A Nudge in The Right Direction - Retain Separate Severs or Build One Server with FreeNAS?

[PhenomHTPC]

Hello All,

I am kind of in a loop of researching through these forums on what to do but have also learned a lot from reading about other people's builds, however as a result I am in analysis paralysis so to speak. I would really appreciate any guidance from all of your experiences on how I should proceed forward, or sell everything and start new with a more solid foundation for better expansion and use in the future.

My Current setup is scattered. TL;DR version - Old computer with a hodge podge of drives and a software pool...... I know(smh), which ran my Plex, a HDD crashed now I must rebuild. Originally was going to repurpose the case, psu to buy a new Motherboard, CPU and Ram and build a simple barebones FreeNAS. Which this would only act as a nas and nothing else.

On an impulse I purchased a SuperServer 5028D-TN4T from Supermicro to be my Virtualization server. Which would run ESXI for my VMs - Plex, TestLabs, and misc. This server has:

• Xeon D-1541
• Installed 64GB ECC RAM
• 6 x SATA3 ports (but only room for 4 x 3.5" drives)

Reading through all of these forums and seeing these beefy servers built, I am getting the feeling that it may be redundant to repurpose my old computer and build another server, given the costs associated with quality parts and ECC RAM. From your experience should I continue down the path of a separate barebones nas and this virtualization server? Or would it be recommend to sell it all and build a beefer server to run everything in one physical location? Or is there something else I can do that I am potentially over looking?

Main Goal:

• Run ESXI, or similar, to host a variety of VMs for a testing lab
• Plex Server (This is shared with my family and may have up to 3-7 people streaming)
• All of the necessary components associated with Plex content
• VM for security camera software
• FreeNAS - (Currently have 4 drives but I think room for 8 drives should be enough)
• Power Efficient to run 24/7

Thanks in advance for all your advice!

 

[Jailer]

If you are familiar enough with ESXI add an HBA and virtualize it all.

 

[PhenomHTPC]

If you are familiar enough with ESXI add an HBA and virtualize it all.

Hmm - That is a great idea. The Case from the computer is a Define R5, so I could swap in the Motherboard from the Supermicro server.

How does FreeNAS like running in a VM? This would be my first time using FreeNAS.

 

[Jailer]

There's a few topics on here and you could ping @joeschmuck for his build thread. Just be sure you pass the drives through via the HBA so FreeNAS has direct access to them.

@Stux also has a good build thread and is very helpful when it comes to ESXI.

 

[PhenomHTPC]

There's a few topics on here and you could ping @joeschmuck for his build thread. Just be sure you pass the drives through via the HBA so FreeNAS has direct access to them.

@Stux also has a good build thread and is very helpful when it comes to ESXI.

Perfect thanks! Do you think the Xeon D would have enough power to also run FreeNAS?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stux]

Perfect thanks! Do you think the Xeon D would have enough power to also run FreeNAS?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You have the same motherboard as my build. Where I use six HDs, you have 4 and room for 2 SSDs.

Rather than get an HBA, I'd get an m2 boot disk, and pass through the AHCI controller to FreeNAS. You can use the two spare Sata ports for slog and l2arc cheaply.

And that leaves a PCIe slot. One day, if you want, stick an HBA in and grow it into a new case, or add a jbod.

Also, consider using your old system at minimal upgrade cost as a backup for your most critical stuff.

XeonD has enough power to get 1GB/s+ out of FreeNAS. That oughta do.

 

[PhenomHTPC]

You have the same motherboard as my build. Where I use six HDs, you have 4 and room for 2 SSDs.

Rather than get an HBA, I'd get an m2 boot disk, and pass through the AHCI controller to FreeNAS. You can use the two spare Sata ports for slog and l2arc cheaply.

And that leaves a PCIe slot. One day, if you want, stick an HBA in and grow it into a new case, or add a jbod.

Also, consider using your old system at minimal upgrade cost as a backup for your most critical stuff.

XeonD has enough power to get 1GB/s+ out of FreeNAS. That oughta do.

Wow!! Thanks for linking me to your Build it was extremely well documented and will save me a ton of headaches. That is exactly what I am looking to do and more! Your SLOG, L2ARC and SWAP solution using the pcie ssd is pretty slick. I didn't realize the importance of it until I read through your build. Currently looking for a similar PCIe one on the bay that's reasonably priced. Do you think there would be that much of a performance hit if I went with a cheaper SATA option? Could it also perform the SWAP and L2ARC at the same time?

When you eventually install plex, what do you think your implementation would be? Running in a docker on ubuntu with the other relating components (sonarr & etc.) in dockers as well?

Thanks again!

 

[Stux]

Wow!! Thanks for linking me to your Build it was extremely well documented and will save me a ton of headaches. That is exactly what I am looking to do and more!

Happy it helped someone :)

Your SLOG, L2ARC and SWAP solution using the pcie ssd is pretty slick. I didn't realize the importance of it until I read through your build. Currently looking for a similar PCIe one on the bay that's reasonably priced. Do you think there would be that much of a performance hit if I went with a cheaper SATA option?

The Sata options are slower, I linked to some benchmarks. But the reality is 100-200MB/s of slog performance should be fine.

The key with slog is sequential write performance and PLP. Combine that with OP and you should easily be able to see the rated performance of the drive.

Could it also perform the SWAP and L2ARC at the same time?

I don't think that'd be good. You'd be saturating the Sata slog normally already, and the way ZFS works slog and l2arc get written to simultaneously.

BUT, as I documented you can put swap/l2arc on your ESXi boot and use virtual disks, just fine.

When you eventually install plex, what do you think your implementation would be? Running in a docker on ubuntu with the other relating components (sonarr & etc.) in dockers as well?

Thanks again!

I'll probably test out all the options and make a decision (and document it)

Leaning towards an ubuntu instance, which I need for dockers already.

 

[PhenomHTPC]

Happy it helped someone :)



The Sata options are slower, I linked to some benchmarks. But the reality is 100-200MB/s of slog performance should be fine.

I don't think that'd be good. You'd be saturating the Sata slog normally already, and the way ZFS works slog and l2arc get written to simultaneously.

BUT, as I documented you can put swap/l2arc on your ESXi boot and use virtual disks, just fine.

Good to know. Depending on what's available, I may just go the cheaper route. Although I do like the cleanness of all 6 SATAs used for HDDs.

I'll probably test out all the options and make a decision (and document it)

Leaning towards an ubuntu instance, which I need for dockers already.

Looking forward to seeing what you choose! I'll be subscribing.

I have yet to run Plex and the associated apps in dockers. Have read some good things. I might give that a whirl in the mean time.

BTW - I found out about the SuperMicro Server on TinkerTry's Forum. Purchased it from him through wiredzone. Pretty good deal.

 

[Stux]

Good to know. Depending on what's available, I may just go the cheaper route. Although I do like the cleanness of all 6 SATAs used for HDDs.




Looking forward to seeing what you choose! I'll be subscribing.

I have yet to run Plex and the associated apps in dockers. Have read some good things. I might give that a whirl in the mean time.

BTW - I found out about the SuperMicro Server on TinkerTry's Forum. Purchased it from him through wiredzone. Pretty good deal.

Yeah, I actually tried to purchase the board off wired zone on a trip to the US, but it didn't work out. Ended up getting it locally