Advice on new system

[SirLars]

Hi, I am looking to build a FreeNAS system for a media server for the house.
I am not a total n00b when dealing with networks or linux but I have never used a NAS or RAID. So I have a few questions....

Currently I am using an old computer with Windows Server and it started out with a 500gb drive for the OS/programs and a 1.5 Tb drive for the media. It adds files by bit-torrent/RSS via u-torrent. I also connect via remote desktop to start torrents or rip my dvds, blu-rays. When that drive filled up I added a portable 1.5Tb drive, when it filled I added a 2tb, when it filled another 2tb... now it is slow to transfer files and the boxee and xbmc hang for a long time when trying to update folders etc.

So I wanted to build a new "always on" FreeNAS server and migrate all the data to it that will have lots of room for storage and be upgradeable.

I need about 6 Tb storage now, so I was planning on building the NAS with;

motherboard with onboard RAID and 6 sata3 ports.
triple core 2.8 processor
8GB 1600mhz ram
using flash drive for OS. (to keep all the sata ports for raid storage)
and several 3Tb sata drives in raid.

My plan is to use the FreeNAS as my main storage server and have windows (or a light linux) in a virtual machine to remote desktop into and handle my bit-torrents that auto-download through u-torrent and RSS and in the near future I will have a windows media (or LinuxMCE / Myth box) capturing HD tv from satellite receiver ripping to the NAS as well.

First, will running the OS off the flash drive be ok, or will performance suffer. If necessary I can use a sata port for an SSD, but would rather not give up the 2.75 Tb storage in losing a sata port.

Second as money is a finite resource, I wanted to start with 3 or 4 - 3tb sata hdds, and then add drives as needed. Is it possible to add drives without a way to externally backup the data? It is nearly half the price to start with 3 drives as opposed to 6.
Now if it's possible to "re-image" the server when adding the drives and it's just down for a 1/2 a day or so while it does that... I can live with that... but I don't/wont have 8Tb external storage to back up the array to add new drives, rebuild array and copy backup back.

Any recommendations?

 

[Joshua Parker Ruehlig]

FreeNAS 8+ is designed to run off os a flash drive and that's the recommended way to do it. As for adding drives, looks for the beginners tutorial on zfs stickied somewhere here, it explains everything you need to know.

 

[BobCochran]

User 'noobsauce80' has a pretty good beginner's guide. User 'protosd' has posted a number of stickies on different hardware buildouts. Many have contributed their buildouts to his thread on hardware. In addition it pays to read forum posts that cover questions similar to yours. That way you can see what others are buying today and saying today. You don't need hardware RAID and should avoid it. ZFS will do your RAID for you, and will do it better.

Be sure to read the FreeNAS documentation. I think the manual is quite well written. It has excellent how-to documentation that will guide you quite well in setting up the various services you will want.

Read about the capabilities of ZFS and what is can do for you. You will want to make hardware purchases with an eye to wringing the most out of ZFS.

Bob

 

[SirLars]

Thanks Bob... I DID search "adding new drives" but mostly non-releated threads came up.
I appreciate the heads up and the direction.