Will this server FreeNAS?

[b0redom]

Hi,
I've run out of space on my LeNovo TS140, and am also after a bit more RAM. I found this on eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Supermic...-Core-64GB-8TB-Server-QUAD-1Gbps/292841013936

I realise that this is a bit overkill for just FreeNAS, but it'll also be running a few other bits and bobs in jails, for example Plex, minecraft servers, Jenkins, BitBucket etc etc.

I plan on loading it up with 4/5 10TB drives in RAID-Z2.

Also any idea how loud this is likely to be? My current box lives in a cupboard under the stairs. It's not got to be silent, but it can't sound like a hoover!

 

[Inxsible]

2U units are generally very loud especially with the stock fans. See if you can find a 3U or 4U unit where you have more space for cooling.

Then again, I have a 2U unit which I keep in a server closet and the noise doesn't bother me that much.

 

[b0redom]

Surely the 3-4u boxes should be louder as they’d want to be pulling more air over the spinning disks, or are they using bigger slower moving fans?

I presume as you’ve not commented on the hardware it’ll freenas just fine?

 

[Inxsible]

are they using bigger slower moving fans

Correct. Plus they have more space above the CPU so you can put in quieter active or even passive cooling.

I presume as you’ve not commented on the hardware it’ll freenas just fine?

Yes it should. I haven't had experience with that board particularly, but I do use a X9 based board for my build as well.

 

[CraigD]

Hi,
I've run out of space on my LeNovo TS140, and am also after a bit more RAM. I found this on eBay:

Also any idea how loud this is likely to be? My current box lives in a cupboard under the stairs. It's not got to be silent, but it can't sound like a hoover!

Space for what? More RAM? More drives? Processing Power?

If your not at 32GB of RAM you could buy more

You could buy bigger drives, you could even add a JBOD

Who knows what chip you are running the E3 1271 v3 passmarks over 10000

I wouldn't buy a 1U or a 2U case for home use they sound like a jet aeroplane, if you can get a 4U case with a standard ATX PSU or SQ redundant PSUs , then change out the fans and CPU cooler if needed

Have Fun
PS A lot of people are running freeNAS on the E5 2600 v2 series chips, they are good value and support lots of RAM

 

[Chris Moore]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Supermic...-Core-64GB-8TB-Server-QUAD-1Gbps/292841013936

I realise that this is a bit overkill for just FreeNAS, but it'll also be running a few other bits and bobs in jails, for example Plex, minecraft servers, Jenkins, BitBucket etc etc.

That system has a SAS controller integrated on the board that you should be able to flash with the IT mode firmware. After that, it looks fine with the exception of the fan noise from the smaller diameter fans. Small fans need to run fast to get enough air flow, so a thin server will usually be louder. The older servers almost always (even the thicker ones) used loud fans because they were hidden away in a server room and nobody cared how loud they were. It is only in the last five or six years (roughly) that they have started using larger, slower fans.
Your mileage may vary.

 

[b0redom]

Space for what? More RAM? More drives? Processing Power?

If your not at 32GB of RAM you could buy more

You could buy bigger drives, you could even add a JBOD

Who knows what chip you are running the E3 1271 v3 passmarks over 10000

I wouldn't buy a 1U or a 2U case for home use they sound like a jet aeroplane, if you can get a 4U case with a standard ATX PSU or SQ redundant PSUs , then change out the fans and CPU cooler if needed

Have Fun
PS A lot of people are running freeNAS on the E5 2600 v2 series chips, they are good value and support lots of RAM

The LeNovo is a T140 - E1225v3 with 16GB RAM and 5x4TB drives in RAID-Z currently.

I suspect I'm not CPU bound, although with the few extra bits and bobs I've got running I occasionally max out the RAM. The real problem is running out of disk space, and there's no simple way of increasing the disks the motherboard doesn't support any more, so I'd be into buying a new controller card and PSU territory.

I've been toying with the idea of buying a Dell T330, (I've found one for £650 with a E1270v5, and 32GB of RAM for £650) as that would allow me to grow the number of disks to 8 and also go to 64GB with the RAM if I need to, but that has the Dell H330 in it which doesn't appear to be on the HCL.

 

[b0redom]

Another quick question. Are all SAS planes interchangable? It seems like the the go to controller card here is the IBM M1015. If I bought the Dell above, and slotted in the IBM card, could I just connect the IBM card to the Dell SAS backplane (which the drives are attached to), via some sort of standard SAS cable or are they not likely to be compatible? I realise this is a bit of a noob question!

This would seem to give me the best of all worlds, a quietish server, with plenty of expandability, and a supported HBA for not a huge amount of money - especially when I ebay off my TS140....

 

[CraigD]

Another quick question. Are all SAS planes interchangable? It seems like the the go to controller card here is the IBM M1015. If I bought the Dell above, and slotted in the IBM card, could I just connect the IBM card to the Dell SAS backplane (which the drives are attached to), via some sort of standard SAS cable or are they not likely to be compatible? I realise this is a bit of a noob question!

This would seem to give me the best of all worlds, a quietish server, with plenty of expandability, and a supported HBA for not a huge amount of money - especially when I ebay off my TS140....

@Chris Moore has already told you that the first system has a SAS controller built in that works in IT mode, the listing mentions ZFS because of this I'm guessing it has already been flashed

You don't need to buy another controller

That system has a SAS controller integrated on the board that you should be able to flash with the IT mode firmware. After that, it looks fine with the exception of the fan noise from the smaller diameter fans. Small fans need to run fast to get enough air flow, so a thin server will usually be louder. The older servers almost always (even the thicker ones) used loud fans because they were hidden away in a server room and nobody cared how loud they were. It is only in the last five or six years (roughly) that they have started using larger, slower fans.
Your mileage may vary.

The M1015 8087 out connector can support varied connectors at the other end of the cable, I use a 8087 to SATA, and 8087 to 8087 cables

Have Fun

 

[b0redom]

@Chris Moore has already told you that the first system has a SAS controller built in that works in IT mode, the listing mentions ZFS because of this I'm guessing it has already been flashed

You don't need to buy another controller

We are talking at cross purposes. I was suggesting buying a Dell T330 (not the ebay server) at this point. As I understand it the Dell H330 RAID controller doesn't work in IT mode. At least I've been unable to confirm that it does from the pretty extensive searching I've done. I was asking if I were to buy a T330 would I be able to connect a M1015 to the T330 backplane? Are the connectors proprietary or standard?

 

[CraigD]

We are talking at cross purposes. I was suggesting buying a Dell T330 (not the ebay server) at this point. As I understand it the Dell H330 RAID controller doesn't work in IT mode. At least I've been unable to confirm that it does from the pretty extensive searching I've done. I was asking if I were to buy a T330 would I be able to connect a M1015 to the T330 backplane? Are the connectors proprietary or standard?

Buy the cables you need, the M1015 will work, looks like you need 8087 to 8643 cable but real the manual

Have Fun