First FreeNAS Build from 286 to E3!

[billgreenwood]

Hi all,

The last machine I built from scratch was state of the art (now ark). I had an AT286 chip, 1MB Ram, 5¼" floppy and a state of the art 3½" drive and a beast of a 20gb HD. It was a beast! But my first FreeNas build will have just a little more power!

After reading many posts on this forum, I've decided on the following for my FreeNAS. Please feel free to add any pointers / critique.

My spec

CASE
Fractal Design Define R4 Black Pearl Mid Tower

MOTHERBOARD
Supermicro MBD-X9SCM-F-O

CPU
INTEL Xeon E3-1230V3 3.3GHz LGA1150

CPU COOLER
Supermicro SNK-P0046A4

RAM
Kingston 32GB 1600MHz DDR3 ECC CL11 DIMM

DRIVES
6 x WD Red 3TB for NAS 3.5-inch

2 EXTRA FANS for venting out the top
Fractal Design Silent Series R2 140mm

PSU
Corsair CP-9020055-UK RM Series RM750 80 Plus Gold 750W ATX/EPS Fully Modular Power Supply Unit

FLASH DRIVE x 3 (one spare - one for upgrades)
Kingston Technology 8 GB USB 2.0 DataTraveler SE9H Flash Drive.


My primary use for the NAS is as a fileserver. I plan to run BitTorrent Sync for an offsite backup to another lower powered NAS for important files. I'll also run an onsite grandfather tape backup routine using retrospect on a macmini for file, unless there are any FreeNAS options on this.

I have a question on the fans which I can't find an answer on the forum. I'd like the fans to draw air through the back and vent it out the top. Somehow the fans must be reversed to blow out? How please is this done please - ok if it is just a case of reversing the fan, just laugh now! You can see i'm a bit out of touch with any own build!

I'll also dabble with the FreeNAS Plex, though I use a macmini for this currently. Unless I find the FreeNAS plugin is better.

I'm also interested in purchasing a UPS. Any recommendations for this will be great. I only need it to keep the system running for 10 mins and perform a controlled shutdown. Can a UPS reboot the NAS when the power comes back on?

I'm based in UK

Thanks
Bill

 

[warri]

Welcome to the forum! For me 20 GB was an unimaginable amount of space when I got my first 486-DX4 with 100 Mhz. I think at that time I only had a couple of old 500MB drives or the like scraped from my brother's old machines. ;)

Judging by the hardware you listed you did indeed do your homework. It looks like a nice build.
You could alternatively go for a newer generation of CPUs combined with the Supermicro X10-series, a lot of new builds seem to use them.

Can't help you with the UPS or fans, but I'm sure somebody else will chime in.

 

[cyberjock]

Your X9SCM-F isn't a socket 1150. But the CPU you have listed is an 1150. So either you gotta upgrade to an X10 motherboard or go with a different CPU.

 

[crisman]

Hi,

Why you need a 750W PSU? I think a 500W is more than enough for your system.
The UPS you can buy an APC these are very good. (http://www.apc.com/products/category.cfm?id=13)
The fan's if you have extra money I recommend Noctua, I've this one NF-A14 FLX on my systems and its excellent! (http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=52&lng=en)

 

[billgreenwood]

Your X9SCM-F isn't a socket 1150. But the CPU you have listed is an 1150. So either you gotta upgrade to an X10 motherboard or go with a different CPU.

Thanks ever so much Cyberjock! You have indeed saved my bacon here. A real rookie mistake that one hey ;) But one that you've help avoid. I've swapped the CPU to one that fits. Intel BX80637E31240V2 Xeon Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz LGA1155 Socket 8 MB L3 Cache 69 Watt.

Many thanks

Bill

 

[DrKK]

I know Cyberjock will kill me for saying this. If you have 6x3TB drives, and you're not going to do anything very fancy with the NAS, then 16GB of RAM is sufficient. Just something to think about. It's almost $100 saved.

Also, fans, you can mount either way. In, or out. Just unscrew any built-in fan, and flip around. Or, if you're using an aftermarket fan, there will be an arrow on the outside case that will show you airflow direction---just mount whatever way you want.

Also, for the thumb drive, so that no one accidentally knocks it out, we usually recommend a product like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171586

 

[billgreenwood]

Hi,

Why you need a 750W PSU? I think a 500W is more than enough for your system.
The UPS you can buy an APC these are very good. (http://www.apc.com/products/category.cfm?id=13)
The fan's if you have extra money I recommend Noctua, I've this one NF-A14 FLX on my systems and its excellent! (http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=52&lng=en)

Hi crisman,
I went for the 750w really to give the system a bit more "oomph" power if it needed it, especially when starting up. I wont have to worry about the drives all drawing load together. The system itself will draw what it needs to run so I think that having the bigger supply wont cost me to much extra electric. I got the PSU for a good price anyway so I've saved a few pound here.

The fans I've bought to match the case. They are quiet. But I will be building another smaller FreeNas for another offsite location and these noctua fans look like they may be just right for this.

I remember APC from my Silicon Graphics days, I think this is the brand I'll be looking at. I'm hoping to be able to run my mac off the same UPS.

Thanks for the advice.

Bill

 

[billgreenwood]

I know Cyberjock will kill me for saying this. If you have 6x3TB drives, and you're not going to do anything very fancy with the NAS, then 16GB of RAM is sufficient. Just something to think about. It's almost $100 saved.

Also, fans, you can mount either way. In, or out. Just unscrew any built-in fan, and flip around. Or, if you're using an aftermarket fan, there will be an arrow on the outside case that will show you airflow direction---just mount whatever way you want.

Also, for the thumb drive, so that no one accidentally knocks it out, we usually recommend a product like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171586

Hi DrKK,

In for a penny, in for a pound. I'll get the 32gb and stop eating biscuits. More Ram for the NAS, less calories for me!
That's just the advice I needed for the fans, cheers. Like I said, it's been a long time since I built a pc of any sort (20+years).

The USB will sit on the motherboard as it has a slot for it. So if this get's knocked out well i'm in real trouble. But the stubby one is a great idea. I use a stubby wifi adaptor for an old mac I have. To my cost I know the value of not having stuff stick out to much, last week I broke a USB power cable because it was protruding from the socket to far.

b.

 

[crisman]

The fans I've bought to match the case. They are quiet. But I will be building another smaller FreeNas for another offsite location and these noctua fans look like they may be just right for this.

I remember APC from my Silicon Graphics days, I think this is the brand I'll be looking at. I'm hoping to be able to run my mac off the same UPS.

Thanks for the advice.

Bill

Bill,

When you build the new system, please check the noctua website and see the different options they have for there fans, some of them are more efficient than others depending where you want use them (case air flow, cpu air flow or even apply them to blow air to hard drives), they are very quiet and you can search on the web several reviews on them comparing to others makes.

The UPS if you want to use a mac and a nas systems depending on the load, I think you will need no less than 1000 VA, please be carefully to don't overload the UPS.

Regards.

 

[cyberjock]

Actually, for most home users that aren't doing non-home user things, 16GB is plenty of RAM. Unless the pool starts performing slowly 16GB will probably be fine for years to come.

 

[Ericloewe]

For 6 drives a 750W PSU is overkill. Additionally, Corsair's RM series is average at best, unlike the units they're intended to replace.

If you feel you must absolutely have that much power available, consider upgrading to Corsair's HX or AX series (there's no benefit from the AXi), or to Seasonic's G, X or SS series (Corsair's AXs are rebranded X and SS series, while the RMs are built by not-quite-as-good OEMs). My advice is that you go with something like the Seasonic G-450. 450W is plenty for ~12 disks, so it allows for future expansion. You get a better PSU (less noisy output) for less cash and it'll be running closer to its peak efficiency (50% load), saving even more money.

 

[billgreenwood]

For 6 drives a 750W PSU is overkill. Additionally, Corsair's RM series is average at best, unlike the units they're intended to replace.

If you feel you must absolutely have that much power available, consider upgrading to Corsair's HX or AX series (there's no benefit from the AXi), or to Seasonic's G, X or SS series (Corsair's AXs are rebranded X and SS series, while the RMs are built by not-quite-as-good OEMs). My advice is that you go with something like the Seasonic G-450. 450W is plenty for ~12 disks, so it allows for future expansion. You get a better PSU (less noisy output) for less cash and it'll be running closer to its peak efficiency (50% load), saving even more money.

Thanks for this Ericloewe, but I've now purchased the PSU, installed it got it running. I'll keep the supply I have.


I have screwed up with the memory. It seems my board doesn't like this ram. I got 5 short beeps and a long one. Seems this is a ram issue so I've changed my ram. :( I was hoping to get this running this weekend. Oh well. Maybe next week!

 

[amires]

Nice build. Make sure the ram modules you are getting are ECC unbuffered and not ECC registered.

 

[viniciusferrao]

Hi all,

The last machine I built from scratch was state of the art (now ark). I had an AT286 chip, 1MB Ram, 5¼" floppy and a state of the art 3½" drive and a beast of a 20gb HD. It was a beast! But my first FreeNas build will have just a little more power!

I should be 20MB, no? On the 486 days the standard disk drives was 540MB. I had one Quantum Lightning on my Cyrix 486DX2.

 

[billgreenwood]

Hi all,
Well for the past year this beauty has - and still is running smooth. I cant hear it and I sit 6ft away from it 5 days a week. Uptime since my last power off (as I was moving the office around) is 73 days. I just forget it is there.

I love freenas. Just love it. I can back up all my Macs on this system, I run Plex on it. I've even put a VPN in a jail :) BTSync has revolutionized the way I work. Though I'm still using a Mac to back up to tape. It's not worth the investment and learning curve to move backups to BSD. Though I wish it was.

I would also love to run ubuntu in a Jail, but this is a question for another time .... my main issue is storage

I cant believe I am saying this, but I need more space. My 6 x 3tb drives give me about 9tb useable, but of course FreeNas wants me to keep 20% of this free. So I am nearly filling up my 7tb and I need more space.

My motherboard Supermicro MBD-X9SCM-F-O only supports 6 drives. And I have 6 x 3tb drives.

So ideas for options;
Can I get a PCI card and plug in a couple more drives. Does this work with freenas. Can yo recommend a card if so?
I can put what I call "long term - accessible storage" on here that I don't need to worry about crashing/losing; as I will have this data backed up on tapes.

So I would like to add on somehow at least 8tb of capacity. This can be two drives of 4tb or I can double this to 4 x 4tb (by using 2 spare drive bays and converting my 5.25" bays to 3.5s.


All ideas very much appreciated.


Sorry for the rushed email - got to watch Harry Kane v Italy!



Cheers


Bill

 

[Ericloewe]

Get an M1015 and crossflash it. Stable as it can be.

You'll definitely want more than two drives, unless you want to destroy the pool and recreate it with more drives, otherwise you'll lose redundancy (or won't have it if you make a second pool). For details, check cyberjock's guide (link in my sig).

 

[ser_rhaegar]

If your 6x3TB drives are mirror pairs, then you could add 1 or 2 more pairs to the pool for expansion. If it is raidz2, you could add another raidz2 of 4 drives, but I believe people recommend matching vdevs (I could be wrong, I mostly use mirrors).

For the HBA, I'd recommend a used IBM M1015 card, flashed to P16 IT firmware. Those are highly recommended here.

 

[DrKK]

I feel like he's got a RAID-Z2 with the 6 drives.

Here's a case where 2 RAID-Z1 with 3 drives apiece (same usable TB) might have made sense---he could then have autoexpanded one of the vdevs in this spot.

 

[billgreenwood]

Thanks for the recommendations. As DrKK says, I have the 6 drives on RAID-Z2.

My plan will be to make a second pool which I can run off the IBM M1015 card. Thanks Ericloewe and ser_rhaegar for the advice. I will cram up on this card and P16 flashing.

I see WD do 6tb drives now. I wonder if I can squeeze 6 of these in!!

Cheers for the replies.

b.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

I see WD do 6tb drives now. I wonder if I can squeeze 6 of these in!!

You could replace your 6 3TB drives with 6 6TB drives, one at a time, to double your available space.