Built a FreeNAS rig just because and for testing with Ryzen!

[NGC2359]

So, I'm a big fan of Ryzen, plus parts are on the cheap imho, had hard drives laying around, backup PSU, Lenovo TS140 case sitting in storage so decided to build up a cheap rig!

FreeNAS-11.2-BETA2
(Test Rig) swapped into Lenovo TS140 Case
New Artic Cooling 92mm Fans
64GB Sandisk Extreme
ASUS PRIME A320M-C R2.0
Ryzen 3 2200G w/ Ryzen 7 cooler from my Ryzen 1700 build.
16GB GSkill 3200 @ 16-18-18-38
4x 2TB Hitachi Ultrastar (all 50k+ hrs)

Now, I'm more than willing to provide logs, data, and such regarding getting correct data readings, logging, CPU temperatures aren't working either. Since this is more of a skeleton rig it isn't storing any important data, but can throw a ton of data at it.

The reason I went kinda way side with hardware specs is because I wanted to show the community that the hardware runs well, just a bunch of used parts thrown together without really sticking to hardware recommendations. Got to have someone to test & break some hardware/software/data right? ;)

 

[pro lamer]

wanted to show the community that the hardware runs well, j

For how long? There is a thread in the forums here where some are successful to run Ryzen 7 for a month (at least) but after some gotchas and tweaks..

Sent from my mobile phone

 

[NGC2359]

For how long? There is a thread in the forums here where some are successful to run Ryzen 7 for a month (at least) but after some gotchas and tweaks..

Sent from my mobile phone

No set amount of time. Its a permanent project I have set to keep running just like my other server. Already has a home on the shelf so why not keep it running.

 

[HoneyBadger]

I admire the idea of "why not?" being a valid reason to build a system, but trying to draw conclusions about "stability" on system built with non-ECC memory on beta-release software is ... well, I'm afraid I can't see much value in it personally.

Plus, that Ryzen APU wants to play games, not serve files. See how hard you can overclock the GPU side instead. ;)

 

[NGC2359]

I admire the idea of "why not?" being a valid reason to build a system, but trying to draw conclusions about "stability" on system built with non-ECC memory on beta-release software is ... well, I'm afraid I can't see much value in it personally.

Plus, that Ryzen APU wants to play games, not serve files. See how hard you can overclock the GPU side instead. ;)

I see where you're coming from. I also wanted to help with compatibility issues if any at all. Plus, if for some reason my main rig dies, I can yank the CPU and got a temp APU while say my 1070 is in for RMA. I see it serving dual purpose.

 

[Tiltix]

Hey,
Any update on the server? is it still running fine?
I unexpectedly got a ryzen 3 2200G and am looking to do a Freenas build with it. I'm interested in the results because there is little information online about the compatibility of AMD APUs and freenas. I will be using the box as a main nas and plex server. I read the APU excels at hardware transcoding in Plex.

 

[Yorick]

I know the Intel drivers are in for hw transcoding in FreeNAS, or rather I think they are, but I’m not sure about AMD.

Lack of ECC mem gets cited a lot, but most folk don’t have ECC mem in their PCs and there’s data there. There’s nothing about ZFS that makes ECC more necessary than in any other file system, quoth Matt Ahrens (http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1235679&p=26303271#p26303271)

I prefer ECC in my FreeNAS rig because I can, but, it’s an expense that can reasonably be skipped, particularly for light use cases.

You can do a lot of transcoding with just CPU, GPU transcode is still a work in progress. If you’re not set on seeing GPU transcode from that APU like, yesterday, I’d say why not.

 

[Constantin]

There’s nothing about ZFS that makes ECC more necessary than in any other file system ... I prefer ECC in my FreeNAS rig because I can, but, it’s an expense that can reasonably be skipped, particularly for light use cases.

I wouldn't make broad statements like that. Per the link, Mr. Ahren allegedly wrote:

If you love your data, use ECC RAM. Additionally, use a filesystem that checksums your data, such as ZFS.

So I don't see how your link to him supports your position unless you don't love your data. For mere home users like me, there is considerable time, expense, etc. required to come up the learning curve on how to install and maintain a FreeNAS file server. I presume many other users wormed their way through their first setup process for similar reasons, with the goal of a highly stable and well-performing file server. I do not consider the use of non-ECC RAM in our FreeNAS servers to be a good idea. Why use a bit-rot-proof file system if system memory can get corrupted and write garbage with high-fidelity to the drives?

As Mr. Ahren points out, the data in non-ECC memory can be checksummed via the software/CPU. I'd presume a performance hit, perhaps one large enough where the devs here would prefer to rely on ECC checksumming via the RAM subsystem rather than doing it in software. Or perhaps FreeNAS selectively turns on such software-based checksumming in systems that don't use ECC RAM? I doubt it, otherwise the more knowledgeable folk here would point to the performance benefits of ECC RAM rather than the reliability benefits.

It's not that ECC memory is rot-proof, it's just much less likely to fail silently. It's the same reason that many folk here use enterprise-level drives with TLER and so on. The hardware recommendation page also comes out in favor of the use for ECC RAM, iXsystems ships even their entry-level systems with ECC RAM, and so on. If I wanted a inexpensive system that gives me the non-ECC experience, I'd opt for one of FreeNAS' competitors. The QNAP, ReadyNAS, and Synology UIs are a lot easier to learn for a beginner (and I've used all three).

... but I love my data!:)

 

[Yorick]

Point taken. And https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...ning-vdev-zpool-zil-and-l2arc-for-noobs.7775/ talks about the tears shed by people who lost all data because they didn't have ECC RAM.

So ... that statement was overly broad. If you'd be sad if the data on your FreeNAS was lost, use ECC. Which speaks against consumer Ryzen builds.

 

[shortbus]

Are you able to observe the CPU speeds to ascertain whether or not max boost frequency is used?

 

[Constantin]

So ... that statement was overly broad. If you'd be sad if the data on your FreeNAS was lost, use ECC. Which speaks against consumer Ryzen builds.

Careful. Both the Ryzen 3 2200G CPU and the Asus PRIME A320M-C R2.0 motherboard listed by the OP allow for the use of ECC RAM. Whether the RAM listed by the OP is ECC or not is a different question... (it does not appear to be) ...but a Ryzen "consumer" build by itself (if that's what this is) does not disqualify the use of ECC RAM.

Based on the articles / opinions / tests over at servethehome, AMD could very well disrupt the server market with its chip offerings. I very much would welcome additional competition as the current CPU/RAM pricing levels must be very lucrative.

 

[Yorick]

The longer argument for “ECC is great but ZFS doesn’t make it any more necessary than other file systems” is here: http://jrs-s.net/2015/02/03/will-zfs-and-non-ecc-ram-kill-your-data/

So if you merely like your data, say because it’s also cloudy somewhere or just not that critical in the first place, and you’d be fine storing it on a PC or Mac without ECC, then storing it on ZFS without ECC is strictly better.

 

[Yorick]

I’m digging into Ryzen and ECC.

Validated support: Threadripper (?), EPYC.

Non-validated support: everything else. Your mileage will vary greatly with motherboard manufacturer and their firmware.

Looks like folk had success with Asrock.

Asrock supports ECC on pinnacle ridge and summit ridge, but not on raven ridge. “Pro” only, the 2200GE and 2400GE. I can't find those for sale individually, outside a Lenovo or HP PC. Maybe on some international auction sites.

There was an AMA with amd when ryzen 1 came out, and there are a number of threads about it on the lines, re validated support and non-validated “likely works but we didn’t test it rigorously”.

I’d find that interesting. Moving from i5 to Ryzen on the PC and having solid ECC support from the motherboard, even if not validated, sounds kinda nice.

Sources:

https://www.phoronix.com/forums/for...apparently-raven-ridge-apus-don-t-support-ecc

And the ASrock specs on their site and Newegg

How about this for a uATX with ECC support?

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16813157843

Would need to add a GPU into the x1 slot, and a controller into the x16. Maybe a GeForce 210 (https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce...3-1313-KR/dp/B004KABG1I/?tag=akshatblog198-20), and others will have more experience with whether to go SAS or SATA for more than 4 drives. This looks like a likely candidate: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816101792&Description=pcie sata&cm_re=pcie_sata-_-16-101-792-_-Product

 

[Yorick]

Careful. Both the Ryzen 3 2200G CPU and the Asus PRIME A320M-C R2.0 motherboard listed by the OP allow for the use of ECC RAM.

Mayyybe. There's got to be a reason ASRock only supports ECC on the 2200GE (Pro), not the 2200G. How well Asus tested and implemented this may require some more searching. Does ECC work with 2200G on that Asus board? As in, not just boot, of course it does, but actually use ECC. And what does an Asus board do on 2-bit errors? Halt/reboot, or just keep going?

 

[Yorick]

Because Reasons, theorycrafted Ryzen build with ECC. Comes in about 100 bucks more than C. Moore's "Xeon v2 eBay scrounger" build at 32GB, and 100 bucks less at 16GB, and uses some of the same components off eBay for SAS controller and boot drives.

Theorycrafted Ryzen build

ECC, up to 32GB, 13k5 Passmark, no hw accel of transcode. Define R5 because this build might get quite tight in a Node 804. M.2 PCIe x 4 free for future use.

• Motherboard: AB350M-HDV or B450M-HDV $60
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157765
• CPU: Ryzen 5 2600 $165 (whichever Ryzen non-APU you can get for a good price)
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113496
• Memory: 16GB ECC UDIMM DDR4 2400 (no faster) $220
https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct16g4xfd8266
• Seasonic Focus SSR-650PX $110
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151192
• Fractal Design Define R5 $122
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352048
• Boot drive: Intel 320 SERIES SSD 40GB SATA 2 2.5 Hard Drive SSDSA2CT040G3 TESTED - - US $30 for two
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Intel+320+Series+40GB&_sacat=0
• Drive Controller: SAS PCI-E 3.0 HBA LSI 9207-8i P20 IT Mode for ZFS FreeNAS - - US $45
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=+LSI+9207-8i+P20+IT+Mode&_sacat=0
• Data Drive Cables: Mini SAS to 4-SATA SFF-8087 Multi-Lane Forward Breakout Internal Cable - - US $13
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=Mini+SAS+to+4-SATA&_sacat=0
• Geforce 210 Passive $34
https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-GeForce-Passive-Graphics-01G-P3-1313-KR/dp/B004KABG1I/

USD 635 at 16GB, USD 855 at 32GB

I think this can be filed under "it's good to have choices". How well the ECC works is a good question, and I'm not ready to throw 650-ish bucks at it to find out. I'd rather troll eBay for a Xeon v2 and know it'll work. And, it's good to have choices.

If ECC is not desired because "I merely like my data, I don't love it", the price of this drops to USD 535, USD 635 with 32GB, and that might be more compelling. Still only a 100 bucks under the Xeon v2 build with 32GB of ECC. It's hard to beat that v2 build in any meaningful way.