NAS server chasis recommendations?

[JimPhreak]

So I'm putting together a build list for a potential FreeNAS box. I'd like it to be as small as possible (though it's going to need to fit 8 drives so I know that'll increase the size of course). I'd also like the drive bays to be hot swap-able.

Something like this is what I'm looking for (although if the hard drives were stacked vertically that would work too) but I don't know if there are any decent Mini-ITX server boards that are recommended for a FreeNAS build. Any recommendations (links) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[survive]

Hi JimPhreak,

As far as I know nobody has found a Micro-ATX board that has both ECC memory & Intel NIC(s), so no matter what you are going to have make some (deal-breaking) compromises if you want to go that small.

AsRock has some very interesting server-class boards that have been announced, but have not yet been spotted for sale. Take a look here:

http://www.asrock.com/server/index.asp?CPU=&Type=&Form=mITX

There's a thread around here about the FreeNAS Mini system that gives some information about what hardware is used in that system which would be a great setup to duplicate if you must go with the Micro-ATX form-factor, but I can't advise you on how you would get the last 2 SATA ports you need for all 8 drives.

The best advice I can give you is to give up on going tiny. Settle for a slightly bigger system that can do a Mini-ATX board and you get a much bigger selection of hardware that is better suited for a serious zfs system. Instead of looking for something that ought to work and giving up the key features you really will want, you will be faced with a daunting selection of boards each of which would work great and you would just have to pick the one that has all the features you need.

-Will

 

[JimPhreak]

Did you mean that there are no good Mini-ITX boards and I should go with Micro-ATX?

Do you know of any good Micro-ATX cases where all the bays are hot-swap-able? I did see the thread on that new ASRock line but since they aren't out right now I basically put them to the side as an option.

I'll take a look at that thread you referenced now so thank you for that recommendation.

 

[survive]

Hi JimPhreak,

I may have my sizes confused....if so, forgive the incorrect information. In re-reading the thread I realize I got tripped up on Mini-ITX vs. Micro-ATX.

There are a ton of excellent Micro-ATX boards out there that have all the features a FreeNAS admin would want. Take a look here:

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon3000/#1155

and here:

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon3000/#1150

for a selection of choices. Personally I use an X9SCL-F in my filer.

As far as cases go I can't really advise you what to look at. I wouldn't really focus to much on having hot-swap drive bays though. They certainly are nice to have but hopefully you aren't going to be having drives fail so often that they justify the cost.

-Will

 

[JimPhreak]

I hear you on hoping to not lose drives often. I guess I just was hoping to avoid using an actual mini/mid-tower case. I like the look of smaller NAS devices and I really don't have the room for another big computer case.

 

[SmallGuy]

There is the mini-ITX X9SPV-M4 series from supermicro. Not cheap (means very expensive), but crazy specifications!
ECC support, 4 Intel NIC, 6 SATA ports, Intel Core i7 embeded.
Don't know if it works with Freenas but looks like.

 

[survive]

Hi JimPhreak & SmallGuy,

Wow....it looks like there are a number of options for Mini-ITX out there now. Here's a Newegg link filtering on that size:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...SpeTabStoreType=&AdvancedSearch=1&srchInDesc=

Looks like there are 3 boards that have a "G2" socket for a (Haswell?) mobile chip.

SmallGuy, that board you found is a beast.....I really like it, but have no idea what I would do with it. Like you said, it's pricey Newegg has a few "SPV" series at ~$650.00, but it looks like you get a soldered-on proc for that money.

-Will

 

[SmallGuy]

Think Manufacturers have detected there is a potential market for this kind of small form factor server class mother board (as we assist since few months at the success of Freenas).
And I hope during the next few months we will see some good surprises... at reasonable price...
There are ways to save money reducing specifications (I don't need 4 NICs for exemple, and I7 is overkill for my usage).

 

[vegaman]

Those boards use embedded mobile CPUs. That's why they cost so much.
But it includes the CPU, has ECC support (it seems Intel doesn't bother disabling it on mobile chips) and should be very power efficient.
The only other option I know of at the moment is waiting for the Avoton boards. Unless you can find the mini-ITX Intel board I've heard of.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 4

 

[JimPhreak]

I think I've turned my interests towards getting a mini server rack for my home and consolidating a bunch of towers that I have into the rack. Does anyone know of any good ones? I found this one which looks perfect (size wise) for my space needs but I'm a little concerned about the depth (only 23.5").

EDIT: I've also found this one that looks pretty decent but it has the same depth as the first one I linked to. Is that a standard depth for a server rack? Anything specific I should be looking for?

EDIT #2: Scratch the second one it's too tall (39"). I think something closer to a 12-15U rack is what I'm looking for.

 

[cyberjock]

23.5" is not deep enough. You want the full depth(30" I believe). And check out craig's list. I got a very nice $2000 rack for $400 2 years ago. All my friends are envious.

Here: http://www.server-racks.com/rack-mount-depth.html

 

[John M. Długosz]

So I'm putting together a build list for a potential FreeNAS box. I'd like it to be as small as possible (though it's going to need to fit 8 drives so I know that'll increase the size of course). I'd also like the drive bays to be hot swap-able.

Fractal-Designs R4. It holds 8 drives plus two more SSDs (for the cacheing), and I'm putting a hot-swap backplane in the 5¼″ bays. I was also interested in keeping it compact, but also quiet.

 

[underpickled]

I just ordered the parts for my build and I'm planning to use this mobo:
http://www.asrock.com/server/overview.asp?Model=E3C226D2I
It's a mITX server board that supports Haswell chips, has Intel NICs, ECC, etc.

But wow, the chassis in the OP looks fantastic! I already ordered a Node 304, but I'm almost tempted to cancel that and get the UNAS one...

 

[underpickled]

Oh, it's worth noting that although there is only one expansion slot... it is a x16 PCI 3.0 slot, so it could hold an HBA like the M1015 to get those extra slots.

 

[JimPhreak]

Oh, it's worth noting that although there is only one expansion slot... it is a x16 PCI 3.0 slot, so it could hold an HBA like the M1015 to get those extra slots.

I saw your thread about your mini-ITX build which I'm very interested in. However if I was to go mini-ITX it would be specifically to use a very small enclosure like the one I linked in the OP here. With that chassis, I'm not sure how I'd even utilize the PCIE 3.0 slot. Do they sell like PCIE adapters of any kind for using a PCIE card in a tiny space like that?

 

[underpickled]

Hmm... well check this out: http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=1084681
He fits an M1015 in there somehow...

My items already shipped so I'll be sticking with the Node 304 (I'd also need to change PSUs and I'd rather not bother just for 2 slots I may never use). The hot-swap is attractive, but honestly a backplane made by (???) is just one more thing that can fail. I bet cooling is better in the Node 304 too, though the reviewer got pretty decent temps.

I reason if 6 bays doesn't give me enough space then I probably won't be sticking to mITX for long anyway ;)

EDIT: If you search around there are people who've built gaming rigs out of Node 304s... so they can fit a full sized graphics card in that case at least. Definitely not in the U-NAS chassis, but maybe the 304 is a good compromise if you can hang with 6 bays.

EDIT 2: Aha! Looks like the U-NAS chassis comes with a PCIe extension ribbon... that must be the way it's done.

 

[JimPhreak]

Hmm... well check this out: http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?t=1084681
He fits an M1015 in there somehow...

My items already shipped so I'll be sticking with the Node 304 (I'd also need to change PSUs and I'd rather not bother just for 2 slots I may never use). The hot-swap is attractive, but honestly a backplane made by (???) is just one more thing that can fail. I bet cooling is better in the Node 304 too, though the reviewer got pretty decent temps.

I reason if 6 bays doesn't give me enough space then I probably won't be sticking to mITX for long anyway ;)

EDIT: If you search around there are people who've built gaming rigs out of Node 304s... so they can fit a full sized graphics card in that case at least. Definitely not in the U-NAS chassis, but maybe the 304 is a good compromise if you can hang with 6 bays.

EDIT 2: Aha! Looks like the U-NAS chassis comes with a PCIe extension ribbon... that must be the way it's done.

Nice! Good find! Yea I like the Node but I already have 8 drives that I need to make use of so 8 bays minimum is a must.

 

[underpickled]

Well hey, if I had 8 drives I'd get the U-NAS chassis, this PSU, and probably everything else the same from my build... plus an M1015 for the extra slots of course.

 

[JimPhreak]

Well hey, if I had 8 drives I'd get the U-NAS chassis, this PSU, and probably everything else the same from my build... plus an M1015 for the extra slots of course.

Yea I'm very much considering it. I was originally going to go with a rack mountable chassis until I determined I just don't have the space for full rack hardware right now. I'm going to post a question in your build thread since I don't want to take this thread too off topic (whoops too late haha).

 

[JimPhreak]

Well hey, if I had 8 drives I'd get the U-NAS chassis, this PSU, and probably everything else the same from my build... plus an M1015 for the extra slots of course.

That 300w PSU should be enough for my build right?