Best possible configuration for FreeNas hosted on Hyper-V

[creo]

Hello,

since my old cheap D-Link NAS died i try to figure out the best way how to use my current resources to build temporary NAS solution.

Here is what I have:
1) Mainboard Intel DP67BG with Intel Rapid Storage Raid Controller
2) 16GB memory installed (non-ECC modules, 4x4gb dual channel)
3) 2x ~2TB HDD WD Green series
4) 240 GB SSD for Windows 10 Pro with Hyper-V software installed (mounted as a C: drive)
5) 120 GB SSD additional storage (old OCZ vertex 3 drive, mounted as a D: drive)

Here's what I already tried/achieve:
0) recover all files from dead D-link NAS
1) set up RAID 1 mirror using Intel Rapid Storage in my mobo bios (I used two 2TB disks in mirror) - this drive is visible in Windows as N: single drive
2) set up two instances of FreeNAS (nas1, nas2) on my hyper-v for test purposes - each vm stored (configuration files, installation drive) on D: drive
3) set up 5GB test virtual drive on N: physical drive (mirrored by Intel Rapid Storage) as my test storage drive
4) on first nas instance I created pool using test storage virtual drive
5) i checked if I will be able to recover pool from first instance on the second instance (if first instance will be damaged or unbootable) - test PASSED

Here's what I need:
1) I'm an photographer and I need quite safe place to
a) store my RAW files from my camera (each file ~30MB, number of files counted in thousands)
b) store my PSD files safe (each file ~300MB, numer of files counted in hundreds)
c) stora my MOV files safe (each file from 500MB to 1 GB, number of files counted in tens)
2) get my data accesible from MacOS and Windows
3) have quick file transfer (as quick as possible, limitations are: 801.11ac ~150MB/s, N: drive I/O speed (~120MB/s read and write)

What will be the best architecture to do that?
Where to put Hyper-V config files (on D: drive or N: which is mirrored)?
How to set Hyper-V environment for maximum transfer speed and highest possible security for my data?

This is my first adventure with this kind of issue for a very long time and I look forward to your understanding :)

 

[grante]

The only well accepted way to use FreeNAS under Hyper-V is with PCI-E passthrough of an HBA card. Using virtual disks for the pool isn't a viable option for anything besides testing out how freeNAS works.

Given the hardware you have, you're probably better off not using FreeNAS and using native windows file shares. Particularly because even with an HBA card, and assuming your board can pass it through, you won't be able to use those SSDs effectively. You can't pass through the hyper-v OS drive.

 

[creo]

Thanks for your reply!

not using FreeNAS and using native windows file shares

I thought the main advantage will be possibility to use Apple AFP Shares next to windows file shares. All in all in my case AFP works very strangely on FreeNAS (despite the fact that test users has 777 right granted, sometimes it is impossible to write anything on NAS)

you won't be able to use those SSDs effectively

Can you write something more about that? Those disks are attached to SATA III 6gbps interface, I can easily get I/O transfer between them similar to the disk parameters declared by the manufacturer.

 

[tsgill]

How do I pass through a PCIe HBA card in hyper-V. I got the card. I have the VM set up. All I can see I can add hard drives, SCSI or ide

I bought a LSI SAS3008-i 8-Port 12Gb PCIe 3.0 SATA/SAS HBA IT Mode. Would be nice if anyone can provide some instructions. Thank you