a sort-of-small, but rather ambitious build (up to 24 drives, even more)

[fikus-kukis]

Hello to you all,

I am building a NAS with FreeNAS as its OS because I am convinced that it is the best choice for this kind of job.

Currently, I am doing a research and preparation for its hardware. My idea about this project with its traits and features is somewhat like:
[business goals]

• the build of itself should be not-that-small/cheap (however still I am on a budget)
• sort of "soho"-oriented, but to be able to handle higher demands and loads in case I would deicide to share its capacity and resources with others
• using it primarily as a storage/archive, however I am not excluding other use cases (but cannot think about anything at this moment)
• be able to expand it (capacity) in a future

For that purpose, I have thought about something like this {with its upgrades bought throughout the time}:
[technical components]
CPU: Intel i3-6100T

Motherboard: Supermicro X11SSM-F | X11SSH-F | X11SSH-LN4F (cannot decide which, see below)

RAM: one(1) module of 16GB DDR4 ECC {another three(3) pieces of module, its max. 64GB}

Networking: two(2) 1Gbit Ethernet adapters on board, {another 10Gbit as a card to PCI-E x8}

Disk controller: SATA ports on board {Dell PERC H310 flashed to IT mode, with Intel RES2SV240NC}

System disk: some decent USB flash disk {second(2nd) USB flash disk for mirroring}

Storage hardisk: eight(8) 8TB probably WD Red with RaidZ2 {another two(2) sets, twenty-four(24) drives together}

Disc for a SLOG: {see below}

Chassis: some decent mainstream mid-tower {19" rack with 24 drive bay, probably from Supermicro}

Power supply unit: don't know, maybe Corsair AX650


As for the motherboard:
I have already read https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/so-you’ve-decided-to-buy-a-supermicro-x11-board.39549/ .
Personally, I am bit of sceptical - in a way that I don't like "so-many-great-features" embedded on board that I simply cannot put to any use.
My thoughts to those motherboards listed above:
SSM-F
+a lot of expansion possibilities (PCI-E slots), nothing fancy - which is great!

SSH-F
-one less PCI-E 3.0 x4 (in x8 slot).
+but one more M.2 (with speed PCI-E 3.0 x2) port looks promising. I have read somewhere here that M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x2 it can perform at 1,95GBps. This seems sufficient for SSD disk working as a SLOG that can perform as a buffer with 10Gbps NIC together (math is telling me that 1,25GBps is less 1,95GBps, which seems that it should be able to handle that peaks/amount of traffic from 10Gbit network).

SSH-LN4F
+still able to use SLOG in M.2 slot.
+putting to use another 2 lanes from removed PCI-E slot as another two(2) (four(4) together) of 1Gbit ethernet adapters, as they are unconnected in SSH-F model.
-as I am planning to use 10Gbit NIC as one of upgrades after while, I cannot think of advantage for quad 1Gbit ethernet adapter to be present on a board.

Or maybe some other motherboard? IPMI is must, as well as more than one PCI-E 3.0 (in in 8x) slot. I've did my homework and ASrock Rack mobos just doesn't satisfy me.


Any ideas or thoughts about this build? Which board should I/would you for this case choose? Holistic creative ideas are the most welcome.
Many thanks for your time and effort!

 

[Spearfoot]

Hello to you all,

I am building a NAS with FreeNAS as its OS because I am convinced that it is the best choice for this kind of job.

Currently, I am doing a research and preparation for its hardware. My idea about this project with its traits and features is somewhat like:
[business goals]

• the build of itself should be not-that-small/cheap (however still I am on a budget)
• sort of "soho"-oriented, but to be able to handle higher demands and loads in case I would deicide to share its capacity and resources with others
• using it primarily as a storage/archive, however I am not excluding other use cases (but cannot think about anything at this moment)
• be able to expand it (capacity) in a future

For that purpose, I have thought about something like this {with its upgrades bought throughout the time}:
[technical components]
CPU: Intel i3-6100T

Motherboard: Supermicro X11SSM-F | X11SSH-F | X11SSH-LN4F (cannot decide which, see below)

RAM: one(1) module of 16GB DDR4 ECC {another three(3) pieces of module, its max. 64GB}

Networking: two(2) 1Gbit Ethernet adapters on board, {another 10Gbit as a card to PCI-E x8}

Disk controller: SATA ports on board {Dell PERC H310 flashed to IT mode, with Intel RES2SV240NC}

System disk: some decent USB flash disk {second(2nd) USB flash disk for mirroring}

Storage hardisk: eight(8) 8TB probably WD Red with RaidZ2 {another two(2) sets, twenty-four(24) drives together}

Disc for a SLOG: {see below}

Chassis: some decent mainstream mid-tower {19" rack with 24 drive bay, probably from Supermicro}

Power supply unit: don't know, maybe Corsair AX650


As for the motherboard:
I have already read https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/so-you’ve-decided-to-buy-a-supermicro-x11-board.39549/ .
Personally, I am bit of sceptical - in a way that I don't like "so-many-great-features" embedded on board that I simply cannot put to any use.
My thoughts to those motherboards listed above:
SSM-F
+a lot of expansion possibilities (PCI-E slots), nothing fancy - which is great!

SSH-F
-one less PCI-E 3.0 x4 (in x8 slot).
+but one more M.2 (with speed PCI-E 3.0 x2) port looks promising. I have read somewhere here that M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x2 it can perform at 1,95GBps. This seems sufficient for SSD disk working as a SLOG that can perform as a buffer with 10Gbps NIC together (math is telling me that 1,25GBps is less 1,95GBps, which seems that it should be able to handle that peaks/amount of traffic from 10Gbit network).

SSH-LN4F
+still able to use SLOG in M.2 slot.
+putting to use another 2 lanes from removed PCI-E slot as another two(2) (four(4) together) of 1Gbit ethernet adapters, as they are unconnected in SSH-F model.
-as I am planning to use 10Gbit NIC as one of upgrades after while, I cannot think of advantage for quad 1Gbit ethernet adapter to be present on a board.

Or maybe some other motherboard? IPMI is must, as well as more than one PCI-E 3.0 (in in 8x) slot. I've did my homework and ASrock Rack mobos just doesn't satisfy me.


Any ideas or thoughts about this build? Which board should I/would you for this case choose? Holistic creative ideas are the most welcome.
Many thanks for your time and effort!

Welcome to the forums!
I don't have an opinion on the X11 motherboards you've selected, other than to agree with you that the LN4F model is probably unsuitable if you plan on using 10gigabit networking.

CPU: If the system will be used mostly for storage, with few users, consider installing a plain old Pentium CPU. Spend the money you save on RAM, because FreeNAS loves RAM, and you'll need all 64GB these motherboards support in order to even come close to handling 24 x 8TB drives.

SLOG: You won't need a SLOG or an L2ARC device in a home system such as you're building. A SLOG device only comes into play when you are providing block storage to hypervisors. And an L2ARC is only useful on larger servers with multiple users.

Chassis & PSU : 650W won't be enough to supply a 24-drive system. But note that when you shop for a 19" rackmount chassis, you'll find that many of them (especially the Supermicros) come with dual power supplies. Purchasing such a unit will probably be your best choice.

Here's a reading list that may help:

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?resources/hardware-recommendations-guide.12/
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/zfs-primer.38927/
https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...ning-vdev-zpool-zil-and-l2arc-for-noobs.7775/
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/comprehensive-diagram-of-the-zfs-structure.38865/
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/building-burn-in-and-testing-your-freenas-system.17750/
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/how-to-hard-drive-burn-in-testing.21451/
https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/confused-about-that-lsi-card-join-the-crowd.11901/
http://constantin.glez.de/blog/2010/06/closer-look-zfs-vdevs-and-performance
https://www.delphix.com/blog/delphi...or-how-i-learned-stop-worrying-and-love-raidz
http://doc.freenas.org/9.10/

Good luck!

 

[Ericloewe]

+but one more M.2 (with speed PCI-E 3.0 x2) port looks promising. I have read somewhere here that M.2 PCI-E 3.0 x2 it can perform at 1,95GBps. This seems sufficient for SSD disk working as a SLOG that can perform as a buffer with 10Gbps NIC together (math is telling me that 1,25GBps is less 1,95GBps, which seems that it should be able to handle that peaks/amount of traffic from 10Gbit network).

So get a 20 buck adapter card and you'll have x4 PCIe 3.0 and still save money.

I cannot think of advantage for quad 1Gbit ethernet adapter to be present on a board.

Neither can I.

I really do not see a need for the X11SSH-F/-LN4F in the NAS market. It doesn't make sense - unless of course pricing is favorable, which it won't be, realistically.