14 Drive RAID recommendation.

[Antares16M26]

Hey guys i have a hopefully simple question for you all.

I use my server for streaming from home and away with Plex. I may use it for backing up random stuff but for now ive been using my server for streaming since November of 2014. I currently use 6 drives with 4TB each in RAIDZ2 and its at 83% filled past the 80% recommendation limit. I am planning on getting 8 more hard drives with 5TB since they are pretty cheap nowadays.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OP2PKH2/?tag=ozlp-20

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KIVMRWU/?tag=ozlp-20

my motherboard (14 sata slots)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182821

What are you guys recommendation for a streamer?
6 4TB drives RAIDZ2 and 6 5TB drives RAIDZ2 and 2 5TB RAID 1 = 14 drives?

is there a better deal for more usable space? i can possibly get rid of a few of the 4TB drives for more 5TB drives for a better RAID recommendation.

edit:
RAM (yes i will get another order of these for the extra HDDs)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148770

CPU
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117318

Current HDDs
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822178338

OS Drive (FreeNAS-9.2.1.8-RELEASE-x64 (e625626)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211571

Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139086

Case (15 HDD slots)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147164

 

[Darren Myers]

I would not do RAIDz1 for that large of drives, i might say do x6 5Tb drives in RAIDz2 and then start changing out the 4's with 5's in the current pool.

Or depending on your chassis, pick up a 9211-8 or a M1015 flash it to IT firmware and use that to add harddrives, both of the cards will let you add another 8 hdds, so you could *technically* put 6 on the motherboard + 6 on the M1015/9211-8i.

What are your current system specs? motherboard/cpu/ram/etc?

EDIT: My stupid behind didnt see motherboard link, ignore ^

 

[danb35]

The motherboard is an X10SL7, so it already has an LSI controller built in. OP, if you're going to add 8 more disks, just use them to extend your array with a single RAIDZ2 vdev (so you'll have a 6-disk RAIDZ2 and an 8-disk RAIDZ2). Simple and effective. Make sure your onboard LSI controller is flashed to IT mode, with P16 firmware if you're running FreeNAS <= 9.3, and P20 if 9.3.1.

 

[Antares16M26]

The motherboard is an X10SL7, so it already has an LSI controller built in. OP, if you're going to add 8 more disks, just use them to extend your array with a single RAIDZ2 vdev (so you'll have a 6-disk RAIDZ2 and an 8-disk RAIDZ2). Simple and effective. Make sure your onboard LSI controller is flashed to IT mode, with P16 firmware if you're running FreeNAS <= 9.3, and P20 if 9.3.1.

seems pretty straight forward and what i thought was not a good RAID set up with the 6+2 RAIDZ2...wait so like some sort of dual RAIDZ1? 3+1 x2?

 

[danb35]

Any documentation you're reading that says that 6+2 disks is a bad configuration for RAIDZ2 is outdated and shouldn't be relied on. I don't think I otherwise understand your question.

 

[Antares16M26]

Any documentation you're reading that says that 6+2 disks is a bad configuration for RAIDZ2 is outdated and shouldn't be relied on. I don't think I otherwise understand your question.

My bad i am pretty tired so 6-disk RAIDZ2 and an 8-disk RAIDZ2 is the way to go. any loss in reading performance with the extra 2 drives in the 6+2 setup?

 

[Bidule0hm]

You'll gain performance because you'll add another vdev, no worries here ;)

 

[Antares16M26]

I might just get some more drives put them in my gaming PC and backup the data to them from my server for safety. Then flash to P20, then update freenas to latest version just because (have not had any problems with 9.2.1.8). If data didnt got to shit from server add the new drives and form the new vdev. If it did got to shit ill just move the data from gaming PC back to server.

Now noob scrub question why flash my LSI controller? better performance?

Edit: Looks like by flashing the LSI controller it makes it into a dumb RAID controller (pass-through the controller), removing all RAID capabilities and helping any possible issues in the future. Am i understanding this right?

 

[Antares16M26]

Update: I flashed the LSI controller to p20 and updated to latest FreeNAS 9.3 plus got the 2x8GB ram and got those 8 hard drives but instead of 5TB i got the 4TB for a total of 14x 4TB hard drives. Do i continue the 6-disk RAIDZ2 and an 8-disk RAIDZ2 or do you think a 7-disk RAIDZ2 and an 7-disk RAIDZ2 is the way to go for better performance and or increased usable space? any better configuration?

 

[Bidule0hm]

do you think a 7-disk RAIDZ2 and an 7-disk RAIDZ2 is the way to go

Yes, the best is to have the same configuration for each vdev ;)