Update storage and adding cache

[Charlie86]

Hi,

I am running FreeNAS-11.1-U6.3 on old HP box with:

Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU 650 @ 3.20GHz

16GB of RAM

5x3TB WD reds in RAIDZ.

Mikrotik router

HP gigabit switch

Clients are:

MacBook Pro for file sharing

iMac for file sharing

2x Win10 machine for file sharing

HP network scanner

2x Apple TV for Infuse (4k and FullHD movies)

Other things:

-Logitech Media server
-qbitorrent for torrents

Honestly most of the time in use is qbitorrent and playing movies on appleTV and macbook.

Problems:

-If I open folder with movies on Macbook it loads for ages. (I have currently used 84% of all my space. )
-I am out of space.
-out of sata connectors

Solution:

I have old DAS Lacie biggest Quadra but it only recognise 754GB of my 3TB drives. Idea was to fill it with 4x3TB new drives and connect it via eSata to FreeNas.
Due disks are not recognise by this old DAS, I need to connect new drives directly to FreeNas.
What sata/sas PCI card do you suggest? I would like some cheep solution :)
Second idea is about speeding up whole system. Should I add extra SSD for cache since RAM is already maxed out (16GB)? I have one 500GB SSD laying around and I could add it to FreeNas if I will bought sata pci card.


Thanks and have a nice day

 

[danb35]

What sata/sas PCI card do you suggest?

You've looked at the hardware recommendations guide, right? Because it pretty clearly answers this question.

Should I add extra SSD for cache since RAM is already maxed out (16GB)?

How is your ARC hit ratio? Though with only 16 GB of RAM, I wouldn't think that's a good idea in any event.

 

[Charlie86]

Hi,

First thanks for answer. No I didnt look at guide Now I did.

I will bought

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-IBM-LS...h=item2cbdb21a9d:g:uBwAAOSwSypY9Jmm:rk:1:pf:0


ARC ratio is in att. (FreeNAS is idling at the moment)

 

[Charlie86]

Hi,

My system is now "upgraded".

I added IBM M1015 and few HDDs.

Now I have 9x3TB in RAIDZ1

It works fine for for watching movies on Apple TV. But I am still getting lots of problem accessing data via SMB or AFS. Access is ultra slow.
Sometimes it takes few minutes just to load all folders with movies (aprox 10TB).
I att you can fin my ZFS data.
Will there be any diference if I add 500GB cache SSD?

Thanks :)

 

[danb35]

Will there be any diference if I add 500GB cache SSD?

Unless this has changed since January, you need more RAM, not a L2ARC device.