New Server Specs

[Rajkumar]

Hi,

 

Building a new server with relatively new hardware.

Ryzen 2700x

Asus Mobo.

64GB Corsair Vengense RAM (but onlly @ 2400Mhx) 3 Windows VMs)

 

Corsair 360 AIO.

Corsair AXI PSU

Full Tower Cabinet.

 

My question for Storage.....

Have

2 x NVME x 512GB each.

4 x SSD Kindston 480GB each.

6 x 4TBs WD Purples

 

Okay I know the 6x4TB will be 1 Array.

 

How should I setup the SSDs and NVMEs???

 

Any help will be appreciated, also cache drives??? 

 

can i use SSDs smaller ones like a 120gb lying around as boot.... in mirror. Just as Freenas Does?

 

Running the latest stable on an older system, i-e i5.

 

Regards,

Rajkumar

[Turnspit]

Hi!

 

UnRAID boots and runs completely from a (preferably high-quality) USB drive, so there's no need for small leftover SSDs as boot devices.

 

You can set up the HDDs with 0, 1 or 2 drives functioning as Parity Drives, depending on how much drive-failures you want to survive.

 

The setup of your NVMEs and SSDs is totally depending on your use-case.

I personally have 3 SSDs as well as 1 NVME set up in 3 different pools. The NVME and a SSD of 1 TB each in separate pools for my Gaming VM (which also could/should be passed through via Unassigned Devices for improved performance) and 2 500 GB SSDs set up in a mirror pool for my Downloads, Appdata and not-performance-reliant daily use VMs.

[Rajkumar]

So just "typing it aloud",

 

will put 4 drives x 4TB into Pool A

Will put 4 Drives x 480GB into Pool B

Will remove the NVMEs for other Systems.

 

Hope this is best case scenario.

 

Hope NVMEs should not be put into a cache pool?

 

Thank you for your reply. Other seniors could also reply.

 

Thank you once Again.

[Turnspit]

Your HDDs must be placed in the main Array, not in a pool. I would recommend to go for at least 1 Parity Drive.

 

Putting the SSDs in a single pool for caching, you'll have to choose between striping them all together into a single 2 TB pool (where if one drive fails, you lose the pool), or going for a 2x2 mirror with an effective size of 1 TB but aloowing for up to 2 drives to fail. I'm personally more of a redundant guy, so I'd choose the mirror.

 

 

[Rajkumar]

okay,

 

I meant just below where it shows array devices. Its call pool in some other OS.

 

So, for now will go with single parity, later on definitely add 2 parity drives.

 

I already have 4x4TB HDD and 4x480SSD.

 

So Can I have 2 arrays on 1 unraid box?

 

I have done this on my 120TB Freenas Box.

8x4TB Raidz2

8x8TB Raidz2

4\8x2TB Raidz2 (old drives lying around.

so have 2 diff devs.

 

Can I do this in unraid?

if so how?

 

Regards.

 

Rajkumar.

 

 

 

 

[Turnspit]

No - you can have only 1 Parity-Protected (with up to 30 or so drives and a max of 2 Parity drives) array, but multiple Raid-0 or Raid-1 Pools.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Turnspit

[Rajkumar]

That's kinda sad. 

 

Will try some config. 

 

Else will have to use something else. 

 

Dunno.

 

Thx for all your help 

[Turnspit]

Out of curiosity, what's your problem exactly with only one parity-protected array?

[Rajkumar]

I wanted to eventually make this mainly into a nas, nvr and a VMs server. 

 

So I need cheap hdds with 1 to parity drives.

Furthermore, wanted to have a saparate set for my ssd, which I buy every month. 

 

We already have about 4 VMs running simultaneously Ona 10x2 core xeon, (40 threads.

 

So mainly 2 separate arrays with parity. 

One for hdd and 1 for the SSDs. 

 

I don't trust and storage. 

 

My boss insists on parity. 

 

Our stand-alone boxes also have a push system to the server. 

 

The data HAS to be on the node due to some legal issues. 

 

But backups can be in 1 place. Thus the push system. 

 

Everything in the user directory is rsynced to a smb share every 1 hour. 

 

 

Thus the SSDs for the push and the VMs. 

 

Hope this answers your question. 

[trurl]

Put the HDDs in array and the SSDs in btrfs raid1 pool.

[Rajkumar]

This I know but then we are wasting ssd space. 

 

4 x 480 = 3 x 480gb raid 5.

4 x 480 = 2 x 480gb raid 1.

 

So why should I waste space and ssd money if only 1 array is allowed. 

 

I am sure that there maybe a work around. 

 

After all it's linux. 

Maybe something else has round around. 

I remember something like mdadm or something like it. Used it years ago when we have 8gb drives, long long ago, lol. 

 

T u 4 your interest and comment. 

[JonathanM]

You can have multiple pools, each with their own BTRFS RAID profile.

 

The main array is restricted to Unraid's special arrangement of single or dual parity with each data drive having an independent file system.

[Rajkumar]

Then I guess the issue is resolved. 

 

But I will need a Howto to make the 2nd separate pool. Maybe when installing uraid will see the balance disks. I really don't know as yet. Planning the install this Sunday. Will have time for installing the whole system at 1 go. 

 

Currently using all hdds in single parity array. 

Too section. I think the second tab. 

 

Thank u 4 your kind suggestion. 

 

This will really help me, I guess if 2 raid5/6 pools are allowed. I as the main array and a second one for the ssds. 

 

Hope they will perform like the array, smart and disk failures etc.... 

[JonathanM]

https://wiki.unraid.net/Manual/Storage_Management#Multiple_Pools

[trurl]

The Unraid array is sort of a "pool" in that multiple disks are combined, but the array is not what we mean by "pool".

 

Unraid array is not RAID but a custom setup that lets you mix different sized disks, keep disks spun down when not in use, and it allows up to 2 parity disks. There must be at least one data disk in the array.

 

You can have multiple pools in addition to the array. Each of these pools can have 1 or more disks. If a pool has multiple disks it can use various btrfs raid modes:

 

 

[ChatNoir]

A good way to getting started can also be to check the excellent Youtube channel of SpaceInvader One. The videos about 6.9 can provide a lot of good information.

 

I think you can start there : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgnD4gSz4PA

[Rajkumar]

Yes, I always watch all his videos.

 

They are good.

 

thx.

[Rajkumar]

Would it be a good idea to put my 2 x 500GB 960 NVMEs as a cache pool in mirror Mode?

Array will be 6 x 4TB (All New).

 

Still contemplating how to make a XFS RAID 5 for 4x480GB SSDs!!!???

 

Thank you all for your patience and replies.

 

Rajkumar.

[ChatNoir]

44 minutes ago, Rajkumar said:

Still contemplating how to make a XFS RAID 5 for 4x480GB SSDs!!!???

With the Array stopped, you will see a button Add Pool, you can then chose the number of devices and assign them.

It will be created by default as RAID1 but you can rebalance it in RAID5 in a few clicks.

[Rajkumar]

T u so much for this information. 

[Rajkumar]

How do I rebalance. 

 

Do I use the rebalance plug in? 

[ChatNoir]

23 minutes ago, Rajkumar said:

How do I rebalance. 

 

Do I use the rebalance plug in? 

No, the Unbalance plugin is used to move data from a drive to another.

 

Pool balancing is available on the Main page by clicking on the first drive of a pool.

Select the desired RAID profile and hit the Balance button.

 

Can't provide a screenshot, I am at work.  

[JonathanM]

4 hours ago, Rajkumar said:

XFS RAID 5

XFS RAID not possible at this moment, BTRFS only. RAID5 is available but not widely used.

[ChatNoir]

20 minutes ago, jonathanm said:

XFS RAID not possible at this moment, BTRFS only. RAID5 is available but not widely used.

Good catch, I missed that.   

 

Also note that BTRFS RAID is not exactly identical to classic RAID. You can for example use devices of difference size.

A useful tool to evaluate the storage capacity of BTRFS tool : https://carfax.org.uk/btrfs-usage/

[Rajkumar]

Finally got my machine hardware setup.

Got 3 drives working as a test. all worked okay.

Then threw the old drives out. DRIVES FORMATTED AND SOLD.

Installed all new 4TBs, 3 then 6. Got everything working.

But the some system folders like iso, etc, were on the old array. BUSTED.

 

Got the New array started with 6 4 TBs new.

 

Did a full preclear 2 times (on the safer side)

 

Then (kinda).. follows ::::: instead of a copy, moved 8TB from another server of valuable data onto the new one. All was fine, extended the trial and and the works!

The Array was A O Okay.

Then Machine was off for a few weeks. Not cannot extend my trial.

 

Now,

1. Have a registered unraid BOX. Running currently,... fully and properly.

2. have another box with data (important) which has not access to the data (as drives cannot be mounted after the trial is over, with a Poorly installed unraid, due to my error.

 

What I want to do.

1. Keep my new Data.

2. Reinstall UNRAID properly.

3. Transfer my LIC to the new System.

4. Upgrade from the 6 drive to the 89USD version.

 

Any help will be welcome.

 

Thank you.