Old server Configuration

it-department

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Mar 31, 2025
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Hi everyone,

We have migrated our production to Proxmox with new servers and it works like a charm.

We plan to still use our old (ESXi) servers with Proxmox on it, for testing and disaster recovery.

We have 3 old servers :
  • 1 x DELL R730xd (24 array)
    • CPU : 2 x Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2667 v3 @ 3.20GHz
    • RAM : 12 x 16 Go (Advanced ECC mode = full ram)
    • Network : 6 x 10Gb Ethernet interface
    • Internal SD Module 2 SD card RAID1
    • PERC H730 Mini : configure in HBA, cache disable...
    • 15 HDD 10K SAS 600Gb
    • 5 SSD SAS 200Gb
  • 1 x DELL R730xd (24 array)
    • CPU : 2 x Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5-2667 v3 @ 3.20GHz
    • RAM : 12 x 16 Go (Advanced ECC mode = full ram)
    • Network : 6 x 10Gb Ethernet interface
    • Internal SD Module 2 SD card RAID1
    • PERC H730 Mini : configure in HBA, cache disable...
    • 15 HDD 10K SAS 600Gb
    • 3 SSD SAS 200Gb
    • 2 SSD SAS 400Gb (2 x 200Gb replaced by DELL Support)
  • 1 x DELL R740xd (24 array)
    • CPU : 2 x Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6134 CPU @ 3.20GHz
    • RAM : 8 x 32 Go
    • Network : 6 x 10Gb Ethernet interface
    • Internal SD Module 2 SD card RAID1
    • PERC H730P Adapter : configure in HBA, cache disable...
    • 15 HDD 10K SAS 600Gb
    • 5 x SSD SAS 200Gb
Correct me if I’m wrong, for what I have understand the best will be ZIL Log cache and special device for performance

I have thought of those possible configuration.

Configuration 1
  • OS = 2x SD 64 Go RAID1
  • 1 SSD 200 GO ZIL LOG
  • 4 SSD 200Go mirror (special Device)
  • DATA = 15 HDD 600Go RAIDZ-2
Configuration 2
  • OS = 2x SD 64 Go RAID1
  • 2 x SSD 200Go Raid1 ZIL LOG
  • 3 x SSD 200Go mirror (Special Device)
  • DATA = 15 x HDD 600Go RAIDZ-2

Any better way to have the best performance for those old servers ?

Could it work with OS on SD or we should buy two SSD for ZFS RAID1 for it ?
If there is a better configuration witch require buying disk it will be ok to have special device like 3 x 200 Gb and 1 x 240 Gb for example ?

Thanks for your help.
 
Thanks for your help.
For what I viewed special device seems to be better. Butt effectively we will only use VM at 99%
I had a configuration 3 with this at the beginning, but I had eliminate this one.

Configuration 3​

  • OS = 2x SD 64 Go RAID1
  • Cache L2ARC = 1 x SSD 200Go
  • Cache LOG ZIL = 2 x SSD 200Go mirror ZFS
  • DATA = 15 x HDD 600Go RAIDZ-2
If I do this configuration I'll have 2 disk in spare or could use them for OS.
 
Last edited:
Why Wanne u use special device?
Because the data-part is RaidZ2. You really want to have the same redundancy level --> two devices are allowed to fail.

For VMS its better to have a l2arc with zfs raid0.
Oh boy! You are living in another world than me. Even in a cluster I don't want that.
 
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What's going on with u, udo? Did u stand up on the wrong food?

2 points should one also mentioned:
For virtualization It'S better to use raid mirror than raidz and your ssds for log device should enterprise class ssds.
 
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What's going on with u, udo? Did u stand up on the wrong food?
No, don't think so.

I just prefer redundancy everywhere (where possible - with a sane amount of technical and monetary effort).

Was my reply somewhat too negative? Didn't want to be offending, really. English is not my native language...
 
Myself didnt live in a world. Myself is no person or no thing. Myself live on planet earth. Myself is alive.
 
Myself didnt live in a world. Myself is no person or no thing or customer. Myself live on planet earth. Myself is alive.
 
Myself didnt live in a world. Myself is no person or no thing or customer. Myself live on planet earth. Myself is alive.
Hello floh8,
I don't understand what you're saying.

For Information :
  • HDD are 600Gb 10k rpm SAS HDD from DELL ;
  • SSD are 200Gb or 400Gb SAS from DELL, and are all enterprise class SSD ;
I agree when you say for virtualization raid mirror is the best, but I still need some disk space. So I'm trying to do the best with some constraints.

I will continue to look for the best solution with RAID-Z2 for DATA if possible.

Best Regards.