RAM qty for Borg build?

[LoftyGoals]

Quick question: Given the goals and priorities below:

• is 32 GB enough RAM or would you suggest 64 GB?
• assuming the disk storage and jail requirements double in size over time, do I need a board that can expand to 128 GB (or higher)?

Thank you!

-- Salvatore
smile.


GOALS

• TrueNAS CORE
• Borg server in a jail (needs 16 GB RAM, minimal CPU)
• 20 TB disk (6 x 8 TB RAIDZ2)

PRIORITIES

• absolutely important
  • reliable (and, therefore, ECC)
• important
  • runs comfortably
  • runs quiet (will be in a living space)
  • cost effective (not "budget" -- I will pay for a performant system but don't want to pay more than I need to)
• somewhat important
  • reasonably cool (will be in a well ventilated space)
  • expandable (don't want to max out motherboard)
  • power consumption (I don't want to be wasteful but I care more about total cost of ownership than low electricity bills)
• unimportant
  • physical size

 

[asap2go]

If you allocate 16GB for the jail then you have got 16GB left for TrueNAS and ARC. That will work.
But more RAM is always better. Most Mainboards support 4 DIMMs. So just start with 2*32GB and upgrade if necessary in the future.

 

[joeschmuck]

Since you are new to TrueNAS, you should be aware that CORE will no longer be supported soon and SCALE is the next platform. Understand that jails do not exist in SCALE. Think VM. If you plan to run several VM's, the more RAM you have, the more you can allocate to your VM's. 64GB is a fair amount of RAM, I've been using that for almost a decade. You need to do some investigative work to make a decision.

EDIT: I was clearly wrong.

 

[LoftyGoals]

Excellent. Two important conclusions: 2 x 32GB DIMM and TrueNAS SCALE over CORE. Thank you!

 

[NugentS]

Since you are new to TrueNAS, you should be aware that CORE will no longer be supported soon and SCALE is the next platform. Understand that jails do not exist in SCALE. Think VM. If you plan to run several VM's, the more RAM you have, the more you can allocate to your VM's. 64GB is a fair amount of RAM, I've been using that for almost a decade. You need to do some investigative work to make a decision.

@joeschmuck - really?

I think Core has a long way to go before IX even consider replacing it. Do you have eny evidence for your comment?

 

[Jailer]

@joeschmuck - really?

I think Core has a long way to go before IX even consider replacing it. Do you have eny evidence for your comment?

What is your definition of a long way? I'm currently researching my options for my services I have running in jails for the same reason @joeschmuck mentioned for when, not if, core is no longer an option. It's coming and probably sooner than you think.

 

[NugentS]

My suspicion is that IX will be unable to get many enterprise customers away from Core for a long long time. Scale is far from ready for prime time useage and enterprises are conservative when it comes to Storage.

For use home users and perhaps SOHO, Scale makes a lot of sense - once its whole eco system is stable. But enterprise (IX Customers) will need a very compelling argument to move from Core due to its stability

 

[somethingweird]

you should be aware that CORE will no longer be supported soon and SCALE is the next platform.

:(

 

[Arwen]

Since you are new to TrueNAS, you should be aware that CORE will no longer be supported soon and SCALE is the next platform.
...

Based on working in data centers off and on the last 25 years, I suspect any Enterprise TrueNAS server bought today, that is bought & used with the FreeBSD / Core side, will stay that way for the NAS server's life time. Whether that is 3 or 5 years, does not mater. As others have said, Enterprise customers tend to be conservative.

Thus, in my opinion, while Core may not get as much attention for features as SCALE, it will be maintained for at least 3 more years. And possibly as long as 5 years.

Of course, that all assumes that iX is still selling TrueNAS based on FreeBSD to the Enterprise market.

 

[joeschmuck]

I could have sworn that I posted a follow up to my bad statement. I am clearly wrong. CORE is expected to be around for a while, based on what I know now, at least 1 year, possibly several.