Build Log: 12TB ZFS File Server (6x2TB)

[mds2004]

I'm a bit confused what you did, you had a USB optical drive to install OI, but then had an eSATA card in the PCIe slot? Your OS drive was on the eSATA card?

Sorry for the confusion.

I have the six 2TB drives connected to motherboard.
The OS drive is connected to the E-Sata port with a "E-Sata to Sata" adapter (LINK). I just ran the cable from the outside of the case from the E-Sata port to the inside to the OS drive. It looks uglier but it works!

I was also able to install the OS through my external DVD drive connected to the USB port.

 

[mds2004]

The reason I got rid the Sata card was because my board only has one PCI-E slot. If OI would have supported the Intel HD3000 graphics I would not have needed to replace it with a video card.

 

[RaiderJ]

Ah, that makes sense. I'll have to keep that approach in mind, maybe test a USB optical drive too.

I've been pretty happy with my build, although I've been traveling so much this year I haven't had a chance to play with it much. How's your setup working?

 

[mds2004]

Ah, that makes sense. I'll have to keep that approach in mind, maybe test a USB optical drive too.

I've been pretty happy with my build, although I've been traveling so much this year I haven't had a chance to play with it much. How's your setup working?

I haven't had time to set it up until today since the last time I've posted here, but will I let you know how it goes.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Thinking of possibly doing a build like this.

Thinking of using this mobo. It's a C-60 with passive heatsink, and has six SATA6G ports on it, and a PCI-E x16 (x4).
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131843

This PCI-E SATA card too:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815124027

Probably run FreeNAS off of a USB drive.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Keep in mind that depending on what you choose to do with your storage array, the CPU needs can be anything from negligible to pretty intense. I'd say anything featuring like SMB over a gig link will be fine with anything. But if you start doing iscsi especially over multiple links or running VM's off the array the cpu needs go up. If you do compression your cpu needs go up even further. And if you do deduplication, your memory and cpu needs skyrocket.

 

[RaiderJ]

And if you're doing strictly Solaris ZFS, pay special attention to hardware. Solaris is pretty picky about chipsets and whatnot. I went with Intel to avoid headaches.

However, look into running ZFS Ubuntu/Linux. It's made progress since I built my file server, and I'll be transitioning over. Too hard to fiddle with Solaris half the time, especially when I'd like to run things like Plex and NewzNab.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Keep in mind that Solaris ZFS does not have support for Intel's latest C602/606 chipsets for storage. Any SATA or SAS ports coming off these cannot be used for install or storage. The only way really to get good support with new E5 based Xeon systems is with external storage controllers or onboard storage controllers (since ZFS prefers HBA's to RAID's), like the LSI 2308. That being said, many of the new SAS2 controllers like the 2308 are having issues with lack of support in minor things. For instance, ZFS can't blink or locate individual drives in an Enclosure attached to a 2308 controller. It also applies random drive names and the drive name may not have anything to do with the bay its in (for instance it may assign c0td0 to Bay 4 and c0td1 to Bay 7. As such, for drive replacements, you essentially have to write down the serial numbers and the drive bays of all your hard drives down, and then add the drives one at a time while checking to see what name the ZFS system applies to it.

HCL's are a pain in the butt. But if you want a truly easily deployed system you best stick to it or you could be in for hours of extra work or you may not get a working system at all.