Install storage guidance needed

[bklyngaucho]

Setting up my first server and have been going around and around wrt how to set up the storage. Here's what I'm starting with:

HW: Dell T320
CPU: 8-core Xeon E2440 v2 @1.90Ghz
RAM: 64GB Registered
Disk:

• SAS HDD: 5 x 278 GB (15,000rpm)
• SAS HDD: 3 x 4 TB (10,000rpm)
• SATA SSD: 1 x 120 GB

RAID Controller: Dell Perc 710 (this can't do IT mode as I've found out)

My purposes for this server are the following:

1. Primary: Plex Media Server and accompanying services (SONAAR, RADAAR, VPN, etc)
2. Secondary: Various VM's and Containers for experimentation purposes

What I would like some advice on:

1. How to configure disks for both Promox OS and for storage for the VMs and LXCs that will be running on the server? Which RAID setup for Proxmox and for the rest? One array or multiple?
2. Any particular performance gotchas I need to look out for?
3. Any particular things NOT to do if I want to maximize my flexibility down the road wrt adding more disk, etc?

 

[Steve2]

setup two raid configs :
-5 x 278GB, which will result as about 1GB ( 4 x 278GB) underf Raid 5
-3 x4TB, Raid 5 , ending up with about 8TB space, but 3 discs... hmm
Use SSD as OS bootdisc.
If you prepare raids, OS will pick them up
When you want to add more discs, you need to build a new raid config, which will be making loosing your data.
I believe the H710 supprts JBOD/HBA , but Ceph, ZFS/btfs will add load to processor

 

[bklyngaucho]

setup two raid configs :
-5 x 278GB, which will result as about 1GB ( 4 x 278GB) underf Raid 5
-3 x4TB, Raid 5 , ending up with about 8TB space, but 3 discs... hmm
Use SSD as OS bootdisc.
If you prepare raids, OS will pick them up
When you want to add more discs, you need to build a new raid config, which will be making loosing your data.
I believe the H710 supprts JBOD/HBA , but Ceph, ZFS/btfs will add load to processor

Thank you, that seems like sound advice given what I have to work with. I'd rather not have to buy anything further now so will probably go with that.

Unfortunately the H710 doesn't do JBOD, so I'm kinda stuck there. I suppose I could find an old H300 (that does support JBOD) and swap it out. But, as I said, I'd rather not spend any more just yet.

When you say "Use SSD as OS bootdisc", does that mean the Proxmox OS or the guest OS's?

 

[Steve2]

I mean Proxmox, and it will make a local 'disc' there too, to preload some 'images', which you then later can install.
We are expanding now, one of our machines is running with a HP P420, which we had to make settings in the CLI, as the Raid card isn't sitting in a server.
I would take a look on the broadcom page, LSI is offering a few nice models, and you can get the 6G models pretty cheap nowadays.
If you go non server, I guess the cards playing nicest will be adaptec's though.
ZFS/BTRFRS/Ceph will make your life easier, but in my case, I stay away from if, as of yet.

It's kinda weird, as in the Dell documentation, it mentioned, it should support Jbod..

 

[bklyngaucho]

Got it. Thank you. Perhaps I'm not looking in the right place, but according to what I can find, the H710 doesn't support non-RAID scenarios:

https://www.dell.com/support/articl...for-dell-emc-systems?lang=en&ref=topsolutions

Very few of the PERC controllers do. Notable exceptions being the H310 and H200. Maybe I'll just look for a SAS HBA that will work in my chassis.

 

[Steve2]

yea... looked toward the Dell H710 doc, mentioning Jbod capability.
I'm now looking how much Raid capable HBA cards I'm going to get. Need to connect a bunch of discshelves... some are nas, some are sas based... still want to addres them as Raided.
me looking getting these too : LSI MegaRAID SAS 9286CV-8E
Do look for non raid functions first

 

[bklyngaucho]

So, I found this: https://fohdeesha.com/docs/perc/

But haven't tried it as I've already got too much built in my Proxmox server and am pretty happy with the way it's performing. I did mostly as you suggested Steve2: OS on the 5x 278GB's (RAID5) and the 3x 4TB (RAID 5) as a Data Directory. Rsync'd my Plex media over to the Data directory, brought up a new Ubuntu LXC and installed Plex. Bind mounted the Plex media on the data drive.

For comparison, I P2V'd my physical Plex Server to Proxmox and brought it up. It's using 93% of the 4GB RAM I gave it. My LXC Plex is using about 7%. That's just idling and not serving up anything. Happy with that result.

 

[Steve2]

have fun Raid 5 is not the best, but...well, you need 4 discs going raid 6 , and I would say, better 6-8 at least.

One thing.... get backup...tapedrives....