New FreeNAS server questions

[RyC]

Hello, and thanks in advance for your help!

I would like to set up a FreeNAS server and do 2 things:

1) ESXi Datastore through iSCSI
2) General backup of files

Hardware:
3.0 ghz Intel Dual Core E8400
RAM: 8 gb ECC DDR2
Supermicro SAT2-MV8 (PCI-X HBA)

I know I'm right at the minimum RAM recommended for ZFS, but I don't see having more than 4-5 TB in storage. I'm hoping that since I'm not planning on having more than 4-5 TB of storage, performance will not be negatively impacted.

I set up FreeNAS in a VM (for testing purposes only!) so I'm somewhat familiar with how it works, but I would like advice on what is the best practice for what I want.

For the general backing up of files, the way I understand it is that I create a volume, and from there, I can optionally create datasets, and then just add shares to the volume/dataset through AFP/CIFS control panel. Nothing else needs to be done, and I can copy over my stuff.

For the iSCSI datastore, I create a device or file extent. It can be stored on the same volume as my general backup volume, correct?

I haven't decided whether to go with RAID 0 or RAIDZ, but my biggest question is do you guys think this set up will be able/fast enough to serve as ESXi datastore storage?

Thanks again for your help, and sorry for all my questions!

 

[gpsguy]

Have you read these two forum threads?

a) Please do not run FreeNAS in production as a Virtual Machine!

b) "Absolutely must virtualize FreeNAS!" ... a guide to not completely losing your data.

 

[RyC]

Yes, I meant to say VM was only for testing. The hardware I listed above is the non VM hardware I plan to deploy for real on.

 

[cyberjock]

@gpsguy I don't think the OP wants to virtualize FreeNAS, so those links might not apply.

But, if you want to use FreeNAS as a datastore for ESXi, you'd better have at least 24GB of RAM(I wouldn't build a system with less than 32GB of RAM for ESXi datastore). I'll tell you how this is gonna work....(every noobie goes through this same path)

You're gonna get FreeNAS and ESXi setup. Then, as you start running VMs from FreeNAS you're going to notice that performace is terrible. This is going to require you to tweak ZFS. Well, since you don't have lots of RAM(ie 24GB+) you aren't going to be able to do any tweaking. If you are ignorant enough to ignore the forum posts that will tell you to get more RAM when you complain that ESXi is performing horribly and you are unwilling to spend the money to get more RAM you are going to spend the rest of your natural life trying get performance from a system that can't perform because of the hardware. Eventually you will either bail on the whole thing or eventually realize that more RAM is what you need.

So give up the whole idea that 8GB of RAM is going to work great for you. If you were trying to share some files over CIFS and you didn't have high performance demands then it would work(Your CPU would definitely hinder speeds though as the smbd is single threaded.. how much is dependent on many variables). But as soon as you start talking about iSCSI and NFS for ESXi datastoresyou are asking for LOTS of RAM because you do have performance needs. The 8GB is the "minimum" and for good reason. What you want to do isn't "the minimum" though.

Also, your CPU is pretty underpowered considering your performance needs for iSCSi and/or NFS. So even if you weren't RAM limited, you'd probably be looking at whole new system for FreeNAS anyway.

 

[RyC]

Thanks for the advice. 8 GB is the max for my board, so no go there. I'll look into other options for datastore storage then.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD