Would like a DAS system (USB 3.1 gen 2 or Thunderbolt) with FreeNAS NFS Features

[Eli Johnson]

Forgive me if i missed an obvious answer, but i searched the forums briefly and didn't see much.

I am at a point where I need to build a primary storage drive that will also function as a working drive for very large and resource consuming 3D CAD file work. It may not be video editing, but still a much higher bandwidth than 1Gb Ethernet can provide is necessary. 10Gb Ethernet doesn't really seem to be an option at the moment due to budget restraints and various other issues i don't want to deal with currently. This leaves me with Direct Attached Storage (DAS) as my only other option unless I am missing something? I would like this storage drive to have features like that of ZFS to help prevent data corruption of files stored long term but also have a fast interface such as USB 3.1 gen 2 or Thunderbolt 1 or 2.

Just wondering if a DAS soluction is a possible at this point or in the VERY near future. If it will not happen soon, then I will have to go with another solution and try to find some way of implementing features of ZFS through different means.

If FreeNAS doesn't yet have, will never have or will not soon support a DAS solution then I would appreciate any input on how to get ZFS features on a standard hard drive setup.

Thanks

 

[SweetAndLow]

NFS doesn't provide any kind of data corruption prevention features. Maybe you just mean the zfs filesystem? NFS is a protocol that other machines on the network use to transfer data to and from a server.

Freenas doesn't have support for USB or thunderbolt in the way you want to use it. The best thing I see people do is direct attached 10Gb. You just need a 10Gb card in your workstation and one in your freenas box, no need for a switch.

One other thing is you should read the hardware requirements sticky on the forums. For the box you want to build having budget restraints is going to be a problem if you need that high of performance and throughout.

 

[Eli Johnson]

Yes my mistake, you are correct...I meant ZFS for maintaining data integrity. Corrected my original post.

I have looked at the build pricing for FreeNAS machines that would suffice for CAD work. But I am not really interested in adding another $650+ for a couple limited use NIC cards when DAS methods are just as fast as 10Gb (or faster and getting faster all the time), are considerably cheaper and also have a broader range of uses in the real world. Limiting FreeNAS to an Ethernet connection made sense when only slower speed interfaces were available, but that situation has not been a reality for many years now.

It appears as though I will have to go for a more basic DAS solution and try to find some way to get ZFS type protection if that is as all possible. Haven't seen anything yet unfortunately.

 

[SweetAndLow]

You could just use a freebsd or openbsd machine. This way you can add any support you want.

 

[Robert Trevellyan]

try to find some way to get ZFS type protection if that is as all possible

Backup to a FreeNAS, FreeBSD or ZFS on Linux box?