So you want some hardware suggestions.

[panz]

Thanks for all the input and help, It's appreciated. I think I'm finally more or less there. Here's what I'm about to pull the trigger on.

Case: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/frac...w-noise-performance-case-usb-30-with-silent-1
System board: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/supe...s-xeon-e3-1200-v3-4th-gen-core-i3-pentium-cel
CPU: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/inte...e-31ghz-base-35ghz-turbo-8mb-cache-80w-retail
Memory: http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/x10sl7-f/CT4484984
PSU: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w...-plus-gold-92-eff-eps-12v-1x135mm-fan-atx-v24f

So does this look like a good build? and I also have one last question, Is there any performance difference or gain to be had by having a separate Sata controller card as opposed to having them on board as in the one I've chosen?

Did you check the RAM compatibility?

 

[Ericloewe]

Thanks for all the input and help, It's appreciated. I think I'm finally more or less there. Here's what I'm about to pull the trigger on.

Case: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/frac...w-noise-performance-case-usb-30-with-silent-1
System board: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/supe...s-xeon-e3-1200-v3-4th-gen-core-i3-pentium-cel
CPU: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/inte...e-31ghz-base-35ghz-turbo-8mb-cache-80w-retail
Memory: http://uk.crucial.com/gbr/en/x10sl7-f/CT4484984
PSU: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w...-plus-gold-92-eff-eps-12v-1x135mm-fan-atx-v24f

So does this look like a good build? and I also have one last question, Is there any performance difference or gain to be had by having a separate Sata controller card as opposed to having them on board as in the one I've chosen?

You mean LSI 2008 (as in the M1015) vs LSI 2308 (as in the supermicro X10SL7-F? They're the same thing, but the 2308 is a newer version that supports PCI-e 3.0 and adds a few features you'd most likely never miss. The LSI 2308 might be faster under certain intensive workloads, but, in real life, they'll behave very similarly.

 

[Nick Howard]

Did you check the RAM compatibility?

Yes,well I put the motherboard model number in on Crucials website. Do you have doubts it's compatible?

 

[Nick Howard]

You mean LSI 2008 (as in the M1015) vs LSI 2308 (as in the supermicro X10SL7-F? They're the same thing, but the 2308 is a newer version that supports PCI-e 3.0 and adds a few features you'd most likely never miss. The LSI 2308 might be faster under certain intensive workloads, but, in real life, they'll behave very similarly.

No sorry I meant the fact I wont need the LSI card as all the Sata ports I need are on the motherboard. I wondered if there were any performance benefits in using an LSI card.

 

[panz]

Yes,well I put the motherboard model number in on Crucials website. Do you have doubts it's compatible?

No, I think it will be fine.

 

[Z300M]

Yes,well I put the motherboard model number in on Crucials website. Do you have doubts it's compatible?

It's not on Supermicro's compatibility list; they show only certain Hynix and Samsung modules. I ordered RAM that was on Kingston's compatibility list -- and the day after I ordered it they took it off their list of recommendations, and a short while later they discontinued that item altogether and now show *no* 8GB modules for that motherboard. The 16GB (2 x 8GB) Kingston RAM is working OK for me so far, but apparently the problem (acknowledged by Kingston Tech Support in a chat session, the transcript of which I saved) may occur with 32GB of that RAM.

 

[Ericloewe]

No sorry I meant the fact I wont need the LSI card as all the Sata ports I need are on the motherboard. I wondered if there were any performance benefits in using an LSI card.

As I said, using the LSI 2308 already present on the motherboard is the same (or better) as using an M1015/LSI92whatever expansion card that has an LSI 2008.

 

[Nick Howard]

The memory compatibility list on supermicro's site won't load for me. Can someone post a list of supported ram if they have one for the X10SLF-7 please.

 

[DJ9]

This link work for you?
http://www.supermicro.com/support/resources/mem_exclude_DDR3_135V_135V.cfm

 

[Nick Howard]

This link work for you?
http://www.supermicro.com/support/resources/mem_exclude_DDR3_135V_135V.cfm

Yes, thanks. However it states the only recommended memory is the hynix 4gb module size?

 

[Z300M]

Yes, thanks. However it states the only recommended memory is the hynix 4gb module size?

Do you see a tab on top where you select either 4GB or 8GB modules? Try this:

http://www.supermicro.com/support/r...8A650C&prid=83448&type=DDR3&ecc=1&reg=0&fbd=0

 

[Nick Howard]

Do you see a tab on top where you select either 4GB or 8GB modules? Try this:

http://www.supermicro.com/support/r...8A650C&prid=83448&type=DDR3&ecc=1&reg=0&fbd=0

I do now, and also the Samsung memory. Thank you : )

 

[Oded]

Finally got my machine done. Downloading Freenas as we speak.

I find the documentation for installation a bit confusion, the docs talk about downloading a .xz file while the download itself is as ISO.

I intend to install the OS on an 8gb thumb drive.

My setup is:

Silverstone DS380
ASRock C2750 motherboard
32gb ECC Crucial RAM
Silverstone 450W SFX power supply (Gold rated)
3 WD RED 4Tb drives (for the moment, during my "playing around" period, will buy 4-5 more drives soon)

1 thing I noticed is that you can't connect the front USB connectors of the Silverstone to the motherboard, since the connector is a USB 3 while the mobo only supports USB 2. Is that correct or was I wrong?

EDIT: Ok, figured out the install part, the .xz contains the .img file inside. Freenas is now up and running.

I am really considering what drive setup to go with. I have 32Gb, so I COULD go with 8x4tb. But that feels like stretching the limits. Does anyone have experience with 8x4tb with 32gb ram? Is that to much to handle? I'm going for a RaidZ2 setup.

If you can offer other configs, that will be great too. I have have eight 3.5" drives and four 2.5" drives.

 

[baummer]

Finally got my machine done. Downloading Freenas as we speak.

I find the documentation for installation a bit confusion, the docs talk about downloading a .xz file while the download itself is as ISO.

I intend to install the OS on an 8gb thumb drive.

My setup is:

Silverstone DS380
ASRock C2750 motherboard
32gb ECC Crucial RAM
Silverstone 450W SFX power supply (Gold rated)
3 WD RED 4Tb drives (for the moment, during my "playing around" period, will buy 4-5 more drives soon)

1 thing I noticed is that you can't connect the front USB connectors of the Silverstone to the motherboard, since the connector is a USB 3 while the mobo only supports USB 2. Is that correct or was I wrong?

EDIT: Ok, figured out the install part, the .xz contains the .img file inside. Freenas is now up and running.

I am really considering what drive setup to go with. I have 32Gb, so I COULD go with 8x4tb. But that feels like stretching the limits. Does anyone have experience with 8x4tb with 32gb ram? Is that to much to handle? I'm going for a RaidZ2 setup.

If you can offer other configs, that will be great too. I have have eight 3.5" drives and four 2.5" drives.

Seems like a good setup - interested to hear about your experiences with the C2750. I'm thinking that, based on the 1GB RAM per 1TB of storage, you are at the limit and you might consider dropping your drive quantity down to preserve memory room. I do not know what, if any, negative impact there is with that and will defer to the more experienced to comment on that point.

In terms of USB connectors, you can buy a USB3>USB2 adapter given that the C2750 only supports USB2. Example: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0098FSJ92/?tag=ozlp-20

 

[jgreco]

Honestly, when you have 32GB of RAM the 1TB/1GB rule is much more squishy. Don't freak out over it. You probably don't want to try building a 128TB array on 32GB ... but for general use you can absolutely go up to 48TB with 32GB and it really ought to be fine unless you're doing something really stressy.

FWIW my 12 x 4TB (11 in RAIDZ3 with a spare) array runs on a 32GB VM and I occasionally toy with the idea of reducing the RAM a bit since it only has 128GB in there. (Sigh. That used to seem like a lot!)

 

[Oded]

Seems like a good setup - interested to hear about your experiences with the C2750. I'm thinking that, based on the 1GB RAM per 1TB of storage, you are at the limit and you might consider dropping your drive quantity down to preserve memory room. I do not know what, if any, negative impact there is with that and will defer to the more experienced to comment on that point.

In terms of USB connectors, you can buy a USB3>USB2 adapter given that the C2750 only supports USB2. Example: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0098FSJ92/?tag=ozlp-20

Setup is much better, I have my test video which is a bluray rip of Queen live in Hungary. I was never able to stream that huge file over the network before without constant buffering, with the new setup I get a tiny hiccup at initial play and then it's smooth as butter.

I am a bit disappointed with the noise the NAS is generating, seems like the fans in the DS380 are in rather high gear. I can hear it from across the room. Not a deal breaker but unpleasant.

I got 3 more drives to have a 6 disks in raidz2 setup. If I'm short on room, I'll probably add two more drives in a separate UFS raid0 (I expect that to be less demanding on performance) and will put non critical data on that 8th setup for streaming only (mainly full hd movies that I can always re-rip if ever :)).

 

[wags]

Oded, What sort of throughput and stability do you get with your Asrock C2750? I currently have a HP N54l and I find the throughput varies quite a bit. Considering upgrading to the setup you have.

 

[Oded]

Oded, What sort of throughput and stability do you get with your Asrock C2750? I currently have a HP N54l and I find the throughput varies quite a bit. Considering upgrading to the setup you have.

You can see the results here:

http://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/my-asrock-c2750-dd-results.21468/

 

[HolyK]

Any ideas about short-depth rack-mount server/chasis ? I am building small network for a friend but there is a very small space for a small rack which will be occupied by network elements, UPS (short-depth) and NAS. Thing is that there is no space for 1m depth rackmount server. So i am thinking about some short-depth version. Or maybe a standard case which will lie on a shelf (not sure if the height will be enough fort this :/). Or i will just put a standard case a side of that rack :/

 

[Tomas Liumparas]

Hey guys,

I wanna get X10SL7-F, but I wanna put in a cabinet. The thing is, that supermicro advises to use this beauty. The thins is, I would prefer 3.5 drives. What do you think about this one. Depending the size it should fit in, but looking at photos makes me feel, that MB's ports are mixed. Or it shouldn't be a problem?