My first FreeNAS build, how's it looking?

[andrewmoore]

Hi all,

I've read a lot of threads in these forums and I've finally come up with a build that I'm pretty happy with. If you wouldn't mind giving it some scrutiny and giving me your feedback!

It will be functioning purely as a NAS, I won't be running any software/jails. A separate ESXi host with various VMs will provide the grunt.

Case: Fractal Design Node 304 (FD-CA-NODE-304-BL)
Fans: 1x Noctua NF-A14 PWM & 2x Noctua NF-A9 PWM
Power Supply: Seasonic G-450W (SS-450RM)
Storage Drives: 6x WD Red 3TB (WD30EFRX) - I already own 3 otherwise I'd probably go higher capacity
Boot SSD: Samsung PM961 128GB (MZVLW128HEGR)
Motherboard/CPU: Supermicro A2SDi-4C-HLN4F

The motherboard is brand new, I don't think I've seen anyone on these forums who owns one yet. It seems great based on specs.

What do you think? Thanks in advance!

 

[Ericloewe]

Motherboard/CPU: Supermicro A2SDi-4C-HLN4F

Seems rather limited. Up to eight SATA ports or PCIe lanes? That's very little. Especially if that has to support the M.s slot as well (you'd have to check the manual).

Storage Drives: 6x WD Red 3TB (WD30EFRX) - I already own 3 otherwise I'd probably go higher capacity

You can go with a higher capacity now and reap the benefits when the old drives are retired.

 

[Arwen]

...
Storage Drives: 6x WD Red 3TB (WD30EFRX) - I already own 3 otherwise I'd probably go higher capacity
...

...
You can go with a higher capacity now and reap the benefits when the old drives are retired.

I agree with @Ericloewe, buy the best cost per GB / TB now. Even if you can't use the space, whence the older 3TB drives start failing, check for the best cost per GB / TB in the future. Whence you have replaced all the smaller drives, your pool will grow to the next smallest drive.

 

[diedrichg]

I have the Node 304. I don't believe that the fan controller is 4 pin, so unless you have some extra 4-pin headers on the board you may want to look at the non-pwm version of the front fans. Also, contrary to the comment above, 8 SATA ports will be sufficient since the case only holds 6 drives. Pro tip: get a short PSU, you'll gain some room for the cables unless they come out at the side in which case they will be crunched against the side of the case anyways.

 

[Russell Coight]

I have the Node 304. I don't believe that the fan controller is 4 pin

You're right it's 3 pin.

 

[Stux]

I have the Node 304. I don't believe that the fan controller is 4 pin, so unless you have some extra 4-pin headers on the board you may want to look at the non-pwm version of the front fans. Also, contrary to the comment above, 8 SATA ports will be sufficient since the case only holds 6 drives. Pro tip: get a short PSU, you'll gain some room for the cables unless they come out at the side in which case they will be crunched against the side of the case anyways.

The includes fans are 3-pin and the controller is manual, but I replaced the fans with PWM fans, and run my fan control script to control the fans via IPMI...

The OP seems to have already picked the same fans I used in my build

Works very well.

 

[Ericloewe]

Also, contrary to the comment above, 8 SATA ports will be sufficient since the case only holds 6 drives.

But it leaves literally two measly PCIe lanes. That's a very significant limitation.

 

[diedrichg]

But it leaves literally two measly PCIe lanes. That's a very significant limitation.

To do what with? Spinning platters can't saturate what they're given, and there physically isn't more room for drives. I just don't see the limitation that would create a bottleneck.

 

[Ericloewe]

L2ARC, mostly. It's not very likely to be useful given how much RAM the board takes, but it's something that bothers me.

 

[Stux]

No where to go. Can'd add an HBA worth a damn, or a PCIe NVMe.