depends on a lot of factors.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

This...

Hoping a DIY FreeNas might give me 10?

seems inconsistent with this...

Will be trying to cut costs by re-using old equipment.

 

[eledore]

-Does the "Startech sata backplanes" support 'recent' aka +2tb sized hdds? Worth taking a look at that before getting larger drives.

The backplanes should just be 1<>1 cabling, the back just has 3 sata connectors.
Currently they all connected to a 3Ware 9550SE-12SL
But i will test this tonight. Have plenty of those backplanes laying around.

-for 12port board, I'd go back looking at the X10SL7-F which gives 14 ports.
-The alternative is to get a cheap HBA (1015 or 9211-8i) off ebay. Which would add 8 ports at the cost of about 110€ including cables.
-I'd recommend against the 2750 for this application. For Samba you will benefit from higher clock, not additional cores (which is the reason-to-get&forté of the c2750)

Thanks for the advice, i was at first looking for a complete (quick) package as i never build a Xeon server DIY style.
All my (recent) DIY servers have been based on consumer grade +Linux or windows.
To add my last Xeon was a DL360 G1.
14 ports is just be enough to go without a controller. Would mean 12 bays is the max instead of the possible 15.

Atleast i full-hardly trust SuperMicro, due to my experience with there complete server packages.
But i must admit my experience is a bit dated. . . (Still have a 5014C-TB laying around)

Was noting the marvell controllers and a few hits in the forums here, they still good?

They were never good. Experiences vary from "meh" to "kill it with fire".

That was the reason why i asked, i guess i will be avoiding them, and ditch the Asrock board.

Thermaltake Toughpower 850W (80 plus gold) (from 2006, replace?)

Probably a good idea to replace. PSUs have improved tremendously.

I will then, thanks.

Hoping a DIY FreeNas might give me 10?

I don't think it's particularly realistic, but it depends on a lot of factors.

I was hoping my Qnap might last me longer then this, but it is giving me headaces of late.
So far my history of local-storage has always been Network Storage. even before i learned the term NAS.
Thinnet anyone? Just adding a Shoebox with Quantum Bigfoot's next to my old machine in 1997. Building a dedicated machine in 2002. Upgrading to a SBS storage server in 2006. buying a Qnap in 2010.
So just looking out what the future might hold, and i do have a 'store it all' mentality.

This...

Will be trying to cut costs by re-using old equipment.

seems inconsistent with this...

Will be trying to cut costs by re-using old equipment.

I went from a DIY server to a Qnap. That means 100% dependent and 0% effort on hardware.
But i still have the server laying around doing bi-weekly backups. I will be using the Qnap for that, so if i can re-use parts of that server why not? If i really wanted to cut costs i would have gone to Free4Nas or Unraid.
But i am no newbie nor a noob. I want my data to be sensible secured. To me it looks like FreeNas does that.
So yes i am not afraid to Spend a Buck if i can get long enjoyment out of my system. But i am not the Person who just fills his shopping basket with things i may not need.

I already have a case and backplanes, why not use them?
And as a Extreme Alternative i would have preferred just buying a "836BE16-R920B" as those can get as cheap as €1000.- but that would be stretching my resources.
Any-more and other plans or á vacation this year will be out.


But that said; i Do want to do it Right.
So any advice, comments, scolding (also instructive) and feedback is much appreciated.

Again, my thanks in advance.