Will this setup work - and need suggestions on CPU and memory

[Brian_M]

All,

I have a Synology DS1815+ that has died for the second time.....so I am moving on.
Decided that FreeNas is the way to go....where I control the hardware.

Use: I am building a NAS to be a media server and storage. First priority is Media Server.

After reading the forums here am thinking of this setup:
four 4-TB WD Red drives
Supermicro MDB-X11SCH-F-O Micro ATX motherboard. My question is this: is there a newer model that might work better?
Intel Xeon E-2224G Processor. Having a hard time finding this chip. Is there a better option that isn't $400? Could I use Intel Core i3-10100?
Seasonic Focus GX-650 80+ Gold PSU
Fractal Design Node 804
WD 250GB WD Blue 3D NANDA SSD
Memory - looking for ECC memory, but having hard time finding some that will work with the Supermicro motherboard.

Any suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian

 

[Samuel Tai]

You want the Red Plus drives (CMR), NOT the Red (SMR) drives.

 

[Brian_M]

I already have the WD Red drives from my Synology. They are WD40EFRX-68WTONO. I don't think they are Red Plus. I know ZFS has issues with WD Red and not being SMR. Do I really need to replace the drives?

 

[Samuel Tai]

No, your drives are CMR.

 

[Etorix]

Supermicro MDB-X11SCH-F-O Micro ATX motherboard. My question is this: is there a newer model that might work better?
Intel Xeon E-2224G Processor. Having a hard time finding this chip. Is there a better option that isn't $400? Could I use Intel Core i3-10100?

A file server does not need the newest and greatest hardware. The X11SCH-F is a fine motherboard; if you want more options, look down (X11SCM, X11SCL) or older (X11SSx, then X10, X9) rather than newer.
If you're happy with four cores (and for serving files, that's fine), the X11SCx motherboards take 8th and 9th generation Core i3, and these do ECC! (Not the i5/i7/i9.) An i3-9100F should be way below $100. TrueNAS does not need, and does not use, an iGPU.
i3-10100 does not fit in an X11SCH and the 10th generation i3 no longer use ECC. Do not go for 10th gen or newer: You'd need a Xeon W-1xxx CPU.

Any DDR4 ECC UDIMM should work with an X11SSH. It is not necessary to find the exact parts in the Compatibilty Support List—tough staying with Micron/Samsung/SK Hynix and avoiding exotic or cheap brands is probably a good idea.

 

[LeDiable]

Obligatory media server question - does the NAS need to transcode content? That takes more CPU power, so you'll need to account for that. That board says 8th/9th gen i3 processors, so the 10th gen i3-10100 may not work. I'm using an i3-9100F in the X11SCL-F and it is really only used for Plex. I don't need to transcode anything, so this was a great option for me, and I got a deal on the CPU for $70-75.

With Plex an alternative to transcoding is creating optimized versions at lower bitrates, if you have extra storage available. Once those are created, Plex selects the appropriate version to play based on the device/network capabilities (say a 4k TV in your home network, as opposed to streaming to your cell phone while travelling).

As for finding RAM - if you settle on a Supermicro board, check the QVL and their web store. They usually sell those modules directly, and it is somewhat reasonably priced, at least for new sticks of unregistered ECC RAM. The RAM I got has a higher clock speed than the board supports, but it came from their list and has been working just fine.

 

[Brian_M]

Obligatory media server question - does the NAS need to transcode content? That takes more CPU power, so you'll need to account for that. That board says 8th/9th gen i3 processors, so the 10th gen i3-10100 may not work. I'm using an i3-9100F in the X11SCL-F and it is really only used for Plex. I don't need to transcode anything, so this was a great option for me, and I got a deal on the CPU for $70-75.

With Plex an alternative to transcoding is creating optimized versions at lower bitrates, if you have extra storage available. Once those are created, Plex selects the appropriate version to play based on the device/network capabilities (say a 4k TV in your home network, as opposed to streaming to your cell phone while travelling).

As for finding RAM - if you settle on a Supermicro board, check the QVL and their web store. They usually sell those modules directly, and it is somewhat reasonably priced, at least for new sticks of unregistered ECC RAM. The RAM I got has a higher clock speed than the board supports, but it came from their list and has been working just fine.

Yes, I will need it to transcode content. How much CPU do I need to do that? Will Core I3 work or do I need Xeon? Also have looked at a Asus MB ( WS C246M PRO ). I have never used the SuperMicro, but it seems to be the defacto choice for FreeNAS.
What do you mean their QVL?
Thanks,
Brian

 

[LeDiable]

You'll have to check the support & forums for Plex (or whatever media server you use) for the transcoding recommendations. I know I've seen people here link to the one for Plex, but it should be easy enough to find. Then check the passmark scores for the CPUs you're considering against the recommendations. I can't really say what will work as I'm not doing any transcoding, and if it becomes necessary I'll just create optimized copies instead since I've got tons of extra storage capacity.

By QVL I just meant the tested memory modules, I know Supermicro puts that link on the page for the motherboard near the bios & documentation links.

 

[LeDiable]

Here are a couple links related to transcoding to read through:
Plex CPU Recommendations
Plex 4k transcoding article

 

[GBillR]

Yes, I will need it to transcode content. How much CPU do I need to do that? Will Core I3 work or do I need Xeon? Also have looked at a Asus MB ( WS C246M PRO ). I have never used the SuperMicro, but it seems to be the defacto choice for FreeNAS.
What do you mean their QVL?
Thanks,
Brian

I second the suggestion to look to an older supermicro X11 or even X10 board. I have both an X11SSM-F and older X10 board (see my signatures) that I run. Both could easily handle basic transcoding when paired with an E3 CPU. The same E3-1230 V5 can be had on ebay for about $125, and handles my 1080p transcoding needs.

As for transcoding, I always rip in 4k now, so plex doesn't need to transcode the video for my roku or media players connected to our TVs. Transcoding to a reduced resolution does eat up some cpu (e.g. serving video to my kid's tablet), so I go ahead and do let plex make copies of the video to support those devices. Even that said, my E3 can handle a single stream no issues... Plex is good at buffering the stream prior to starting. I would really look at your transcoding needs before assuming you need a heavy-hitting CPU. Unless you are going to be serving multiple simultaneous streams outside your home, you might find transcoding is not an issue for you.

A good read on X10 and X11 boards: https://www.truenas.com/community/resources/supermicro-x10-and-x11-motherboard-faq.5/

A good resource to make sense of the X11 varieties: https://www.truenas.com/community/r...o-buy-a-supermicro-x11-xeon-e3-v5-6-board.13/