FreeNAS 11.2Beta2 Crash and now Locks up on Pool Import

[Jerzy Sobski]

Since you are using the BETA release, this would be the correct link to the documentation:
http://doc.freenas.org/11.2/system.html#support

I went and submitted the bug. The development team has closed issue. See Link.
https://redmine.ixsystems.com/issues/40932


What would your recommendations be in what I should switch too. I am seriously considering this after seeing the response back from development team. Since this is all new territory for me Im not sure what I need to make this switch at a reasonable cost.

 

[Chris Moore]

Wow. Sounds like they are not going to do anything that might fix this in the future.

What would your recommendations be in what I should switch too. I am seriously considering this after seeing the response back from development team. Since this is all new territory for me Im not sure what I need to make this switch at a reasonable cost.

Are you in the USA? It only matters because of potential access to materials...
Take a look at this item on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/QUANTUM-DX...SAS-STORAGE-ARRAY-CHASSIS-JBPWR2/292274761367
Two of these would give you 24 bays... I need to get an answer from the vendor to be sure, but I think you would be able to connect both of them with one SAS controller with a single cable to each chassis.
Here is an example of a SAS controller you could use and it even comes with a cable:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LSI-Logic-...ort-6Gb-s-SAS-HBA-Cable-Included/382527261521

 

[Chris Moore]

Sorry. I got an answer back on the 12 bay JBOD enclosure. It is a SAS1 expander which means it will have problems with drives larger than 2TB.

 

[Jerzy Sobski]

Sorry. I got an answer back on the 12 bay JBOD enclosure. It is a SAS1 expander which means it will have problems with drives larger than 2TB.

Thanks for checking into it. I would not have known this.

Yes live in the Florida Panhandle.
Pricing seems reasonable on the Card. Enclosure would have been great if it would have worked out. That was definitely decent price.

 

[Chris Moore]

I will do some research and see what I can find.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

 

[Jerzy Sobski]

I will do some research and see what I can find.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

Thanks for your time.

An update. Resilvering completed and still gave me a warning.
"Vol0 state is ONLINE: One or more devices has experienced an unrecoverable error. An attempt was made to correct the error. Applications are unaffected."

It now appears another drive may either be failing, but not totally sure. To prevent losing all data, I decided to shut server down for the time being, till I find suitable SAS expander replacement and move everything over in order to eliminate the port multiplexer as being cause of my issues.

Ive been searching for options and considering calling PC Pitstop (Company I bought both drive enclosures from) later this morning when they open to see if there is a motherboard that sell which I could switch out to turn it into a SAS expander.

I found the following on ebay but not sure if it would work and much more than I was expecting to spend especially if I would need to get 2 of them.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-bay-Hot-Swap-Trayless-SAS-SATA-External-Tower-Enclosure/232719907488

 

[Chris Moore]

I found the following on ebay but not sure if it would work and much more than I was expecting to spend especially if I would need to get 2 of them.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/12-bay-Hot-Swap-Trayless-SAS-SATA-External-Tower-Enclosure/232719907488

Not enough detail about that one. I will do some more looking today. If you can point me at what you have I can look to see what options are available for converting them.

 

[Jerzy Sobski]

Not enough detail about that one. I will do some more looking today. If you can point me at what you have I can look to see what options are available for converting them.

I originally purchased both towers from PC Pitstop. 1st one was purchased in 2008 which was a tray version. My second one I purchased in 2014 which was a hot swappable (No tray required). Both are almost identical which exception to how drives are inserted into tower.

I was unable to find it listed in PC Pitstop where it went under the name "External 10-bay Trayless eSata PM Enc." when I purchasd it. Since it was not available I was able to find one that is almost identical to what I currently have which is offered by istar USA. Below is link to it:
http://www.istarusa.com/en/raidage/products.php?model=DAGE1040DE-PM

 

[Chris Moore]

I originally purchased both towers from PC Pitstop. 1st one was purchased in 2008 which was a tray version. My second one I purchased in 2014 which was a hot swappable (No tray required). Both are almost identical which exception to how drives are inserted into tower.

This gives me a pretty good idea of what it is, but can you take a photo of the inside of the tower so I can be certain.
I guess that brings the question. How comfortable would you be with making modifications to the existing tower? Would you prefer to buy something ready-made.

 

[Jerzy Sobski]

This gives me a pretty good idea of what it is, but can you take a photo of the inside of the tower so I can be certain.
I guess that brings the question. How comfortable would you be with making modifications to the existing tower? Would you prefer to buy something ready-made.

I feel comfortable. I used to building my own gaming systems for gaming years ago. I Should also have all the tools needed to put it together.

Since I have not been following technology in regards to this area, I am not comfortable in identifying the right pieces that would work together to get the end result Im looking for.

 

[Chris Moore]

Since I have not been following technology in regards to this area, I am not comfortable in identifying the right pieces that would work together to get the end result Im looking for.

I can pick the parts for you. It just might take a little creativity to get them mounted inside that chassis.

 

[Chris Moore]

First part of the solution is the SAS controller with external ports. I linked to one earlier:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LSI-Logic-...ort-6Gb-s-SAS-HBA-Cable-Included/382527261521
That should be fine.
From that, you will need external SAS cables, one for each drive tower. The card I linked to comes with one cable, but here is the kind of cable you need for the second:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SFF-8088-M...1200-1220-MD3200-3220-MD3600i-2m/263857193638
Several companies make them and they come in different lengths, shorter the better, that one is two meters, and here is one that is one meter:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hitachi-Ex...O-SFF-8088-Cable-SC1-K1BS-3ft-1m/392009494826
The kind of connector is standard, but the retention clip release mechanism varies slightly from one manufacturer to another.
Then, to connect that cable into the drive tower, you will need an external SFF-8088 to internal SFF-8087 adapter like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SilverSton...-Mini-SFF8087-to-SFF8088-adapter/253689280729
This one particular one:
Is nice because it can be separated into two parts and you can use one for each of the drive towers. The hard part here is that you need to remove the SATA port multiplier hardware and find a way to mount this instead.
From there, and you will need to do this once for each drive tower, use a SFF-8087 cable, like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/0-7M-Internal-Mini-SAS-36-Pin-To-SFF-8087-Cable-Black-E2C2/253321506804
Again, many companies make them, the brand is not important, so if you can find a short cable that you can get faster, it is the kind of connector that matters.
Connect from the inside of that external/internal adapter to this SAS expander:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-RES2...der-Card-SAS-SATA-PCI-Express-x4/141788425753
The kind of expander matters here, because this one has a four pin Molex power input. I am hopeful that those drive towers have an extra Molex power cord that you can use to power this. Just put some electrical tape over the card edge, circled in red, because it isn't needed for what we are doing but we don't want it to short out on anything. It would be nice if there was a place to mount this, but if there isn't it just needs to not be grounded out on anything.
The 'input' cable coming from the server would go into the port closest to the PCI bracket, which you can remove if needed. The 'output' to the drives will need three of these cables:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-2-M...-Forward-Breakout-Internal-Cable/371681252206
They can be connected to the three ports on the opposite end of the card and will connect to the back of the drive cages in the tower where the SATA cables were connected. I made a kind of price list for the cost of all this:

Code:

LSI Logic SAS9200-16e External Dual Port 6Gb/s SAS HBA {Cable Included}  =  $ 59.00

Hitachi External Mini SAS 26P SFF-8088 TO SFF-8088 Cable SC1/K1BS 3ft/1m =  $  7.00

SilverStone Technology SA022 Dual Mini SFF8087 to SFF8088 adapter		=  $ 43.99

Internal Mini SAS 36-Pin To SFF-8087 Cable, 0.7M		  - $4.78  x  2  =  $  9.56

Intel RES2SV240 24 Port Expander Card					- $59.95  x  2  =  $119.90

Lot of 2 Mini SAS to 4-SATA Forward Breakout			 -  $12.99  x  3 =  $ 38.97


All totaled:  $  278.42

I am sure there are other ways to do it, but this was the most cost effective way I could figure to upgrade both drive towers to SAS. About $140 each.

 

[Chris Moore]

PS. Here is the build log where someone used a similar method to retrofit an old rack mounted disk chassis:

https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...ystem-3u-16-drives-chassis-sas2-upgrade.3289/

And a different build here:

https://senk9.wordpress.com/2018/01/14/guide-budget-home-server-upgrade-pt-4-nas-upgrades/

 

[Johnnie Black]

I use a similar build to add 12 disks to one of my servers:

 

[Chris Moore]

I use a similar build to add 12 disks to one of my servers:

So it isn't pure crazy talk on my part. :)

 

[Jerzy Sobski]

So it isn't pure crazy talk on my part. :)

When I have a chance during my break today Ill start looking into getting the parts.



I spoke with PC Pitstop just before I saw your posts. The methods they suggested would have cost double this amount.

There suggestion was the following:
1) Removing the control boards in both towers,

2) Running 3 sets of SFF-8087 (Host) 4x 7 pin SATA (Device) Internal Fanout Cables so that each drive has one of the fanouts connected (This would require 6 sets since 3 per tower would be needed)
https://www.pc-pitstop.com/sas_cables_adapters/F87H7D.asp

3) Installing 3 4-Port SFF-8087 to SFF-8088 miniSAS Adapter in the tower and attaching the other end of the fan out to the internal side of this adapter (6 would be need (3 per tower))
https://www.pc-pitstop.com/sas_cables_adapters/AD8788-1.asp

4) On external end of adapter I would need to run SFF-8088 to SFF-8088 External SAS Cable from back of drive to the server
https://www.pc-pitstop.com/sas_cables_adapters/8888-1M.asp


5) Replace the server side with 2 cards you recommended in previous post.


If I was to go with their method it would have $550 plus the cost of the 2 cards recommended. Below was how it calculated.

 

[Chris Moore]

If I was to go with their method it would have $550 plus the cost of the 2 cards recommended. Below was how it calculated.

They are totally ignoring the idea of the SAS expander and running SAS direct-connect all the way back to the server. That would work, but it is more expensive for many reasons.
The one good thing they suggested, although it is a little more than the solution I suggested, you could use one of these in each tower instead of the Silverstone adapter I suggested:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SAS-Bracket-ext-SFF-8088-to-int-SFF-8087-with-50-Centronics/232645323326

It might be easier to mount in the existing mounting space on the chassis.

 

[Jerzy Sobski]

They are totally ignoring the idea of the SAS expander and running SAS direct-connect all the way back to the server. That would work, but it is more expensive for many reasons.
The one good thing they suggested, although it is a little more than the solution I suggested, you could use one of these in each tower instead of the Silverstone adapter I suggested:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SAS-Bracket-ext-SFF-8088-to-int-SFF-8087-with-50-Centronics/232645323326

It might be easier to mount in the existing mounting space on the chassis.

I finally had a chance to go through the step and feel comfortable I can do this without a problem. I plan on definitely placing an order online tonight. I will do some price comparisons between Amazon and Ebay. Amazon is great since they have more reliable delivery time frames.

I may also take a look and see if I can find a 24 bay chasis with power supply to possibly move away from 2 towers toward a single box/tower for the drives.

 

[Jerzy Sobski]

They are totally ignoring the idea of the SAS expander and running SAS direct-connect all the way back to the server. That would work, but it is more expensive for many reasons.
The one good thing they suggested, although it is a little more than the solution I suggested, you could use one of these in each tower instead of the Silverstone adapter I suggested:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SAS-Bracket-ext-SFF-8088-to-int-SFF-8087-with-50-Centronics/232645323326

It might be easier to mount in the existing mounting space on the chassis.

Ive gone ahead and order the items. I ended up getting what was needed to modify my current cases to eliminate port multipliers.

Thanks again and when I get this up and running I will send an update.

 

[Chris Moore]

I've gone ahead and order the items. I ended up getting what was needed to modify my current cases to eliminate port multipliers.

Thanks again and when I get this up and running I will send an update.

If you have any questions along the way, don't hesitate to post them up and you can post a build log if you feel like it.
Something like this:
https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...24-supermicro-x10-sri-f-xeon-e5-1650v4.46262/

Notice, he added a SAS expander later in the build:
https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...sri-f-xeon-e5-1650v4.46262/page-3#post-409299