First Ever Server Build & FreeNas Newbie

[joeschmuck]

I highly recommend that you build you system, give it the proper testing (Do you know what that is?) and then play with it for at least 2 weeks. What I mean is you create a pool, make and encrypted one if you like so you can get that out of your system, disconnect a drive and figure out how to replace it (you may want to keep one of your drives out of the system so you can do this test/training or you will need to wipe your drive by other means). So play with it because once you start committing data to it, it's about too late to play with it more unless you maintain a backup of that data.

 

[John3-6teen]

Absolutely. Thanks for all the great advise. That is what I was thinking I would do too. Play with the different methods of setting it up and the various settings until I'm more comfortable with it. I played with FreeNAS a few years ago on an old computer, but never used it for a real live server. I think figuring out how to structure the system will be my biggest challenge since there seems to be so many different options. I'm new to the concepts of datasets, vdevs, pools, and the like and then there's the whole virtualization question, etc....... I eventually want to learn about Jails and would like to have my own Cloud so I'll probably play with that a bit as well before I go live.

I was going to install 9.3, but now I'm wondering if I shouldn't use 9.1 at least during my self-training phase. I wish they had the Boot from USB working, that would make reinstalling and such a lot easier. I have a DVD drive I can install for now though and just burn some install disks and install on the hard drive.

 

[joeschmuck]

I'd install FreeNAS 9.10 and not look back. If you know what you want to do with FreeNAS then setting up the drive configuration will be easier. Notice that I didn't say cheaper either.

 

[Stux]

I wish they had the Boot from USB working

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the boot from USB is working in 9.10.

9.ten.

 

[joeschmuck]

It works fine as far as I know.

 

[Ericloewe]

It does. It's always worked in 9.10, no issues.

 

[John3-6teen]

Yep, my mistake. I thought it was still an issue with the SuperMicro X11... motherboards and FreeNas in general, but it worked fine with my X11SSH-LN4F and FreeNas 9.10. I'll play with it like this for a while then put it on a harddisk or superdom for my final real word production.