Critique my 8-drive FreeNAS build

[Pheran]

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and to FreeNAS, but I'm a longtime Linux sysadmin and network engineer with PC build experience, so I know the basic technical ropes. The time has come to build some real storage at home - I want to create an 8x4TB system with RAID6/RAIDZ2 (24TB usable). I was considering getting a Synology DS-1815+, but for the nearly $1000 that would cost, it seems that I can build a pretty awesome FreeNAS box. Nothing has been purchased yet except the USB flash drives, which happened to be on sale on Amazon today.

Case: Fractal Define R5 OR Fractal Node 804 (would love to hear opinions on this)
PSU: SeaSonic S12G 450W (open to other suggestions)
Motherboard: Supermicro X10SL7-F
CPU: Intel Core i3 41xx (is there a downside from a Xeon other than less cores?)
Memory: Crucial 32GB DDR3 ECC (2 x CT2KIT102472BD160B)
Boot: 2 x SanDisk Ultra Fit 32GB Flash Drives
Drives: 8 x 4TB HGST NAS (pros/cons vs WD Red?)

The system will be connected to a UPS, I'm trying to make this as bulletproof as possible. As I said, I'm new to FreeNAS so fire away with any suggestions. Thank you!

 

[Jailer]

Looks good as far as hardware choices go. Depending on usage you may be able to get away with 16GB of RAM. Also do note that you wont have 24TB of usable space. As a general rule of thumb, performance will suffer if you fill your pool past 80% capacity so just keep that in mind when planning your build.

 

[flatterlight]

I would mix the hdd vendors f.e. HGST and WD.
Does the I3 support ECC memory? If not go with a E3.

 

[Pheran]

Mix HDD vendors? Really? I always thought it was best practice to have all the same HDD model in a volume.

Yes, according to this board, Haswell Core i3 processors do support ECC.

 

[flatterlight]

I 've done it that way to distribute the risk that multiple disks at the same time broke becaueof whatever (serial fault).
You can also mix the sizes, but your vdev would only calculate with the size of the smallest disk.
The chipset (board) is not the point. The memory controller is imho in the CPU so the CPU have to support ECC.

 

[Robert Smith]

HGST NAS spin at 7200 RPMs, so if you are going to mix vendors, for just a little bit of the speed edge, mix with other 7200 RPM drives (such as WD Red Pro).

Regular [non pro] WD Reds spin a little slower; you can mix these with Seagate NAS, which also spin at about the same rate.

You can mix different speed drives no problem, it is just [slightly] less efficient that way.

 

[Bidule0hm]

As long as you know what you're doing you can mix vendors, no problem ;) However it's not the best thing to mix sizes but it's not that bad either.

 

[Ericloewe]

PSU: SeaSonic S12G 450W (open to other suggestions)

The Seasonic G-450 is a bit better quality and semi-modular.

CPU: Intel Core i3 41xx (is there a downside from a Xeon other than less cores?)

Fewer cores, less L3 cache and no support for VT-x (or is it VT-d?). And I think that's it. 43xx i3s have 4MB of L3 instead of 3MB and the extra cost is generally trivial, so you might want to consider those.

 

[Pheran]

The Seasonic G-450 is a bit better quality and semi-modular.

But it only has 6 SATA power connectors. If it's semi-modular, is there any way to replace some of the useless Molex connectors with more SATA? I realize I could use a splitter/adapter, but since I was buying a power supply anyway I'm trying to keep the build as clean as I can.

Fewer cores, less L3 cache and no support for VT-x (or is it VT-d?). And I think that's it. 43xx i3s have 4MB of L3 instead of 3MB and the extra cost is generally trivial, so you might want to consider those.

Thanks for the tip. The lack of VT-d is a bit irritating, but if I'm going to run FreeNAS on bare metal it won't matter.

 

[Ericloewe]

But it only has 6 SATA power connectors. If it's semi-modular, is there any way to replace some of the useless Molex connectors with more SATA?

There's a company (endorsed by Seasonic tech support) that sells modular cables for Seasonic PSUs. Don't remember the name, though.

 

[Z300M]

There's a company (endorsed by Seasonic tech support) that sells modular cables for Seasonic PSUs. Don't remember the name, though.

http://www.btosinte.com/Seasonic-Modular-Cables_c3.htm

They indicate that custom cables are available too -- but there is a minimum quantity, and they are expensive.

I bought some of the older-style (sleeved multi-color, rather than the current flat black) drive cables because the 4.5-in spacing between drive connectors on the flat black ones is insufficient for my setup.

BTW, the pinout seems to be the same as on my old Antec HE550 Modular PSU. (Does Antec make its own PSUs? Was the HE550 in fact made by SeaSonic?)

 

[diedrichg]

As for the case, I plan to go with the R5 someday. I like my machines quiet.

The 804 is nice. I have read that you can orient the drive cages in line with the airflow rather than blocking the airflow as pictured on Newegg. Also, I once read a comment by @jgreco where he said that nearly 100% of the drives that he has seen go from a horizontal orientation to a vertical orientation (or vice versa) have failed within the first few months of the orientation change. I stuck that little tidbit away in my head for future build considerations.

 

[diedrichg]

http://www.btosinte.com/Seasonic-Modular-Cables_c3.htm

Interesting, what's the purpose of a DDR3 Blank Memory Filler?
http://www.btosinte.com/Dell-DDR3-Blank-Memory-Filler-Dell-Mem-Filler.htm

 

[Pheran]

Thanks for the PSU cable info. It looks like it will be simpler to either stick with the S12G-450 ($60) or upgrade to the G-550 ($80).

 

[Ericloewe]

Interesting, what's the purpose of a DDR3 Blank Memory Filler?

Electrically? None. It's for shipping paranoia only. Maybe to help guide airflow in some (weird) scenarios.

 

[Pheran]

Dammit, SeaSonic has me confused now. This page says that the G-550 has 6 SATA connectors, and this page says it has 10. Anyone know the real answer?

EDIT: Never mind, it looks like 6 is the right number. I'm just going to get the S12G-450, I think the wattage is more appropriate anyway. It's also the only PSU I've found at this wattage that has 8 SATA.

 

[Ericloewe]

This review says 6.

There may be a newer SKU with more cables, explaining the difference.

and this page says it has 10.

Wha? Fluid Dynamic Bearing? I could swear I'd seen that the G-Series had ball bearings

ADDA doesn't seem to have a datasheet for the particular fan seen in review units (ADDA AD1212MB-A70GL), but the AD1212MB-A71GL through AD1212MB-A73GL models all have ball bearings.

And now a different review unit has a Jamicon ball bearing fan.

Anandtech's PSU reviewer also says that the AD1212MB-A70GL is an FDB fan... And both Seasonic pages say FDB...

So I'm really confused now.

 

[Ericloewe]

Ok, so it seems there is a new SKU, or at least a new version of the G550. I have verified that older G-Series came with ball bearing fans, but it seems Seasonic has jumped on the hype train and gone with FDB for new units.
I imagine these new units also ship with 10 SATA cables instead of the old units' 6.

 

[Pheran]

Ok, so it seems there is a new SKU, or at least a new version of the G550. I have verified that older G-Series came with ball bearing fans, but it seems Seasonic has jumped on the hype train and gone with FDB for new units.
I imagine these new units also ship with 10 SATA cables instead of the old units' 6.

I wouldn't count on that, this review is specifically for the G-550 V2 and it still says it only has 6 SATA.

 

[Ericloewe]

I wouldn't count on that, this review is specifically for the G-550 V2 and it still says it only has 6 SATA.

That's an older-ish model, though, the F3. It still has the ADDA fan that everyone on the internet (except the guy from Anandtech, though he may have caught an older ball bearing unit in newer FDB packaging) seems to say is a ball bearing fan. It's about a year old by now

I imagine this fan sidegrade/cable upgrade was timed to coincide with their 40th anniversary, which also replaced their ancient unusable old website, since FDB fans are the new thing. Fortunately, this only seems to have been done to the G-Series and lower-end units. X-Series/Platinum (and hopefully Titanium, when it's released) are keeping the San Ace fans, for now.

Edit: New FDB models confirmed by a press release buried in Seasonic's website, dated 2014-10-01.