Adding more Sata Ports

[usopkhan]

Hi Guys,
I am currently using Version: FreeNAS-11.3-U3.2 , 32gb RAM and 28TB of storage. Asus B85 Vanguard Motherboard.

I ran out of sata ports, how do i add more HDD..? Should i use a PCI express sata card? any compatible brands..? Any brand will do..?

Would love to make it to 32TB . Is it okay to use more than 32 TB .... ignoring the suggested RAM to HDD ratio...?

Appreciate your help guys... Thanks

 

[jgreco]

You'll be fine on RAM as long as you aren't trying a completely mismatched ratio; 8GB of RAM trying to manage a 100TB server is a recipe for disaster, but 32GB trying to manage 64TB is going to be fine, just a bit slower than it could be. As the RAM size goes up, the ability to manage larger pools increases rapidly.

There's a great section in the resources for recommended hardware for add-on cards, mainboards, etc.

In general, adding "SATA ports" with a PCIe card is a dodgy proposition, because the quality of generic PC hardware is often very poor.

You are best off using a Host Bus Adapter, an HBA, which is a server card designed to add storage. The recommended HBA's are from LSI, and are heavily tested and known to work well.

Some useful links:

https://www.truenas.com/community/r...o-be-sas-sy-a-primer-on-basic-sas-and-sata.48

https://www.truenas.com/community/r...bas-and-why-cant-i-use-a-raid-controller.139/

 

[Constantin]

LSI HBAs work great but also run hot. Try to direct air flow over them if your server case does not do so naturally. I fitted a fan to the HBAs heat sink on my motherboard and directed air over it and the chip still operates at around 45*C and higher.

 

[winnielinnie]

I fitted a fan to the HBAs heat sink on my motherboard and directed air over it and the chip still operates at around 45*C and higher.

How did you secure the fan to the HBA's existing heatsink? Is it one of those "clip-on" fans that "grab" the aluminum fins from around the sides?

 

[Stux]

They do run hot. I actually just cable tied a fan so that it was blowing over the heatsink and that seems to have done the trick. A little bit of directed airflow makes all the difference.

 

[Constantin]

How did you secure the fan to the HBA's existing heatsink? Is it one of those "clip-on" fans that "grab" the aluminum fins from around the sides?

I looked and looked for a solution that offered a Cu heat sink with a integrated fan. None exist for the HBA heat sink hole pattern on the Supermicro motherboard. Thus I very carefully screwed a smal onto the existing heat sink.

that’s risky of course since any thread forming by the screws in the tines of the heat sink can produce Al shavings that then can short the motherboard. Use lots of air + vacuum to keep the shavings away.

part of the motherboard HBA heat sink fan challenge is that any PCIe cards extend right over the heat sink.