(Noob) Question on hardware config

[DrinkMyBrogurt]

Hello! I am getting ready to setup my Proxmox server but realized in my planning and buying I overlooked a few things. I have (1) 12TB HDD for keeping the Plex media, (1) 2TB HDD for storing my homes security camera footage, and (1) 2TB M.2 NVME. I was originally planning on running the OS and maybe a handful of vms/game servers on the nvme and mirroring it to an SSD but forgot to take into consideration the read/write differences. My question is should I get (2) 128GB SSDs and have the OS on one and mirror it to the other instead? If so can I setup the NVME to mirror to a PCIE addon NVME drive in the future? I'm sure I will want to test and add other things as time goes on so I'd also like to take that into consideration as well. Thanks for the help in advance!

Hardware (if it helps any)
Mobo: Biostar H510MHP 2.0
CPU: Intel i5-10500T
RAM: 64GB (3200) Corsair Vengeance LPX
PSU: Seasonic Prime Fanless PX-500 80+ Platinum
HDDs: (1) WD Enterprise 12TB & (1) WD Enterprise 2TB
NVMEs: (1) Seagate Barracuda Q5 2TB

 

[Dunuin]

I'm missing disks for a backup strategy. Also keep in mind: Raid is not a backup!

NVMEs: (1) Seagate Barracuda Q5 2TB

Thats a Consumer QLC SSD. It's not recommended to use Consumer SSDs for a ZFS mirror...especially not when it uses QLC NAND.
Don't cheap out on SSDs...

My question is should I get (2) 128GB SSDs and have the OS on one and mirror it to the other instead?

You don`t need dedicated system disks. Might help in some cases, like expanding storage, but not required.

If so can I setup the NVME to mirror to a PCIE addon NVME drive in the future?

Yes, but depends on your Mainboard if it would allow you to boot from that NVMe SSD on the carrier card.

 

[DrinkMyBrogurt]

Thank you for the quick response!

I'm missing disks for a backup strategy. Also keep in mind: Raid is not a backup!

I was going to use an external drive via one of the USB 3.2 slots. Haven't figured out which size to get just yet however.

Thats a Consumer QLC SSD. It's not recommended to use Consumer SSDs for a ZFS mirror...especially not when it uses QLC NAND.
Don't cheap out on SSDs...

I found some 1.6TB Intel Enterprise SSDs. I will return the NVME and get two of those.

You don`t need dedicated system disks. Might help in some cases, like expanding storage, but not required.

So I should be fine running the OS and vms/game servers on the same drive? I have seen a lot of back and forth about it and just want to make the right decision lol.

Yes, but depends on your Mainboard if it would allow you to boot from that NVMe SSD on the carrier card.

I'll see if my mobo supports this when I get home this evening.

 

[Dunuin]

So I should be fine running the OS and vms/game servers on the same drive? I have seen a lot of back and forth about it and just want to make the right decision lol.

Yes totally fine for a homelab and also the default config when installing PVE. I would find it more important to have the system disks mirrored.