Building Around The W680 Chipset

[a.dresner]

Over time you will find that workstation hardware and CPU aren't optimized for server use. For example, if you use an Intel workstation class CPU, it has lots of different cores vs. Xeon that has all the same cores, how does TrueNAS handle those efficiency cores for performance cores? Hopefully one of the big guys here will chime in with much more info than I can provide... in the end, I trust them and their opinions

 

[a.dresner]

Oh, and you are going to want Sata DOM support for installing your TrueNAS

 

[Davvo]

Is there a reason not to use workstation gear?

You pay for features you don't need (which also often increase your board's power consumption) and lack others you need.
Go used server-grade hardware.

Afaik the scheduler of SCALE (Linux) does manage efficency cores and peak cores.

 

[razmspiele]

You pay for features you don't need (which also often increase your board's power consumption) and lack others you need.
Go used server-grade hardware.

Afaik the scheduler of SCALE (Linux) does manage efficency cores and peak cores.

Over time you will find that workstation hardware and CPU aren't optimized for server use. For example, if you use an Intel workstation class CPU, it has lots of different cores vs. Xeon that has all the same cores, how does TrueNAS handle those efficiency cores for performance cores? Hopefully one of the big guys here will chime in with much more info than I can provide... in the end, I trust them and their opinions

Okay, thanks for the input everyone. Looks like it's back to the drawing board. I like a.dresner's build, but it appears some of the older CPUs released a couple years ago actually get pricier over time.

 

[steampunklolcat]

Don't use a raidz2 with only four disks, use two mirror vdevs instead. You'll get the same amount of space and the cpu won't have to do parity calculations.

 

[asap2go]

Don't use a raidz2 with only four disks, use two mirror vdevs instead. You'll get the same amount of space and the cpu won't have to do parity calculations.

If one bets that raidz expansion is coming soon and he wants to upgrade to more disks that might be another story.

 

[Ericloewe]

Don't use a raidz2 with only four disks, use two mirror vdevs instead. You'll get the same amount of space and the cpu won't have to do parity calculations.

This is poor advice. The CPU impact of using RAIDZ is negligible, especially with spinning rust. RAIDZ2 is meaningfully safer than striped mirrors, but it does carry some disadvantages.

 

[Davvo]

If one bets that raidz expansion is coming soon and he wants to upgrade to more disks that might be another story.

iirc RAIDZ expansion will likely not be retroactive.

 

[Ericloewe]

iirc RAIDZ expansion will likely not be retroactive.

I'm not sure I follow...

 

[Davvo]

I'm not sure I follow...

I'm not sure it will work on pools created before the implementation of the functionality.
Also who knows if, when, and how it be implemented into CORE's WebUI?

 

[Ericloewe]

I'm not sure it will work on pools created before the implementation of the functionality.

Of course it will, that would be very silly. It will require a new feature flag, though, but that's standard.

Also who knows if, when, and how it be implemented into CORE's WebUI?

It will probably be a while, but the actual work is likely minor.

 

[a.dresner]

Okay, thanks for the input everyone. Looks like it's back to the drawing board. I like a.dresner's build, but it appears some of the older CPUs released a couple years ago actually get pricier over time.

its a good CPU, keep looking!

 

[steampunklolcat]

This is poor advice. The CPU impact of using RAIDZ is negligible, especially with spinning rust. RAIDZ2 is meaningfully safer than striped mirrors, but it does carry some disadvantages.

Mirrors are faster, but admittedly I'm used to thinking in enterprise storage terms which don't always apply for a small home NAS.

 

[asap2go]

Mirrors are faster, but admittedly I'm used to thinking in enterprise storage terms which don't always apply for a small home NAS.

Raidz2 is more enterprisey for data VDEVs than mirrors though.

 

[Davvo]

Raidz2 is more enterprisey for data VDEVs than mirrors though.

Than two-way mirrors.
Three-way and beyond are kind of enterprise-only territory.

 

[chmod777]

I am in the same boat as the OP. I am between this Supermicro board and the Asus Pro WS with IPMI. I don't know if that will give me just IPMI or also a KVM. IPMI is important to me because I want to hide my server in my house in a not so convenient place to get to. IPMI for reboots and a kvm would be super helpful. Both boards seem to be about the same price. I already have an old Fractal R4 case that will work. I keep going back and forth on what I really want to build. I think ECC memory is important after reading these threads. My dilemma.. not really a bad dilemma.. is I can buy Intel procs at cost which is about half retail. That saves a couple hundred bucks. I too am a bit worried about the e-cores vs p-cores but I read the version of truenas scale coming later this year will have a 6.0 or 6.1 kernel (I forget) which bring more proper e-core/p-core scheduling. The thing I can't figure out is if the W680 will support the 14th gen raptor lake refresh. A customer support person from Asus just copy/pasted their webpage stating only 12th gen/13th gen is really supported. I hope to get a definitive answer before Black Friday. This is my first post on this site after lurking for awhile trying to educate myself. I have a lot to learn still.

 

[Davvo]

Both boards seem to be about the same price.

Go Supermicro.

The thing I can't figure out is if the W680 will support the 14th gen raptor lake refresh.

Why would you use 14th gen...

 

[chmod777]

Go Supermicro.


Why would you use 14th gen...

It is the latest so why not. Unless I can get a great deal on an older CPU I would just get the latest.

 

[Davvo]

It is the latest so why not. Unless I can get a great deal on an older CPU I would just get the latest.

It's a crappy refresh and there are much better options. Going latest is never a good idea, especially for consumer hardware.

 

[razmspiele]

its a good CPU, keep looking!

I'll keep an eye out. From what I can see, the Xeon E-2378G retailed for around $550 two years ago. I think that's around the top of what I'd spend on a CPU for a NAS server, but seeing it market up used for $800-900 is mind boggling.