Sanity check before proceeding with my first FreeNAS build

[Matt_G]

This build is going to be a Plex server, file server and it will run some VM's.
Here are the parts I have so far:

Got a pretty good deal on the package below from Natex a while back.
Just a touch over $1000.00 USD for the board, processors and RAM.
Motherboard: Intel S2600CP2J. https://ark.intel.com/products/66133/Intel-Server-Board-S2600CP2J
Processors: 2 Xeon E5-2680v2. https://ark.intel.com/products/75277/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E5-2680-v2-25M-Cache-2_80-GHz
RAM: 128GB of ECC memory.
HDD: 8 4TB WD Red drives. Looking to go RAIDZ2.
Case: CaseLabs SMA8

Still need to buy the following:
CPU Coolers: Noctua NH-U12DXi4: https://www.amazon.com/Noctua-Coole...F8&qid=1513460467&sr=8-1&keywords=nh-u12dx+i4
Looking to put the above drives in Hot Swap Cages like these: https://www.amazon.com/iStarUSA-BPN...XA27NQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1520296560&sr=8
HBA: I have an LSI 9207-8i card laying around. Will this work with FreeNAS or should I buy something else?
PSU: Looking at this EVGA 1000W unit: https://www.amazon.com/EVGA-SuperNO...Z3SFB3/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1520296968&sr=8
I'm limited in my choice of power supplies by the fact that the Intel board above requires .5 amps on the -12v rail.
Anything less (which most PSUs are) and the board will not POST.
Boot drive: 2 SanDisk Ultra Fit 32GB USB drives: https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Ultr...1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1520296186&sr=1
It's my understanding FreeNAS will create a mirror if I give it two drives.

I know this is major overkill for a home user but I just couldn't pass up the deal from Natex.
Besides, I'll have enough horsepower here to run a buttload of VMs. :)

 

[Chris Moore]

The SAS controller isn't a bad choice, but it will need to be flashed with the IT mode firmware.
There is a link to the guide for that in my signature.
It's more reliable to use a single, small SSD as the boot drive than two USB sticks. The USB drive failure rate is too high. The only reason that was even a thing was to save the SATA ports for hard drives.
If you really want a lot of VMs, you may want to consider running ESXi on the bare metal and put FreeNAS inside a virtual machine. Then share the storage pool of the FreeNAS for the other VMs.
Several of the Forum members are doing this. Just a thought.
I run two separate systems myself.
There is a link to a build in my signature that is an AIO (all in one) like that. You might want to have a look.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

 

[danb35]

The only reason that was even a thing was to save the SATA ports for hard drives.

...and because SSDs used to be quite a bit more expensive.

 

[Matt_G]

Thanks for all that advice Chris and the great links in your sig.
I have lots to read and think about now.
I hadn't even considered running FreeNas in a VM under ESXi.
My interest is piqued to say the least.
Right now I am running an unRAID box.
I really like how easy Dockers and VM's are to setup in unRAID.
If ZFS was available in it, I probably wouldn't even consider FreeNas.
Hmmm, FreeNas and unRAID on the same box as VM's but give them separate controllers and physical drives.
Got some learning to do. :D