New FreeNAS build

[SubnetMask]

I'm looking to build a FreeNAS unit, primarily, at this point, as an iSCSI B2D target.

Originally, I was going to use a retired Barracuda Backup 490 that I acquired for this task, but the two main problems I encountered were the amount of RAM it would support (8GB - although that MIGHT have been just fine for what I'm doing) and the questionable ECC support (It sounds like all AMD processors support ECC memory - but none of the Registered ECC RAM I had on hand worked - so UNREGISTERED might have worked... but it might not have). I had used it for a temporary VMWare Datastore using an older FreeNAS release and UFS instead of ZFS, and it worked surprisingly well for this with only 4GB - I was actually quite surprised. I was also REALLY surprised that VMWare reported it as supporting hardware acceleration. The only issue was when it lost power unexpectedly and during the resync (Took the better part of a work day for the 1TB drives), the VMs were DRAGGING.

So when I went to get some ECC RAM that I though might work (Unregistered ECC), my contact mis-interpreted me, and apparently I had gotten the last of his Unregistered ECC RAM for something else. So I ended up coming home with a 1U SuperMicro system. Very similar to the Barracuda Backup (The Barracuda is essentially a SuperMicro system - the HDD Caddies from the Barracuda slid perfectly into the SuperMicro). The system has 24GB Registered ECC RAM, Dual Xeon E5520's and four HDD bays. Overall, I'd be surprised if anyone said this system doesn't exceed the FreeNAS minimum specs, and thus would run FreeNAS really well.

The problem? The SAS controller. It's an AOC-USAS-S8iR. It doesn't pass the unconfigured disks through for use, and I had a heck of a time even finding a reference to it on SuperMicro's website - and when I finally did, it's EOL, and appears to be totally gone from their FTP site - so it seems you can't even get drivers or firmware for it any more. Not even their last release (who does that?? Just about every manufacturer I've dealt with has still had their last releases for EOL hardware available for download - obviously, there won't be any new releases). So far, my searches for an IT mode firmware for it have come up blank (but my Google-Fu could be weak). Has anyone here had any experience with this card? I searched the forum for its model, but go no hits. The ideal solution would be find IT mode firmware to flash to it and off I go... but barring that, I might have to buy some other HBA (Ideally some UIO card)... but I'd rather use what I've got if there's a way to flash different firmware to it.

Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Stux]

The system has 24GB Registered ECC RAM, Dual Xeon E5520's and four HDD bays. Overall, I'd be surprised if anyone said this system doesn't exceed the FreeNAS minimum specs, and thus would run FreeNAS really well.

It should work. Nehalem processors. If you want to use Bhyve with more than 1 vCPU, you'd need to upgrade them to Westmere. Will use a lot of power.

Good luck.

 

[SubnetMask]

It should work. Nehalem processors. If you want to use Bhyve with more than 1 vCPU, you'd need to upgrade them to Westmere. Will use a lot of power.

Good luck.

Where does the BSD hypervisor come into play with a straight FreeNAS build that is serving as nothing other than an iSCSI target?

Realistically, I could pull one CPU out of it and still have plenty of power for FreeNAS, and (more or less) cut its power usage in half.

Or I could get a L5630 for next to nothing and probably cut its usage even more while still having ample power for what I'm looking to do with it.

It boots up just fine with the latest build, but due to the nature of the SAS controller, it obviously doesn't detect the disks.

 

[nightshade00013]

vCPU is a virtual cpu for the VM

The raid card you are looking at is based on an adaptec board so likely has no IT firmware available. If that is the case it will not work. https://www.supermicro.com/manuals/other/AOC-USAS-S8i-S8iR.pdf https://www.cnet.com/products/super...-s8ir-storage-controller-raid-sas-pcie/specs/ Most OS's will have drivers for that baked in so that is why none are available. But either way it's likely not a good fit for FreeNAS.

Beyond that you are throwing a lot of little bits of info out rather than what you are actually looking to use. No info on what board is in the 1u and throwing out numbers everywhere. I honestly started reading through and had my eyes cross. List your parts and specs if you want some good help and be aware there are literally TONS of supermicro 1U's out there that can be configured any number of ways so that doesn't help at all.

 

[Stux]

Where does the BSD hypervisor come into play with a straight FreeNAS build that is serving as nothing other than an iSCSI target?

It doesn't.

 

[SubnetMask]

It doesn't.

So...... Why did you even bring that up as a point of contention?

vCPU is a virtual cpu for the VM

The raid card you are looking at is based on an adaptec board so likely has no IT firmware available. If that is the case it will not work. https://www.supermicro.com/manuals/other/AOC-USAS-S8i-S8iR.pdf https://www.cnet.com/products/super...-s8ir-storage-controller-raid-sas-pcie/specs/ Most OS's will have drivers for that baked in so that is why none are available. But either way it's likely not a good fit for FreeNAS.

Beyond that you are throwing a lot of little bits of info out rather than what you are actually looking to use. No info on what board is in the 1u and throwing out numbers everywhere. I honestly started reading through and had my eyes cross. List your parts and specs if you want some good help and be aware there are literally TONS of supermicro 1U's out there that can be configured any number of ways so that doesn't help at all.

Whatever you say dude. I know what a vCPU is - I administer a virtual environment for a company that probably drives more revinue than most of us (myself included) would see in a decade. I've been working with VMWare for about a decade. The point there is where does a VM or the BSD Hypervisor come into play with a FreeNAS system that is nothing more than an iSCSI target for block level storage? The exact model and serial number of every component in the system is not what's important. The overall specs of the system, which I gave, are what matter more than exact model and/or serial numbers of individual components (Other than the SAS controller... see next sentence). My primary question, since it apparently wasn't obvious, was not related to the overall system as far as 'would it work', but more a 'has anyone dealt with this controller', since the CPU and RAM specs fall WELL within the minimum specs for the latest FreeNAS. If that makes your eyes go crossed.... well... whatever... If the 'wall of text' I posted was too much for you to digest, maybe I should just post 'I Haz system doesn't detect drives... HALP!!!?!!?!?!??!?!'? I know WHY it doesn't detect the drives (unless I configure each one as an individual RAID0, which is a kludgefest I won't do), and I'm not looking on help on the overall system specs - I'm looking specifically on input or alternatives related to the controller I'm dealing with.

At the end of the day, since, again, it apparently wasn't obvious, are there any other 'UIO' controllers that are known to be a good replacement? Or does anyone know of an 'IT' firmware for this controller? Assuming there is no 'IT' firmware for the controller that I have, the 'AOC-USAS2-L8I' 'seems' like a possibility. But I'm looking to see if anyone in the FreeNAS community has any input on the controller I have or a suitable UIO replacement.

 

[nightshade00013]

Whatever, by your response you already know everything that you need to know. Might I suggest you go over to Linus Tech Tips and have him give you some help.

 

[Stux]

You should acquire an LSI 2008 or 3008 based controller. There are many available. There are many threads. Its documented in the Hardware Recommendations. It will work well. It can be flashed to IT mode.

https://www.servethehome.com/lsi-sas-2008-raid-controller-hba-information/