First FreeNAS build

[Soli Deo Gloria]

Hello all,

I've been looking online for a few weeks about upgrading my storage situation and have ultimately ended up here. I've been lurking the forums for a few days reviewing stickies, resources, and other people's previous builds and have finally come to a somewhat comfortable parts list. A bit of background of what I hope to accomplish here as I know a bit of context goes a long way for an appraisal. I had an old first gen i7 desktop tower in my office closet acting as my torrent client/personal file host/plex server/game server for a little over two years. I'd like to replace that system with a completely new FreeNAS based one. I was originally looking at pre-built nas solutions, but the lack of hardware transcoding for Plex drove the price so high I started to investigate building my own. I originally wanted something small like the NSC-800, but after reading the general disapproval changed to a more standard size. I know I'm going to get a comment about the hot swap bays, but I really do prefer the convenience even if it is an uncommon one. Drives intentionally left out as I have a few at home to play with while I make up my mind which ones to get (thinking 6x4 in RAID-Z2).

My NewEgg list with individual links below

* MB - Supermicro X10SRL-F
* MB - Supermicro X11SSM-F
* RAM - Samsung M393A2G40EB1-CPB x2
* CPU - Xeon E5-2603
* CPU - Xeon E3-1230 v5
* CPU - Xeon E3-1230 v6

* Case - iStarUSA D-410B10SA
* PSU - SeaSonic SSR-550RMhttps://www.amazon.com/dp/B00918MEZG/ref=twister_B01N1GORA4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

OR

* Case - U-NAS NSC-810A
* PSU - SeaSonic SS-350M1U?

Thanks for you all for your time!

 

[danb35]

I'd suggest a 1600-series CPU rather than the 2600--perhaps the 1620. It's a little more expensive, but double the clock speed is a benefit. But do you really need a Socket 2011 solution at all? They're typically a good bit more expensive than Socket 1151, and the latter still support up to 64 GB of RAM (which was the greatest limitation of Sockets 1155 and 1150, each of which only supported 32 GB).

 

[Soli Deo Gloria]

I'd suggest a 1600-series CPU rather than the 2600--perhaps the 1620. It's a little more expensive, but double the clock speed is a benefit. But do you really need a Socket 2011 solution at all? They're typically a good bit more expensive than Socket 1151, and the latter still support up to 64 GB of RAM (which was the greatest limitation of Sockets 1155 and 1150, each of which only supported 32 GB).

Looking at the 1620 now. That is a lot of clock speed for the price! I was trying to avoid the higher TDP CPUs. Not sure how well it'll fare in my office closet (attached). I'd certainly be interested in an 1151. Are there any you recommend? (Preferably with IPMI; I've never had it before but it sound super useful)

 

[tvsjr]

As someone with a lot of equipment in a closet, if you're planning to put even a modest FreeNAS box in there, you'd better figure out how you're going to cool things down. Either add a spot cooler or at least figure out how to get some fans to push air in and pull air out.

I'm in the process of adding a mini-split AC to my server closet.

 

[danb35]

I'd certainly be interested in an 1151. Are there any you recommend?

I know the hardware recommendations guide is up-to-date, but IIRC, the X11SSH-F is the standard choice if you don't need more than six disks or so, while the X11SSL-CF handles more disks (built-in SAS HBA). The CPU choice is going to depend mostly on what you want to do with it; Plex transcoding is probably the most CPU-intensive task that post people see. Yes, IPMI is very useful.

 

[lmbcdk]

I have a Xeon E3-1230v5 with the X11SSH-LN4F and am really happy with it. I have 48GB of ram and running ESXi with an LSI card flashed to IT mode setup in passthrough to my FreeNAS VM, have yet to have an issue with it since I built it a year ago (besides the whole chicken or the egg scenario when all of my VM storage is on the FreeNAS iSCSI target). I then have plex running in a VM on the server. I have never had any performance issues with it


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[Ericloewe]

I know the hardware recommendations guide is up-to-date, but IIRC, the X11SSH-F is the standard choice if you don't need more than six disks or so, while the X11SSL-CF handles more disks (built-in SAS HBA). The CPU choice is going to depend mostly on what you want to do with it; Plex transcoding is probably the most CPU-intensive task that post people see. Yes, IPMI is very useful.

Nope, X11SSM-F. The X11SSH-F is more expensive and less capable.

 

[danb35]

Thanks for the correction. Not being in the market, I haven't kept up with the X11 gear.

 

[Soli Deo Gloria]

As someone with a lot of equipment in a closet, if you're planning to put even a modest FreeNAS box in there, you'd better figure out how you're going to cool things down. Either add a spot cooler or at least figure out how to get some fans to push air in and pull air out.

I'm in the process of adding a mini-split AC to my server closet.

I probably should have mentioned that the door to the closet stays open on the server side; still it is a good area for air to stagnate which is why I was trying to watch my CPU TDP. What's your setup like and how are your temps?

Thanks everyone else for the suggestions on 1151 mobo/cpu. The Xeon E3-1230 looks awesome (3.4 GHz, 80W, 1151 Socket) as do the mobo suggestions (glad to see IPMI on the 1151's); although, I feel weird putting a micro ATX board in a full ATX case.

Price between the two doesn't appear to be that much, so I guess it come down to which would make for better Plex server (and possible game sever). Probably the high frequency CPU, unless there's some black magic in the newer Xeon's I'm not aware of. Time to read through about the X11 boards to see which would be best.

 

[Stux]

If 4 cores (8 threads) and 64GB is enough for you then the E3-1230v5/v6 is a relative bargain and the perfect chip for plex ;)

 

[lmbcdk]

I probably should have mentioned that the door to the closet stays open on the server side; still it is a good area for air to stagnate which is why I was trying to watch my CPU TDP. What's your setup like and how are your temps?

Thanks everyone else for the suggestions on 1151 mobo/cpu. The Xeon E3-1230 looks awesome (3.4 GHz, 80W, 1151 Socket) as do the mobo suggestions (glad to see IPMI on the 1151's); although, I feel weird putting a micro ATX board in a full ATX case.

Price between the two doesn't appear to be that much, so I guess it come down to which would make for better Plex server (and possible game sever). Probably the high frequency CPU, unless there's some black magic in the newer Xeon's I'm not aware of. Time to read through about the X11 boards to see which would be best.

I put the microATX board in an E-ATX case, soooo much extra space in there! So don't feel too bad :p

Case:
Rosewill 4U Server Chassis / Server Case / Rackmount Case, Metal Rack Mount Computer Case with 12 Hot Swap Bays & 5 Fans Pre-Installed (RSV-L4412) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9CXGSO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vFZnzbDX5J44J

Edit: I actually bought the 15 bay non-hot swap version and swapped out one of the drive cages for the 4x3.5" hot swap that rosewill has. Plan is to replace a second or third one eventually though


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[Soli Deo Gloria]

If 4 cores (8 threads) and 64GB is enough for you then the E3-1230v5/v6 is a relative bargain and the perfect chip for plex ;)

Yeah, I think so too. I just updated my original post. Actually, I didn't realize there was a v6. 8W lower TDP for $10 seems too good to pass up; I'll have to update again.

I put the microATX board in an E-ATX case, soooo much extra space in there! So don't feel too bad :p

Case:
Rosewill 4U Server Chassis / Server Case / Rackmount Case, Metal Rack Mount Computer Case with 12 Hot Swap Bays & 5 Fans Pre-Installed (RSV-L4412) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N9CXGSO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vFZnzbDX5J44J

Edit: I actually bought the 15 bay non-hot swap version and swapped out one of the drive cages for the 4x3.5" hot swap that rosewill has. Plan is to replace a second or third one eventually though

I was serious considering the Rosewill 12 bay hotswap case, but didn't think the adapters looked particularly sturdy. Which hot swap adapter are you putting in?

 

[Stux]

Btw, the microATX board will fit in the UNAS 810A ;)

(1230v6 is slightly outside the TDP of the appropriate Noctua cooler though)

I'm seriously tossing up between a XeonD or E3-1230 solution in that case.

 

[Soli Deo Gloria]

Btw, the microATX board will fit in the UNAS 810A ;)

(1230v6 is slightly outside the TDP of the appropriate Noctua cooler though)

I'm seriously tossing up between a XeonD or E3-1230 solution in that case.

Oh man you hit my weak spot. One of my early build goals was to try and keep a small form factor. It's like a slightly bigger NSC-800! (316mm x 254mm x 180mm vs 315mm x 275mm x 197mm). Do you have any experience with U-NAS cases?

 

[Stux]

Oh man you hit my weak spot. One of my early build goals was to try and keep a small form factor. It's like a slightly bigger NSC-800! (316mm x 254mm x 180mm vs 315mm x 275mm x 197mm). Do you have any experience with U-NAS cases?

No, but these guys do:
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/u-nas-nsc-810a-matx-chassis.12897/

 

[Soli Deo Gloria]

No, but these guys do:
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/u-nas-nsc-810a-matx-chassis.12897/

Interesting. Painful, but most people seem to think it's worth it. Also, the cooling seems to have improved over the NSC-800. I'll have to add it to the list as an option and think it over tomorrow. Thanks, Stux!