BUILD My first NAS build (and FreeNAS)

[Yokoyhama]

Hello,

This is the first time I'm going to build a NAS (did build PC's before) and using FreeNAS.
The NAS will be the centralized storage, running Plex (to Android device, chrome cast), Bitsync/owncloud, crashplan.
I'll be aiming for a 8TB useable storage, RAIDZ1 5x 2TB WD Red network NAS for future expansions (upgrade to larger disks and/or a RAIDZ1 with 3 disks).

For future expansion I would like to only exchange/expend the HDD's and memory and reuse the other parts.

I've got two builds that I'm not sure which one is the best one:

Build 1 (~€600,- without HDD's) :
MB - Supermicro X9SRL-F, €311
CPU - Xeon E5-1620 quad core 3,6 / 3,8 Ghz, €80 (used)
CPU Cooler - Prolimatech Megahalems Rev B. (from my old PC, with 2 fans Push/Pull)
RAM - Samsung 32G (4x8GB) DDR3 PC3-12800R ECC M393B1K70DH0-CK0, €60
PSU - Cooler Master V 650W 80+Gold, €95
Case - Fractal design Arc Midi R2, €90
Boot - any advice? 8GB USB?

Build 2 (~€820,- without HDD's) :
MB - ASRock C2750D4I with onboard C2750 Octa core @2,4 Ghz, €500
CPU - see MB
RAM - Samsung 32G (4x8GB) DDR3 PC3-12800R ECC M393B1K70DH0-CK0, €60
PSU - Silverstone SFX 450W 80+Gold, €90
Case - Silverstone DS380, €162
Boot - any advice? 8GB USB?

1) Is the hardware useable with each other and FreeNAS?
2) Which of the builds is the most future proof and why?

Any input or suggestion will be greatly appreciated.

edit1: HGST doesn't seem to have 2TB.

 

[Dice]

Welcome to the Forums.

Boot - any advice? 8GB USB?

- at least 16gb USB stick. Yet there are trends pointing towards getting a cheap USB or SATAdom instead, for installation. I'd follow that path.

One key learning outcome form hanging out in the forums for a few months, keeping a watchful eye on threads where people are looking for hardware to their 2nd FreeNAS box.. after having one for 1-3years.. the reasons for upgrades are quite uniform. From what I've seen there are a few often mentioned key reasons.

• ran out of hdd space
• ran out of ram (and ramslots.. typically max 16gb or max 32gb capacity of the motherboard)
• ran out of SATA ports..
• ran out of PCIe slots for expansion cards (HBA adapters)
• ran out of proper cooling
• case can no longer host enough number of drives (-> building a new small case again with higher capacity drives rather than getting a big enough case out the gate)

Futureproof?
It is to me obvious that build 1 is far better suited for the longer term freeNAS use.
I see two reasons: expandability in terms of PCIe slots, "infinite" ram capacity (up to 512Gb) and upgradeable CPU. The LGA2011 socket has CPU's with extreeemely different 'power'. This will probably be upgradeable even in the years to come if buying legacy stuff off e-bay. (check today for LGA1366 xeons, one generation older, then match the model number by passmark score to get an idea of what you can get dirt cheap)

The biggest selling point of the C2750 is the power consumption. It will be a lot more power efficient. That can translate to silence, to decreased power bills and heat management is simplified.
Do the math yourself. How much is the price per kWh ? Guestimate that the X9 probably will consume at least twice, perhaps up to four times the power per hour. That will turn into some cash in the long run. (And require some different cooling options than perhaps jamming it in a clothset and hope it'll be good....)
Considering all of these aspects, the X9 wins in most departments, at least in my book.

Hope this helped your choices.

 

[Yokoyhama]

Welcome to the Forums

Thank you for the welcome and your advice.

- at least 16gb USB stick. Yet there are trends pointing towards getting a cheap USB or SATAdom instead, for installation. I'd follow that path.

Now you mention it I think I did see some post about a SATA DOM, I'll look into that thx.

One key learning outcome form hanging out in the forums for a few months, keeping a watchful eye on threads where people are looking for hardware to their 2nd FreeNAS box.. after having one for 1-3years.. the reasons for upgrades are quite uniform. From what I've seen there are a few often mentioned key reasons.

• ran out of hdd space
• ran out of ram (and ramslots.. typically max 16gb or max 32gb capacity of the motherboard)
• ran out of SATA ports..
• ran out of PCIe slots for expansion cards (HBA adapters)
• ran out of proper cooling
• case can no longer host enough number of drives (-> building a new small case again with higher capacity drives rather than getting a big enough case out the gate)

If I read correct you can't expend a RaidZ# volume with extra disks, so to get more space you swap all the disk in the volume out for bigger disks, right?

Futureproof?
It is to me obvious that build 1 is far better suited for the longer term freeNAS use.
I see two reasons: expandability in terms of PCIe slots, "infinite" ram capacity (up to 512Gb) and upgradeable CPU. The LGA2011 socket has CPU's with extreeemely different 'power'. This will probably be upgradeable even in the years to come if buying legacy stuff off e-bay. (check today for LGA1366 xeons, one generation older, then match the model number by passmark score to get an idea of what you can get dirt cheap)

The biggest selling point of the C2750 is the power consumption. It will be a lot more power efficient. That can translate to silence, to decreased power bills and heat management is simplified.
Do the math yourself. How much is the price per kWh ? Guestimate that the X9 probably will consume at least twice, perhaps up to four times the power per hour. That will turn into some cash in the long run. (And require some different cooling options than perhaps jamming it in a clothset and hope it'll be good....)
Considering all of these aspects, the X9 wins in most departments, at least in my book.

I was not sure because of the older E5-1620 with "only" being a quad core vs the "new" C2750 Octa core.

Thanks again for the advice and quick reply.

 

[Bidule0hm]

If I read correct you can't expend a RaidZ# volume with extra disks, so to get more space you swap all the disk in the volume out for bigger disks, right?

More exactly you can't expand a RAID-Zx vdev but you can expand a pool (volume) made of RAID-Zx vdev(s) by adding another vdev. You can also replace each drive, one at a time, to expand a vdev (and so the pool). If it can help: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/comprehensive-diagram-of-the-zfs-structure.38865/ ;)

 

[Yokoyhama]

More exactly you can't expand a RAID-Zx vdev but you can expand a pool (volume) made of RAID-Zx vdev(s) by adding another vdev. You can also replace each drive, one at a time, to expand a vdev (and so the pool). If it can help: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/comprehensive-diagram-of-the-zfs-structure.38865/ ;)

Thats what I meant, thx for the link the diagram is useful.

 

[depasseg]

Considering all of these aspects, the X9 wins in most departments, at least in my book.

Just curious, and I don't want to diverge too much from the OP, but what about an X10 vs X9 Supermicro? They seem very similar pricewise (at least here in the US).

 

[Yokoyhama]

Just curious, and I don't want to diverge too much from the OP, but what about an X10 vs X9 Supermicro? They seem very similar pricewise (at least here in the US).

I'm no expert but isn't the X10 series for the 2011-3 socket and DDR4?

 

[Dice]

ust curious, and I don't want to diverge too much from the OP, but what about an X10 vs X9 Supermicro? They seem very similar pricewise (at least here in the US).

The biggest selling point of E5 & X9 is the flood of cheap DDR3 ram sticks on ebay.

If I knew what I know today 3 months ago, I'd never gone for the X11 route.
The same price I paid for 1x 8Gb DDR4 ECC UDIMM, would get me 6x8Gb (48Gb) DDR3 ECC REG. Plus getting an E5 would be far more fun (Except in the power/heat department) than my current i3-6100.

a X11 + E3-1230v5 + 64Gb DDR4 ECC UDiMM
is selling for the same price as a
X9DAi, 2x E5-2680 + 128gb DDR3 ECC REG.

That just blows my mind.