So I've been investigating doing a FreeNAS build for a few weeks now. I've recently decided on 2 crucial changes that I'd like some feedback on as well:
1. I was going to do a software raid 6 of 4X 3TB HD, but instead I've decided to do use a single 6TB hard drive for the time being, and using crashplan to backup the data. Originally I had planned on getting 2X 6TB drives and mirroring them, but assuming I'm fine with losing access to my nas for a few days if my hard drive fails, while a replacement drive is coming in the mail, is buying a 2nd drive beneficial? I could pretty easily be talked back into getting a 2nd drive to mirror the other drive. I want to have high certainty I can hold onto these files for the rest of my life.
2. A week or 2 ago I decided that with all the money I was putting into this FreeNAS build I could get a little stronger CPU get a Video Card, then I could use xenserver to virtualize FreeNAS, and a Windows VM. I could VT-d, and pass the Video Card through to the Windows VM, and then have a pretty reasonable gaming machine on the side for the occasion that I play video games. It seems some people have been able to do this to great success.
Here is my proposed build:
Case: Fractal Design R4
HD#1: Samsung 850 EVO 500GB SSD
HD#2: WD Red 6TB
PSU: Corsair RM750i
MOBO: SUPERMICRO MBD-X11SAT-O
CPU: Xeon E3-1240
CPU Cooling: Noctua NH-U14S
Memory: Unsure. Likely I'll be going with 2X 16TB sticks of an ECC ram that the MOBO supports.
GPU: GTX 970
I'm not sure if creating a single powerhouse virtualized machine for all this is actually worth it. It certainly may be a pain in the butt but, at least for now it sounds fun. With the money I'm spending to get more powerful components, it might just be worth it to make a separate rig for gaming. I still see myself virtualizing FreeNAS with xenserver though. I'm a software developer and constantly find myself wanting to spin up servers for small projects.
I'd love some feedback. Thanks!
1. I was going to do a software raid 6 of 4X 3TB HD, but instead I've decided to do use a single 6TB hard drive for the time being, and using crashplan to backup the data. Originally I had planned on getting 2X 6TB drives and mirroring them, but assuming I'm fine with losing access to my nas for a few days if my hard drive fails, while a replacement drive is coming in the mail, is buying a 2nd drive beneficial? I could pretty easily be talked back into getting a 2nd drive to mirror the other drive. I want to have high certainty I can hold onto these files for the rest of my life.
2. A week or 2 ago I decided that with all the money I was putting into this FreeNAS build I could get a little stronger CPU get a Video Card, then I could use xenserver to virtualize FreeNAS, and a Windows VM. I could VT-d, and pass the Video Card through to the Windows VM, and then have a pretty reasonable gaming machine on the side for the occasion that I play video games. It seems some people have been able to do this to great success.
Here is my proposed build:
Case: Fractal Design R4
HD#1: Samsung 850 EVO 500GB SSD
HD#2: WD Red 6TB
PSU: Corsair RM750i
MOBO: SUPERMICRO MBD-X11SAT-O
CPU: Xeon E3-1240
CPU Cooling: Noctua NH-U14S
Memory: Unsure. Likely I'll be going with 2X 16TB sticks of an ECC ram that the MOBO supports.
GPU: GTX 970
I'm not sure if creating a single powerhouse virtualized machine for all this is actually worth it. It certainly may be a pain in the butt but, at least for now it sounds fun. With the money I'm spending to get more powerful components, it might just be worth it to make a separate rig for gaming. I still see myself virtualizing FreeNAS with xenserver though. I'm a software developer and constantly find myself wanting to spin up servers for small projects.
I'd love some feedback. Thanks!
