Unraid / Gaming / Multi VM build help

Thanks for looking! - Sorry for the length, like the username says I am new and in need of help!

 

I have watched so many Space Invader One vids to learn, guys my hero. Almost ready to build this next week just some final questions and looking for some feedback in case I missed anything super important!

 

Cut to the chase - moving from Windows 10 to Unraid and wanted to make sure I am not missing anything before I upgrade my Windows 10 gaming rig to a do it all UnRaid rig.

 

Main use case:

Plex for me and close family to their homes

Windows 10 VM for gaming

Multiple Linux Vms to learn

MacOS relica VM for the wife

Start owning my own data with some redundancy (Nextcloud / paperless etc)

 

Ideally be able to run Plex x3 1080 (1 local 2 remote), and two VMs running to two old laptops to give them new life (one windows one mac).

 

Here is what I have now, and what I am looking to add in red

 

 

Thought process:

1) Double ram for more multitasking

2) 2x 8tb Nas - big enough for my plex needs

3) Add a 1TB NVME to put windows on to pass through with the GPU for the Windows 10 VM.

 

Question 1: Can my MOBO support this all / SSD CACHE CONFIG OPTIONS

 

Here is my mobo, skip pics for explanation on thought process,

 

 

6 SATA ports,

2 NVME slots,

3 PCIe x16,

3 PCIe x1

 

I have 3 SSDS (2xNVME) and 3 HDDS, and 1 GPU,

I think I am able to run the PCIE ports in 8x8x4 instead of 16/0/4 (DO I DO THIS VIA BIOS? DOES IT AUTO PICK?)

I read that 8x vx 16x has no gaming performance difference so not concerned there,

 

Based on the last pictures table I have some flexibility with the NVMEs being in SATA or PCIe, so does having a GPU saturate a PCIe lane and force me to use a NVME in SATA mode. I am looking at the final pictures 1st and 3rd column options for any of the following:

 

Windows 10 Main passed through:

1x GPU in 8x PCIE slot 1 in 8x to be passed through to Windows 10VM

1x 1TB Samsung 980 in NVME slot 1 in PCIe mode (8x) passed through to Windows 10VM

1x 4TB HDD passed though or in array? (mainly gaming files but as far as I read having it in the array couldn't hurt - only mean more spin ups?)

 

With

 

UnRaid and VMs

Option 1: 1x 256 GB SSD (NVME ) in SATA mode in RAID1 with the other 256 GB SSD (MOBO pic 4 Column 1 option)

or

Option 2: 1x 256 GB (NVME) in PCIe (4x slot)  for quicker VMs and Docker Containers that need it and 1x 256GB SSD (Via Sata) for Plex and containers that dont need the extra speed NVME gives (MOBO pic 4 Column 3 option)

or

Option 3: Raid0 the two SSDs to act as one for more flexible storage

 

Will option 2 for SSDs even work?

I am partial to option 2 as it will give more VM speed and space and put Plex on a slower (albiet still fast) SSD - I am less concerned about redundancy in SSDs as I will be able to backup VMs and Plex Data externally via this following plan

 

1x 12 TB external for HDD / Array backup

1x 1TB External SSD for Cache  and VM backup

Offsite storage to follow.

 

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IF YOU'RE STILL HERE THANK YOU, that was the main question

 

Followups:

 

1) Should I get a USB controller and Sound Card for the PCIe 1 slots to pass through for the Windows 10VM - I am unsure of the IOMMU Groups - Just wait and see what I can pass through when I see the groups or would it be far easier with the controller / card?

 

2) Learning Linux I would like to start making it a daily driver - until then what is the state of KVM switches to go from Windows to other VMs? what I could find seemed a couple years old in terms of boarder-less keyboard and mouse apps- could just get a switch to pop back and forth?

 

3) First server and still new - with things being internet accessible (forward facing?) I am concerned with security of the network. I was looking at a decent plug and play firewall that isn't basic consumer grade but Pf-sense seems out of my league at this time. I am considering Untagled due to its plug and play nature. Additionally I was looking to host some home automation and security in the future as I move my gaming out of the UnRaid Box to its own machine, giving me some more space to work in it (More SATA ports / 10gig Networking additions). I was looking at Ubiquti Unifi Dream Machine Pro for this. I also read some mixed reviews about it and its firewall capabilities to do some of the regular tasks people chose UnRaid for, any tips would be appreciated!

 

4) Any tips on the remote access from laptops - currently using Parsec to access the Windows 10 gaming rig from an old Windows 10 laptop - will look for similar solutions when UnRaid is up and running! I very unfamiliar with the Wife's Mac she would use to access the MacOS VM from.

 

Any help is very much appreciated!