Plex + light docker build

[al3x88]

Hi everyone, I'm looking into building a freenas system, looking at other threads I've came up with these specs:

CPU	Intel Xeon E-2226G	NewEgg	$325.00
MB	Supermicro X11SCA-F-O	Amazon	$299.99
RAM	2x Supermicro 16GB	Supermicro	$220.00
OS Drive	Samsung 970 EVO SSD 250GB	Amazon	$99.99
Drives	3x WD Red WD40EFRX	Amazon	$329.97
Case	Fractal Design Define R5	Amazon	$129.99
PSU	Any 450W PSU		$50.00
		Total​	$1,454.94

The server will be used for Freenas (6 users using it not so often, mostly backups and file sharing), Plex (went with an E-xxxxG CPU to get the hw transcoding, probably not having simultaneous streams, let alone transcoding), some docker containers (znc, unifi controller, maybe a database just for testing and some other daemons)

My thoughts:
- is there a similar MB with 10ge? I haven't found any in the supermicro list
- I'm not sure about starting with 2x6TB drives or 3x4TB drives, those are the non-SMR ones, the 6TB non-SMR are about 300$ each on amazon, or maybe getting the SMR ones isn't a big deal?

Any advice is very appreciated

 

[Yorick]

is there a similar MB with 10ge

Inexpensive SFP+ cards are the way to go, look in the Resources section. That's why you got ATX with lots of PCIe slots.

Keep in mind a single mirror vdev of spinning rust won't saturate that 10Gig link, you'd need SSDs for that. Or a bunch of HDD mirror vdevs in a pool.
Also keep in mind a 3-wide raidz1 in a pool can be expanded later by adding another 3-wide raidz1. You cannot, however, grow the width of the existing raidz1, or change it to raidz2. If that's ever desired, you'd need to destroy the pool, re-create it, and restore from backup.

maybe getting the SMR ones isn't a big deal

It's a big deal, see ixSystems' recent announcement. WD Red DM-SMR can fail resilver. Seagate HA-SMR can take upwards of 6 days to resilver.

External WD drives w/ 8TB are still shipping with HGST HE8 according to someone who recently shucked one. If you are not afraid of making sure 3.3V is kept away from the drive, that's a great option.

 

[al3x88]

Thanks a lot for your help!

Inexpensive SFP+ cards are the way to go, look in the Resources section. That's why you got ATX with lots of PCIe slots.

Keep in mind a single mirror vdev of spinning rust won't saturate that 10Gig link, you'd need SSDs for that. Or a bunch of HDD mirror vdevs in a pool.
Also keep in mind a 3-wide raidz1 in a pool can be expanded later by adding another 3-wide raidz1. You cannot, however, grow the width of the existing raidz1, or change it to raidz2. If that's ever desired, you'd need to destroy the pool, re-create it, and restore from backup.

I see, a SFP+ card definitely makes sense. Regarding the raidz expansion, that's in the works right? (maybe this?)
I'm planning to do off-site backups (I was looking at Backblaze B2) so I'll probably go with raidz1.
You've mentioned about raidz1 but all the above is also valid for raidz2 too?

It's a big deal, see ixSystems' recent announcement. WD Red DM-SMR can fail resilver. Seagate HA-SMR can take upwards of 6 days to resilver.

External WD drives w/ 8TB are still shipping with HGST HE8 according to someone who recently shucked one. If you are not afraid of making sure 3.3V is kept away from the drive, that's a great option.

Ok so I'll stay away from SMR drives.
You're saying that if I buy a few 8TB WD My Book they'll come with HGST HE8?
I've read about the 3.3V thing, should easy to implement with a molex to sata adapter.

 

[al3x88]

Also about the specs, do you see anything unbalanced/worth changing?

 

[Yorick]

Regarding the raidz expansion, that's in the works right

Don't hold your breath on that. The alpha1 preview works, and, the help Matt asked for hasn't materialized in the past 2 years.

You've mentioned about raidz1 but all the above is also valid for raidz2 too?

Yes. Only difference is the amount of parity.

You're saying that if I buy a few 8TB WD My Book they'll come with HGST HE8

Single-drive externals currently seem to use HGST He8. Best to check with CyrstalDiskInfo before shucking, there's never any guarantees.

I've read about the 3.3V thing, should easy to implement with a molex to sata adapter

That's one way. I am using a fully modular PSU and just popped the 3.3V pin out on the PSU side of the SATA power cable.

Also about the specs, do you see anything unbalanced/worth changing

The OS drive is complete overkill. A "HP EX900 M.2 120GB PCIe 3.0 X4 Nvme" or similar will do just fine if you want to boot from M.2, and costs under $40.

Modular PSU is worth having.

450W PSU is fine for what you are doing, but if you want to add drives in future, consider 650W modular. You should allow for 25-30W of startup draw from a HDD.

2x Supermicro 16GB

Consider instead 1x32GB, that way, you have more room for future RAM expansion.

 

[al3x88]

Don't hold your breath on that. The alpha1 preview works, and, the help Matt asked for hasn't materialized in the past 2 years.

Got it, better plan without it

That's one way. I am using a fully modular PSU and just popped the 3.3V pin out on the PSU side of the SATA power cable.

That's even better

The OS drive is complete overkill. A "HP EX900 M.2 120GB PCIe 3.0 X4 Nvme" or similar will do just fine if you want to boot from M.2, and costs under $40.

Good to save something there :)

Consider instead 1x32GB, that way, you have more room for future RAM expansion.

I was going with 2 DIMMs because the MB has dual channel memory, not worth it?

 

[Yorick]

has dual channel memory

Correct, not worth it. The added flexibility of being able to go all the way 128GiB if you ever decide you want that is worth more.

 

[al3x88]

Thanks a lot for your help again! I'll purchase it in a week or two and go from there!