Help to choose a server

[leandrofmilani]

Hello everybody!
I'm looking for a server and I'd like you opinion about this machine:

1 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/2U-Supermic...645c7e3&pid=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&sd=142337387273

2 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/4U-Supermic...x-Core-96GB-/142337387273?hash=item2123f82b09

+ 9 HD's WD RED 3TB (8 for array and 1 for hot spare) and 2 SSD's 32GB for boot.

I'm considering to get the first one.

Is it a good choose considering the price?
There's a better server (could be used) about US $1000?

 

[SweetAndLow]

Looks great except that it only works with 2.5" drives. You probably don't want to use 2.5" drives.

Side note: having a hot spare isn't usually recommended. You are basically using power and running a drive that is doing nothing. Better to have it sitting in shelf not getting used.

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[melloa]

@SweetAndLow is correct. The 2nd one has 3.5 caddies. I just don't like those servers. I like to build my own with a single xeon, as I'm not using it for Dockers, VMs, etc, but is definitely cheaper getting an used server. Last time I did the math it would cost me about $800 for an x11, xeon E3, and 32 GB ECC ... no PSU, no chassis, ...

 

[Spearfoot]

Hello everybody!
I'm looking for a server and I'd like you opinion about this machine:

1 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/2U-Supermicro-26-Bay-SAS2-6Gbs-FREENAS-HBA-Storage-Server-2x-Xeon-8-Core-64GB/132151153733?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid=222007&algo=SIC.MBE&ao=2&asc=40130&meid=61655879ac0e43609e05696d1645c7e3&pid=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&sd=142337387273

2 - http://www.ebay.com/itm/4U-Supermic...x-Core-96GB-/142337387273?hash=item2123f82b09

+ 9 HD's WD RED 3TB (8 for array and 1 for hot spare) and 2 SSD's 32GB for boot.

I'm considering to get the first one.

Is it a good choose considering the price?
There's a better server (could be used) about US $1000?

You may have problems getting eBay purchases shipped to Brazil...

@SweetAndLow is correct about the drive bay size: you need to look for a system with 3.5" drive bays.

Rackmount servers are noisy... but the newer Supermicro SQ 'Super Quiet' power supplies help alleviate the problem. So unless noise isn't a concern for you, I suggest you look for a system equipped with SQ power supplies. These come in either 920W or 1280/1000W versions. I've read reports that their 'Platinum' power supplies are also quiet, but I can't personally vouch for them.

Regarding backplanes: systems with expander backplanes are harder to find and usually more expensive than those with direct-attached backplanes. If you buy a system with an expander backplane, make sure it supports SAS2. There are a lot of older systems on eBay that don't, and you don't want to buy one of them because they will limit you to 3Gbps speeds and drives no larger than 2TB. Looks like you're aware of this issue, based on the two eBay items you showed us. Most of the direct-attached backplanes (with no expander) will work fine with SAS2 drives, but require more HBA cards to connect all the drives. Double-check with Supermicro support (support@supermicro.com) before buying a system to make sure its backplane will work with your drives.

I just bought a Supermicro 4U 24-bay directly from a seller I found on eBay: it's nearly identical to this listing, but with a different memory configuration. Again, you may have problems buying it since the seller only ships to the United States. I suppose you could call them and inquire about an exception...

Good luck!

 

[scrappy]

I have a similar (12 bay) Supermicro 2U recently purchased from eBay. While quieter than my 1U, they are still very noisy machines. Works well with FreeNAS with the exception of USB thumb drives not working correctly as boot drives (FreeNAS Corral issue?).

 

[SweetAndLow]

You should also double check that the CPU is supported by bhyve if your interested in using corral and docker.

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[melloa]

You may have problems getting eBay purchases shipped to Brazil...

He can ship to me and I'll take on my next visit to my family in Recife, but he will need to pick up there and pay the Brazilian taxes :D

 

[CookiesLikeWhoa]

Also something to keep in mind, a dual processor X8 system will be pretty power hungry. I have a twin with the same config on one side (2xE5645 and 96GB RAM) and even with only one side on, with only one power supply installed, with 6 drives, it was still idling at over 150W. Compared to my main system with an E5-1650V3, 256GB RAM and 12 drives, which "idles" at 97W, it's a pretty big jump.

The PSUs are indeed louder than the system itself if you put the system fans in "optimized" settings in the bios. If you plan to leave this in a closet or somewhere out of site/out of mind then you can ignore that aspect of it.

 

[leandrofmilani]

He can ship to me and I'll take on my next visit to my family in Recife, but he will need to pick up there and pay the Brazilian taxes :D

Thanks man, but I already have a way to ship it to Brazil.

You should also double check that the CPU is supported by bhyve if your interested in using corral and docker.

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Yeah, it looks all Intel core line support it. And thanks about caddies size, I didn't noticed it.

Also something to keep in mind, a dual processor X8 system will be pretty power hungry. I have a twin with the same config on one side (2xE5645 and 96GB RAM) and even with only one side on, with only one power supply installed, with 6 drives, it was still idling at over 150W. Compared to my main system with an E5-1650V3, 256GB RAM and 12 drives, which "idles" at 97W, it's a pretty big jump.

The PSUs are indeed louder than the system itself if you put the system fans in "optimized" settings in the bios. If you plan to leave this in a closet or somewhere out of site/out of mind then you can ignore that aspect of it.

A little noise is not a problem because it will stay in a small data center.

And about the machine, could be other with a similar configuration?
Like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-...477950?hash=item23817f96fe:g:pysAAOSwWxNYwfKG
or
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Supermicro-...228661?hash=item1ec4b53475:g:~28AAOSwuxFY0GPo

Which of those is the best choose?

 

[CookiesLikeWhoa]

I think we need to ask what the intended use of the system will be? Are you planning to run FreeNAS Corral with a lot of VM's and Dockers, or 9.10 with Jails? Both systems have a lot of CPU horsepower that will likely go unused if you aren't doing anything other than serving files.

The second system is quite powerful though, with 192GBs of RAM, two decently fast processors, and a ton of expansion slots you'd be able to get a lot of it. First one is strong as well.

 

[leandrofmilani]

I think we need to ask what the intended use of the system will be? Are you planning to run FreeNAS Corral with a lot of VM's and Dockers, or 9.10 with Jails? Both systems have a lot of CPU horsepower that will likely go unused if you aren't doing anything other than serving files.

The second system is quite powerful though, with 192GBs of RAM, two decently fast processors, and a ton of expansion slots you'd be able to get a lot of it. First one is strong as well.

I intend to use for backup mainly, with bacula plugin.
My idea is to buy a machine that has possibility to increase HD and resources without concern about hardware upgrade (except HDs).
And I never used Freenas before, so I'm thinking to start using Corral.

 

[CookiesLikeWhoa]

Might want to hold off on the upgrade to Corral.

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/important-announcement-regarding-freenas-corral.53502/

Both of those systems would be much more than needed. Look at getting an Intel C2000 board like:
https://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Atom/X10/A1SAM-2550F.cfm
https://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Atom/X10/A1SAM-2750F.cfm

Both should function very well for you. Find an empty chassis and drop that in there. Grab yourself an LSI HBA and you should be set.

 

[leandrofmilani]

Might want to hold off on the upgrade to Corral.

https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/important-announcement-regarding-freenas-corral.53502/

Both of those systems would be much more than needed. Look at getting an Intel C2000 board like:
https://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Atom/X10/A1SAM-2550F.cfm
https://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Atom/X10/A1SAM-2750F.cfm

Both should function very well for you. Find an empty chassis and drop that in there. Grab yourself an LSI HBA and you should be set.

Yeah, thanks, it seems is not a good idea start using Corral right now.

I prefer won't mount my own machine.
Instead I found this one below, if you say that's OK I'll buy it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12x-HD-SAS2...174334?hash=item21248d81be:g:t6gAAOSwU8hY7qIu

 

[CookiesLikeWhoa]

That system will do you plenty good. As long as it has enough HDD space you should be good to go with it.

 

[leandrofmilani]

That system will do you plenty good. As long as it has enough HDD space you should be good to go with it.

Thank you.

One last question. About HD, should I buy 2 ssd for boot (32GB)? Or there's no need?

 

[SweetAndLow]

Lots of people do it because USB fail. Everyone is different and failures happen. I mirror my 2 16GB USB and thing have been great for 2 years, no failures.

SSD will also make boot and upgrade times faster. The con is that they use up a valuable Sata ports.

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[leandrofmilani]

Lots of people do it because USB fail. Everyone is different and failures happen. I mirror my 2 16GB USB and thing have been great for 2 years, no failures.

SSD will also make boot and upgrade times faster. The con is that they use up a valuable Sata ports.

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Thanks, I'll get 2 ssd for avoid failures.