Newbie HDD and zpool configuration

[giacombum]

Hi, I'm planning to build my first freenas server: I've read the Freenas hardware guide and I'm trying to select the best hardware (with good price) for my needs. I've two 3tb hdd full of films and TV shows, plus about 1TB of photos and less than 300GB of music.

I don't know what could be the best zpool configuration for my needs; I've thinked two possible solutions:

1) 5x4TB in raid-z2, for films and TV shows (12 TB total free space) and 3x3TB in raid-z1 for photos and music (6TB total free space): for this solution I've to buy 5 4TB HDDs and 1 3TB HDD (note that I've a backup of my entire photo library on Amazon Prime Photos); the pros of this solution are that I can transfer my entire films and TV shows library on the raid-z2 pool before create the raid-z1 pool, and that I've two separate pools for video and photos/music; the cons (IMHO) are that maybe raid-z2 for 5 drives could not be the optimal choice...

2) 8x3TB in raid-z3 for all my files (15TB total free space): I've to buy 6 3TB HDDs; the pros of this solution is that I think that the total cost is less than the previous and that raid-z3 is most fault tolerance; the cons are that I've to find a way to transfer all my films and tv shows before the zpool creation, that the entire zpool is based also on two old drives and maybe less expansion options for the future.

What do you think? In terms of costs, fail tolerance and future upgrade?

 

[gpsguy]

One of the sweet spots for RAIDz2 is 6 drives. I'd consider getting 6x4TB drives and putting them in RAIDz2.

After you've moved the data from your 3TB drives, consider making a separate volume and mirroring the two 3TB drives.

 

[giacombum]

Ok, but if I buy only 5 4TB HDDs and then I buy a sixth one, can I add automatically to the zpool to increase the pool dimension from 12 to 16 TB?

 

[iRefugee]

Once your vdev is created you can't add any more hard drives to expand your zpool. But you can add separate vdev to expand your zpool.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Chris Moore]

Ok, but if I buy only 5 4TB HDDs and then I buy a sixth one, can I add automatically to the zpool to increase the pool dimension from 12 to 16 TB?

No. The quick and dirty of it is a 'zpool' is made of one or more 'vdevs' and each vdev is organized into a configuration such as RAIDz2. Once a vdev is added to a pool, it can't be removed and once a vdev is created, the number of drives can't be changed. There are some exceptions to that and I am sure someone will come along and elaborate further, but there is also plenty of material on this message board about this if you want to read further. I have built several FreeNAS systems and based on my experience, you would be better served to build it the way you want it instead of cobbling something together with the expectation of changing it later. I don't know what the price of hard drives is where you are, but the Seagate Barracuda drives have been working well for me and they are about the least expensive drive you can buy. Any drive can fail though, so it is a good idea to have a spare on hand just in case. I have two FreeNAS systems running and keep two spare drives.

 

[giacombum]

I don't know what the price of hard drives is where you are, but the Seagate Barracuda drives have been working well for me and they are about the least expensive drive you can buy.

What Barracuda drives are you talking about? 7200 rpm or 5900 rpm? Thanks.

 

[giacombum]

I've seen that with 6 HDDs I probably use all the SATA ports of my motherboard. Is possbile to use an expansion board like this: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0167MWOJE...ve=23478&creativeASIN=B0167MWOJE&linkCode=df0

 

[Chris Moore]

I've seen that with 6 HDDs I probably use all the SATA ports of my motherboard. Is possbile to use an expansion board like this: https://www.amazon.it/dp/B0167MWOJE...ve=23478&creativeASIN=B0167MWOJE&linkCode=df0

No, that card includes RAID functionality. I would avoid that. The best thing to use (my opinion) is a SAS controller, which will also work with SATA hard drives, and this is the model I use.
http://www.ebay.it/itm/Dell-Perc-H3...Gbps-PCIe-x8-LSI-9240-8i-0HV52W-/401353189886
It just needs to be flashed with the IT mode firmware and there are good instructions for how to do that online.
You can run up to 8 drives directly with that card and up to 256 devices with SAS expanders.

 

[Chris Moore]

What Barracuda drives are you talking about? 7200 rpm or 5900 rpm? Thanks.

The ones I have been using are this model:
http://www.ebay.it/itm/Hard-disk-Seagate-Interno-4Tb-sata-Desktop-Mod-ST4000DM000-/152636491499

 

[giacombum]

Can I post here my hardware setup for any suggestion or I've to open a new post?

 

[gpsguy]

Can I post here my hardware setup for any suggestion or I've to open a new post?

Go ahead and post it here.

 

[giacombum]

Case: Fractal Design node 804;
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X150M-PRO ECC (I know that a Supermicro board are better, but in Italy these boards coast very much more than the others; eventually, do you have a suggestion for the MB?);
CPU: Intel Core i3-6100 or i3-6300 (what's the best?);
RAM: 2x8GB Kingston KVR21E15D8/8HA (or similar, I'll try to contact Gigabyte for other reasonably alternatives, as KVR16LR11D8/8HD);
HDD: 6x4TB Seagate Ironwolf, RAID-Z2;
PSU: Enermax Platimax 500W (do you have a cheper alternative?);
Boot Device: 2xLexar LJDS45-32GABEU, 32GB usb 3.0

 

[iRefugee]

This motherboard is about $194 on Newegg GA-X150M-PRO
I haven't built my NAS yet, but I'm considering X11SSM-F otr X11SLL-F both are under $200. https://m.newegg.com/products/N82E1...2q0xI0cJ7Z71fvyvOdxoClysQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[giacombum]

In Italy the board is around 100€, while Supermicro boards are at more than 150€...

 

[Chris Moore]

In Italy the board is around 100€, while Supermicro boards are at more than 150€...

The IPMI remote management feature of the Supermicro board is worth that price difference. Keep in mind that this is not a gaming system and you can easily use it for six years or more if you buy quality hardware to begin with. If you try to cheap out on it, you will be needing to build a new system that much sooner.

 

[Chris Moore]

In Italy the board is around 100€, while Supermicro boards are at more than 150€...

Add to that, the Gigabyte GA-X150M-PRO ECC does not have integrated video, so you will need a CPU that supports video where the Supermicro board actually has a video chip built on the board so a regular processor with no video capability is all you need. It is the integrated video chip on the Supermicro board that allows the KVM over IP capability of the Supermicro for remotely connecting to the system.

 

[giacombum]

Ok, I've find the X11-SLL-F for about 175€, so I've to save money with other components: can you suggest me a valuable RAM fot this MB? And what about the CPU (I'm thinking to install plex media server, so maybe there's the possibility of some transcoding) and the PSU?

 

[giacombum]

Anyway, both the CPU I've select have an integrated video card, so there isn't any problem concerning the lack of video chip in the gigabyte MB.

 

[Chris Moore]

Anyway, both the CPU I've select have an integrated video card, so there isn't any problem concerning the lack of video chip in the gigabyte MB.

Except that the Gigabyte GA-X150M-PRO ECC does not support the KVM over IP technology. That means you will need a keyboard, and monitor connected to the unit to manage it. With the Supermicor board, you connect to it over the network and the only thing you ever have to connect to the unit is power and network. You can remotely mount the ISO image to boot from and install the operating system and view the remote console. I don't think you get it. Being able to remotely manage the server from even another room instead of having to sit next to it is a really nice feature and well worth the price difference.

 

[giacombum]

Ok, thank you very much! Another (sorry) question, beyond all in msg #17: I've 32 GB of ECC RAM in 4x8GB Kingston RDIMM: is there a chanche to use them in a supermicro MB with a cost saving? Or the cost of the MBs with RDIMM support is prohibitive?