PVME disk layout, compared to ESXi & FreeNAS VM

[Oggy512]

Hi folks,

I’m running a homeserver based on ESXi 6.0, which is now 8 years old and I’m planning to renew it.

While looking for new components I came across Proxmox VE as BM Hypervisor and I’m considering to swap to PMVE.

Currently, my ESXi is installed on a S-ATA SSD, the server has two HBAs, one with 4x S-ATA SSD (RAIDZ2) and another one with 3x WD RED HDD (RAIDZ1). Both HBA are directly attached (VT-d) in a FreeNAS VM, which then provides the storage for the other ESXI VMs.

PVME seems to provide this functionality out of the box.



What are you guys thinking about the following configuration:



Using 2 small HDDs as ZFS-RAID1 for installing PVME on it, I choose HDDs, since I read about heavy logging, which is not good for SSDs.

Using 2 .M2 nvme SSDs for the VM storage. Most probably also ZFS-RAID1 for having some dataintegrety security.

Using the HBA with the WD Reds as RAIDZ1 to attach it directly into a new FreeNAS VM, as it’s running right now, but not providing VM storage anymore.

Does this somehow make sense?
Or would having the RAIDz1 on PVME level and providing just one storage to the NAS VM makes more sense?

Are there any other backdrwas compared to ESXi?

 

[Hogan]

It seems to be the recommended way to passthough the "NAS-Storage" to the FreeNAS VM. (Storage Isolation ect.)
I planto set up my PVE in a sinilar manner like you. The main question i have is... should i use ZFS for PVE/VMs/NAS-Sortage or shoud i use SAS-Controllers andHardware RAID....

My experience with ZFS is quite limited....

 

[Oggy512]

Hmm, In that case, I can stand with ESXi, since I'm more experienced in administration. Of course PMVE has more free features, but...

I'm running the ZFS for quite a while and no problems so far. The big limitation is, however, if that one VM which provides the storage for all the others fails, or should be patched etc, then nothing else is working.
That's the reason why I'd like to come away from this.
If ZFS is managed on PVME level, it's he big question which NAS OS is should use, since the NAS then just plays NAS for files and no disk managemend is needed...

 

[Hogan]

I plan to host my VMs on a sperate SSD (Enterprise grade) raid10 which access some of the data on the Nas. (e.g. Plex Server) So doing things on the Nas only prtly affects the VMs.

I think I have to play a bit around with zfs to get a feeling for this.