Critique my FreeNAS build list, please.

[soulburn]

Hi everyone,

I am currently putting together a FreeNAS server that I will use for NAS, SAN, and iSCSI targets in my home. It will host my media via CIFS and also be used with an iSCSI target as a datastore for my ESXi home lab. Any feedback on my build list or potential issues would be highly appreciated. I really want to avoid having to buy/RMA stuff because things don't fit/aren't compatible and I want to get it right on the first try.

Specific questions I have about this build:

• Does anyone have any experience with the Supermicro CSE-836BA-R920B case and the MBD-X8DTi-LN4F-O motherboard in terms of fit?
• Does anyone have any experience running the particular Crucial ECC RAM (CT16G3ERSLD41339) with the MBD-X8DTi-LN4F-O motherboard in terms of compatibility?
• It looks like the Supermicro CSE-836BA-R920B case has SFF-8087 connectors on the backplane, how does the backplane power the hard drives (Molex, SATA, etc.)?
• Does anyone have any recommendations for this combo for a HSF. I just picked an Intel BXSTS100A based on reviews and want to be sure it will fit.

Builds Specs:

OS

Freenas 9.2.1.6 x64 on 16GB USB memory stick.

Storage Layout

16x - 4TB drives.
8 drives per HBA and VDev.
2 zpools.
RAIDZ2 on each zpool. (2 drives can fail per zpool)
24TB usable per zpool, 48 TB usable total. 4 drive failures allowed in total.

Stuff I already have:
CPU

Intel Xeon E5645 Westmere-EP 2.4GHz 12MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 80W Server Processor BX80614E5645

RAM

4x - Crucial 16GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM ECC Registered DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Server Memory Model CT16G3ERSLD41339

HBAs

2x - LSI Internal SATA/SAS 9211-8i 6Gb/s PCI-Express 2.0 RAID Controller Card, Single

HBA cables

4x - StarTech Model SAS8787100 3.28 ft. Mini-SAS Cable with Sidebands

HDDs

16x - Seagate Desktop HDD.15 ST4000DM000 4TB 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive

Stuff I need to buy:
Case

SUPERMICRO SuperChassis CSE-836BA-R920B Black 3U Rackmount Server Case 920W Redundant 80PLUS Platinum

PSUs

2x - 920 watt redundant PSU's included in above case.

Motherboard

SUPERMICRO MBD-X8DTi-LN4F-O Dual LGA 1366 Intel 5520 Extended ATX Dual Intel Xeon 5500 and 5600 Series Server Motherboard

HSF

Intel BXSTS100A Active heat sink with fixed fan

 

[diehard]

Is there a reason you would go with such an old processor?

No need to worry about power to the backplane, it will come already hooked up to its PSU.

 

[soulburn]

I chose that CPU because I already have it and would like to avoid purchasing a new one. Thanks for the info about the backplane, that makes things a lot easier.

 

[diehard]

Then the only thing i can see is those SAS cables are .. too expensive. Monoprice has some for around $10, and im sure newegg has cheaper ones.

You could save some money by using different HBA's .. like the IBM M1015.