Storage Options - MD3200i (~16TB RAID-5) and StoreOnce 5250 (~261TB)

[smittytech]

I recently took over a lab that was only using local storage on all of it's ESXI Hosts. They did have two (2) MD3200i's with around 16TB of RAID-5 set up, but it wasn't in use. There is no budget for anything, but I managed to get "lucky" and get a StoreOnce 5250 with ~261TB via an asset re-utilization program available to us.

I was able to use the StoreOnce 5250 + one of our MS 2022 DC's to set up a lab share for the team. However, the NFS datastore that I've tried to create still isn't working properly with ESXi/vCenter (8.0U2). The datastore is able to connect to all of the hosts, but when I try to use or browse the datastore from vCenter/ESXI, I get a "not found" error. I've contacted HPE, but they said that the StoreOnce is not meant for what I'm using it as, so they will not support that type of configuration.

Therefore, I'd like to know what my other options are.
Can I use either of these systems with TrueNAS?

I previously converted an old Dell into a FreeNAS server in one of my other labs. I had to mess around with the firmware, but it ultimately was pretty painless. The StoreOnce connects to what is essentially a DL380 Gen10 server via SAS Cables. I will be setting up the network, hopefully next week, for 10GB, but it's presently connected via the 1GB ports. Can I overwrite the StoreOnce OS with either ESXI (w/ TrueNAS VM) or TrueNAS bare metal, and make the 261 TB available to it?

What about the MD3200i rackmounts? My understanding is that I'd need a server connected to them, via iscsi or similar, to use TrueNAS with them. I have two (2) spare R730XD's and one (1) spare R630. Not sure if those will work.

What are my options here?

I'm decent with servers/networking, but still pretty new to Storage. Any help is appreciated.

(I also have two (2) more StoreOnce 5250's in my other lab that I'd like to do something similar with).

I need the Storage for a Share Drive, and Datastores for VMware (possibly more in the future).

 

[HoneyBadger]

Hey @smittytech

HP is awfully cagey about the inner guts of the StoreOnce 5250 - but community reports seem to indicate that it's just a DL380p-series system. The datasheet does make reference to "Hardware RAID6" which wouldn't be compatible with TrueNAS, so if it is capable of installing and running TrueNAS that would need to be replaced. See the "What's all the noise about HBAs?" resource linked here:

https://www.truenas.com/community/r...bas-and-why-cant-i-use-a-raid-controller.139/

Opening the lid on the StoreOnce and comparing its layout to their ProLiant line is likely to yield some good insight about what it's actually running.

NFS/iSCSI workloads for VMware are typically a heavy workload, so the StoreOnce hardware might need some additional upgrades (think "more RAM" and "write-intensive SSDs for log drives") but it's possible. TrueNAS runs on most any x86-64 silicon that doesn't have additional restrictions.

The Dell MD3200i's as they sit now have a similar challenge - built-in RAID logic preventing them from being properly address. You might be able to replace the controllers in the rear with the MD1200-series modules or the SC2-series from Dell, but they might still carry a limitation of "only Dell-branded drives can be used" - if they don't though, you can convert them to regular disk shelves and attach them to a head unit running TrueNAS - possibly even as shelves to your HP StoreOnce.

Welcome to the forums!

 

[Ericloewe]

but they might still carry a limitation of "only Dell-branded drives can be used" -

They shouldn't, though I'm not sure the cost of the swap is worthwhile.

 

[HoneyBadger]

They shouldn't, though I'm not sure the cost of the swap is worthwhile.

Dell part number 3DJRJ is under twenty bucks on the used-pull market, I imagine buying one to test won't break the bank.

It looks like someone at Reddit had the same idea, and has kindly written up their experience as well:

https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/mipyer/yes_you_can_use_md1200_controllers_with_a_md3200/

 

[Ericloewe]

Holy crap, I missed that development. Did half of VMWare's clients throw all that stuff out together with the SAS2 controllers when they stopped supporting those or something?

 

[smittytech]

Hey @smittytech

HP is awfully cagey about the inner guts of the StoreOnce 5250 - but community reports seem to indicate that it's just a DL380p-series system. The datasheet does make reference to "Hardware RAID6" which wouldn't be compatible with TrueNAS, so if it is capable of installing and running TrueNAS that would need to be replaced. See the "What's all the noise about HBAs?" resource linked here:

https://www.truenas.com/community/r...bas-and-why-cant-i-use-a-raid-controller.139/

Opening the lid on the StoreOnce and comparing its layout to their ProLiant line is likely to yield some good insight about what it's actually running.

NFS/iSCSI workloads for VMware are typically a heavy workload, so the StoreOnce hardware might need some additional upgrades (think "more RAM" and "write-intensive SSDs for log drives") but it's possible. TrueNAS runs on most any x86-64 silicon that doesn't have additional restrictions.

The Dell MD3200i's as they sit now have a similar challenge - built-in RAID logic preventing them from being properly address. You might be able to replace the controllers in the rear with the MD1200-series modules or the SC2-series from Dell, but they might still carry a limitation of "only Dell-branded drives can be used" - if they don't though, you can convert them to regular disk shelves and attach them to a head unit running TrueNAS - possibly even as shelves to your HP StoreOnce.

Welcome to the forums!

"Opening the lid on the StoreOnce and comparing its layout to their ProLiant line is likely to yield some good insight about what it's actually running."

I do also have 4 HPE Proliant DL380 Gen10's I can use. I planned on using them separately as ESXI Hosts, but can make adjustments if they'd be helpful.

I knew I wouldn't be able to use the Hardware RAID that it has, but wasn't sure if I'd be able to flash it to IT Mode like I was able to in the past for the Dell I turned into a FreeNAS server.

"NFS/iSCSI workloads for VMware are typically a heavy workload, so the StoreOnce hardware might need some additional upgrades (think "more RAM" and "write-intensive SSDs for log drives") but it's possible. TrueNAS runs on most any x86-64 silicon that doesn't have additional restrictions."

I was planning to us the StoreOnce only for the datastores really. The compute would still be reliant on the other ESXI Hosts. I have four (4) R7415's, four (4) DL380 Gen10's, two (2) R730XDs, and one (1) R630 (technically I do have more R630's, but I'm planning on phasing them out).

I'll have to look into swapping the controller on the MD3200i's. I did see that reddit post previously. Unfortunately, getting funds (even as low as that) are next to impossible. I didn't think I'd ever get any storage, but managed to find these for free.

I've actually built out most of my labs getting stuff from that reutilization program. I think we're at like 20 servers, and 3 StoreOnce 5250's. Otherwise we'd still be on ESXi 6.X.

 

[smittytech]

I forgot to mention, and I don't see an option to edit my previous posts...I do have support on everything, except for the R630. The HPE stuff is still presently supported via HPE (not for much longer). The Dell stuff has part support from a 3rd party, but I've been able to submit tickets to replace drives within 24hrs.

 

[Ericloewe]

Dell doesn't paywall their firmware, so support is not a big deal. Spares are cheap.