I'm good with that. What *are* the marginal costs?
For reference - my personal situation is that I started with the idea that I wanted a reliable data server, perhaps two deep in which one was a backup for the first server. That search led me to ZFS eventually. I actually had an Open Solaris server running when Oracle pulled the plug on Open Solaris, and I reasoned that the ugliness would only get worse. I found Free BSD through looking at ZFS, and FreeNAS through FreeBSD. I tinkered with FreeNAS from back in the 7.x.x days, and waited until it grew up. Somewhere around 8.x.x it got to the level of features I needed, and put in the first server. Worked well. When I got the time and money, I started the backup server, which is where I am today.
Philosophically, I'm data-centric. I've programmed in and used so many architectures, machine languages, programming languages and operating systems that I no longer care which one I'm using. There will be a manual, reference, or course of study that will let me get to what I want to get done. As a perverse example, I'm actually fond of APL for its kinkiness, not that there are many opportunities to run it on these days. I did some DSP programming in APL back before there were DSP oriented processors just to pester the professor in the DSP course.
Data integrity is the important thing. I'm currently using AMD Athlon II processors and ASUS motherboards because they are very cost effective for providing ECC memory for ZFS (and hence FreeNAS) operation. I have lost big chunks of data before in various hardware crashes, and so I know the amounts of money I'd spend to get the data back once it's lost. I view the money up front as insurance against having to do that on the back end. And in fact, FreeNAS is an appendage to getting a ZFS system done with as little "go learn a new OS" overhead as possible. It's a time saver.
I want a tool. When the system is set up and running, I want it to operate and not need tinkering and adjustment. I don't intend to spend my spare time - assuming I ever have any - doing lingering data-caresses to the setup. I'm actually building this machine a tiny building, concrete-block 50 meters from the main house. I live in the countryside, and have the space and freedoms to put it in a free-standing concrete enclosure with the systems support to keep it running. This bit of insanity comes from wanting the data to be "off site" but still under my control. A house fire will get the house computing hub and the on-line NAS, but not the backup NAS. IPMI (as I understand it currently) gives me more abilities than I really need. FreeNAS gives me just a hair more than the minimum set, which is likely to be most cost effective. I get remote shutdown with FreeNAS. Remote wakeup really makes it worth while.
I'm not adverse to spending a bit. I am adverse to spending it if I don't have to on order to meet my needs and I've thought through those needs in some detatil. Although I did refer to WOL as a toy, that was for humorous emphasis, not a philosophical statement.
S0 - what will IPMI cost me, and what will I get? Point me to IPMI motherboards and other hardware. Help me figure out how I'm endangering my data by doing shutdown by the FreeNAS "shutdown" command when needed, and re-starting by WOL. I'm sure that indiscriminate use is dangerous - but if "here be dragons", what dragons are there, and what KIND of dragons are they? I'll be happy to go do the legwork for the details, but your insight on the path to travel would be appreciated.
For reference - my personal situation is that I started with the idea that I wanted a reliable data server, perhaps two deep in which one was a backup for the first server. That search led me to ZFS eventually. I actually had an Open Solaris server running when Oracle pulled the plug on Open Solaris, and I reasoned that the ugliness would only get worse. I found Free BSD through looking at ZFS, and FreeNAS through FreeBSD. I tinkered with FreeNAS from back in the 7.x.x days, and waited until it grew up. Somewhere around 8.x.x it got to the level of features I needed, and put in the first server. Worked well. When I got the time and money, I started the backup server, which is where I am today.
Philosophically, I'm data-centric. I've programmed in and used so many architectures, machine languages, programming languages and operating systems that I no longer care which one I'm using. There will be a manual, reference, or course of study that will let me get to what I want to get done. As a perverse example, I'm actually fond of APL for its kinkiness, not that there are many opportunities to run it on these days. I did some DSP programming in APL back before there were DSP oriented processors just to pester the professor in the DSP course.
Data integrity is the important thing. I'm currently using AMD Athlon II processors and ASUS motherboards because they are very cost effective for providing ECC memory for ZFS (and hence FreeNAS) operation. I have lost big chunks of data before in various hardware crashes, and so I know the amounts of money I'd spend to get the data back once it's lost. I view the money up front as insurance against having to do that on the back end. And in fact, FreeNAS is an appendage to getting a ZFS system done with as little "go learn a new OS" overhead as possible. It's a time saver.
I want a tool. When the system is set up and running, I want it to operate and not need tinkering and adjustment. I don't intend to spend my spare time - assuming I ever have any - doing lingering data-caresses to the setup. I'm actually building this machine a tiny building, concrete-block 50 meters from the main house. I live in the countryside, and have the space and freedoms to put it in a free-standing concrete enclosure with the systems support to keep it running. This bit of insanity comes from wanting the data to be "off site" but still under my control. A house fire will get the house computing hub and the on-line NAS, but not the backup NAS. IPMI (as I understand it currently) gives me more abilities than I really need. FreeNAS gives me just a hair more than the minimum set, which is likely to be most cost effective. I get remote shutdown with FreeNAS. Remote wakeup really makes it worth while.
I'm not adverse to spending a bit. I am adverse to spending it if I don't have to on order to meet my needs and I've thought through those needs in some detatil. Although I did refer to WOL as a toy, that was for humorous emphasis, not a philosophical statement.
S0 - what will IPMI cost me, and what will I get? Point me to IPMI motherboards and other hardware. Help me figure out how I'm endangering my data by doing shutdown by the FreeNAS "shutdown" command when needed, and re-starting by WOL. I'm sure that indiscriminate use is dangerous - but if "here be dragons", what dragons are there, and what KIND of dragons are they? I'll be happy to go do the legwork for the details, but your insight on the path to travel would be appreciated.