BUILD HP ProLiant DL Server

[geeko71]

Hi Forum

I read that "standard Server Hardware" ist not "recommended" for freenas....

My goal is building an PERFORMANT(!) NFS Server for VMware vSphere 6 (4 ESX Nodes, ~120 VMs).

I have an DL360G7, 2xIntel Xenon 5640, 48GB EEC reg. Memory, 8 Enterprise grade
SATA SSD's on a SmartArray P410i with 1024MB FBWC, 8 x GBit/s Data LAG and 2 x GBit/s Management LAG.

Should i really use the SATA Controller or an PCIe non RAID Controller instead of the SmartArray without using the RAID Cache?
Native OS installations brings me now up to 18000 IOPS. Can i reach this value also with software RAID?

It's possible to change the hardware config a bit, but basicly i would like to use "standard Server Hardware"

To be honest... is freenas the right choice for me?

Regards
Dominik

 

[Mirfster]

I read that "standard Server Hardware" ist not "recommended" for freenas....

Can you please provide links where that information was stated? I think that either you misinterpreted it or someone possibly misstated...

I have an DL360G7, 2xIntel Xenon 5640, 48GB EEC reg. Memory, 8 Enterprise grade
SATA SSD's on a SmartArray P410i with 1024MB FBWC, 8 x GBit/s Data LAG and 2 x GBit/s Management LAG.

Should i really use the SATA Controller or an PCIe non RAID Controller instead of the SmartArray without using the RAID Cache?

Per the DL360G7 Manual, it would appear that FreeNAS *should* run fine on this system.
In regards to the "SmartArray P410i with 1024MB FBWC", it *may* be fine as long as:

1. FreeNAS/FreeBSD support it
2. It truly is able just allow direct access to the hard drives; not some Hardware Raid (Raid0) method
3. I am presuming that if used as a HBA, then neither the BBU or Cache will/can be used at all

Should i really use the SATA Controller or an PCIe non RAID Controller instead of the SmartArray without using the RAID Cache?
Native OS installations brings me now up to 18000 IOPS. Can i reach this value also with software RAID?

Personally, I am doubtful of any card that has a BBU and Cache as being able to truly be a HBA. Not saying it is possible, but I would be leery of it. I would suggest getting a true HBA or a card (IBM M1015, Dell Perc H200, etc) that could be properly flashed. Perhaps even just getting a LSI 9211-8I instead.

For IOPS, in part that would depend on the drives used as well as the vDevs used.

It's possible to change the hardware config a bit, but basicly i would like to use "standard Server Hardware"

To be honest... is freenas the right choice for me?

Seems plausible to me. The actual Network may end up being the bottle neck or you may need more RAM as well as a SLOG (a True SLOG, not some cheapo SSD(s) that will get beat to heck and back). Maybe others will chime in and provide more insight.

 

[geeko71]

The Post was regarting the DL5xx Hardware, but the controller are similar.

ok, so i can remove the FBWC/BBWC Module (no cache) and use every single Disk as RAID0 Array (otherwise the Disks are not visible in the OS)
Does the OS have RAW access now to the Disks? I'm not shure, because the SmartArray is a RAID Controller.

I can spend also 32GB. Do i need an 2nd CPU regarding Performance increases? (cannot imagine so..)

Regards
Dominik

 

[HoneyBadger]

ok, so i can remove the FBWC/BBWC Module (no cache) and use every single Disk as RAID0 Array (otherwise the Disks are not visible in the OS)
Does the OS have RAW access now to the Disks? I'm not shure, because the SmartArray is a RAID Controller.

No, ZFS will not have raw disk access. Single disk RAID0 is not disk passthrough, and the SmartArray P-series cards have no option to act as an HBA. You'll have to install an HBA such as the LSI 9211-8i or reflashable cards recommended above (try the HP H220, perhaps?) which may also cause your system to ramp its already noisy fans up even louder.

I can spend also 32GB. Do i need an 2nd CPU regarding Performance increases? (cannot imagine so..)

A single E5640 is probably enough CPU, but add as much RAM as you can get. Since those are triple-channel systems, you have 9 slots per processor - 72GB is easy to obtain by using 8GB DIMMs.

Also, what are the SSDs in question?

 

[geeko71]

i have 8 Intel DC S3700 SSD's. i have good longterm experience with SmartArray's and Intel S3700... some cheap SSD won't work correctly due to SMART incompatibitlies (Thermal errors, etc..)

 

[sfcredfox]

I'm running a similar setup for similar purpose, but mine's a lab environment, not production.

Hi Forum
To be honest... is freenas the right choice for me?

I feel like it's a good choice granted you listen to the seasoned experts and follow their advice. I've had far better luck and performance in the lab doing so.

They aren't joking about the RAID vs HBA stuff. I used to have the default HP RAID controllers and you won't get what you want doing that. You can get the beloved IBM M1015, or an HP branded SAS HBA like the H221 or H222? cards. Check for the driver support, but I use one IBM HBA and one HP HBA, they both work. Be careful of HP HBAs, I had some funny business when it came time to flash the firmware.

Hi Forum
I read that "standard Server Hardware" ist not "recommended" for freenas....

These guys only recommend server hardware. They oppose desktop and old recycled hardware in most cases. Supermicro brand stuff is everyone's favorite, but that doesn't mean other server boards won't do just as well.

Hi Forum
My goal is building an PERFORMANT(!) NFS Server for VMware vSphere 6 (4 ESX Nodes, ~120 VMs).
I have an DL360G7, 2xIntel Xenon 5640, 48GB EEC reg. Memory, 8 Enterprise grade
SATA SSD's on a SmartArray P410i with 1024MB FBWC, 8 x GBit/s Data LAG and 2 x GBit/s Management LAG.

I think it can easily be done, but you might seriously try to get more RAM, maybe double that for the VM workload unless they are all very light. That seems crazy, but it isn't, trust me and everyone else. jgreco, @mav, and a few others run serious systems for VMs and other stuff, they'll back the RAM. I wish mine had more RAM with 72GB.

Hi Forum
Should i really use the SATA Controller or an PCIe non RAID Controller instead of the SmartArray without using the RAID Cache?
Native OS installations brings me now up to 18000 IOPS. Can i reach this value also with software RAID?

FreeNAS doesn't use hardware based RAID, it uses software based. You'll want to read posts from cyberjock and jgreco about it. Cyber has a beginners guide you need to read. You'll want about 50% free space on pools for VMs since fragmentation can creep up.

Hope that gets you started. Read lots of forum posts, they'll help. @mav posted stuff about setting it up for fibre channel, everyone else does iSCSI and NFS. You'll need to read and understand a SLOG for NFS.

If I mentioned things you already knew, don't take it as an insult to your intelligence, it's just a complicated topic for most.