First Unraid build with i5-11400 - review needed

[sunshine59]

Hi guys!

 

This is my first build with Unraid and I would appreciate if you could review the parts choice I made for the following use cases:

- storage for Office, Photo and Video department

- backup to cloud

- remote Root access to WebGui

- may run 1 Virtual Machine (like Ubuntu maybe)

- no Plex, no transcoding, no gaming

 

My starting plan is to set:

- start with Ethernet 1 Gbps

- 4 data HDD drives of 8 TB each

- 1 parity HDD drive of 8 TB

- 1 cache pool with 2 x M.2 NVMe PCI-e drives

 

My mid-term plan is to improve my NAS with:

- move to Ethernet 2.5 Gbps

- 2 parity HDD drives

- 1 cache pool with 2 x M.2 NVMe PCI-e drives + 1 cache pool with 2 x SSD Sata 2.5 inch drives

 

Here is my parts list: https://fr.pcpartpicker.com/list/J9fGp2

My case will be: https://www.gamemaxpc.com/productkkk/568-en.html

 

Manual of Mobo Gigabyte Z590M GAMING X: https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_z590m-gaming-x_e.pdf

Alternate Mobo could be Asus ROG Strix Z490-G Gaming (wifi): https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1200/ROG_STRIX_Z490-G_GAMING_WI-FI/E16474_ROG_STRIX_Z490-G_WI-FI_GAMING_UM_V2_WEB.pdf 

 

Here are my questions:

1. What are the different use cases scenario for using cache pool?
2. If i use one cache pool (SSD_1 + SSD_2) for my array, will I need to have a separate cache pool (SSD_3 + SSD_4) for my VM or could I simply use a single cache drive (SSD_3) for the VM?
3. After hours of research, I understood that the either Gigabyte mobo or Asus will allow me to connect 2 M.2 NVMe drives (in PCI-e mode) at the same time without disabling any of the 6 SATA drives. Do you agree with me?
4. Will this 6-core processor and RAM be enough to handle 1 VM?
5. With the Intel® UHD Graphics 730 embedded in the CPU, will I be able to use a VM without doing any pass-through? What sorts of work will I be able to do with the embedded GPU?
6. In the hardware requirement help for Unraid, I saw that because of HPA we need to be careful with Gigabyte mobo. I could not find if I could disable HPA for the mobo I selected. Will i face a problem with this mobo?

 

I'm sorry if some questions should not be under the discussion theme.

Thanks a lot for your help. I really appreciate those of you who will give some time to check my configuration.

 

[ChatNoir]

It's the right place.

But plenty of people ask for config advice and it difficult to answer them all quickly.

Hopefully someone will answer.  

 

My take on some of your questions :

7 hours ago, sunshine59 said:

What are the different use cases scenario for using cache pool?

I see two main applications for SSD pool:

1. transfer cache to speed up file ttransfer between your network and the Array.
2. fast storage for various content depending on your use case. In general:

• docker and VMs images
• docker appdata
• frequently accessed files

8 hours ago, sunshine59 said:

Will this 6-core processor and RAM be enough to handle 1 VM?

It really depends on how much you want to do with the VM. But I don't really do much with VMs so I am probably not the better person to answer.

[sunshine59]

Just wondering if I'm going to get any more feedback from the gurus up there.... It's important to help me get started. Thanks for giving me some of your precious time. 

[Vr2Io]

On 8/26/2021 at 9:15 PM, sunshine59 said:

- no Plex, no transcoding, no gaming

 

On 8/26/2021 at 9:15 PM, sunshine59 said:

4. Will this 6-core processor and RAM be enough to handle 1 VM?

 

Est. light CPU loading, 6C12T should be enough for long term.

 

On 8/26/2021 at 9:15 PM, sunshine59 said:

 

Manual of Mobo Gigabyte Z590M GAMING X: https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_z590m-gaming-x_e.pdf

Alternate Mobo could be Asus ROG Strix Z490-G Gaming (wifi): https://dlcdnets.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/LGA1200/ROG_STRIX_Z490-G_GAMING_WI-FI/E16474_ROG_STRIX_Z490-G_WI-FI_GAMING_UM_V2_WEB.pdf 

Usually Asus should better then Gigabyte, anyway Z490 for 10th Intel CPU and it have share SATA / PCIe limitation.

 

On 8/26/2021 at 9:15 PM, sunshine59 said:

My case will be: https://www.gamemaxpc.com/productkkk/568-en.html

Not sure which case model you use.

 

On 8/26/2021 at 9:15 PM, sunshine59 said:

Noctua NH-L9i 33.84 CFM CPU Cooler

No reason for this cooler if haven't height limitation, I always recommend NH-D9L, reasonable price , rather small size and easy installation.

Also beware, some mobo BIOS may enable performance mode of the CPU then it will draw much more power, pls ref. 1"35', i5-11400 will draw over 100w+ during loading.

 

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by Vr2Io

[Lolight]

3 hours ago, Vr2Io said:

Usually Asus should better then Gigabyte, anyway Z490 for 10th Intel CPU and it have share SATA / PCIe limitation.

I would also consider the latest Gigabyte fiasco (more like a total disaster) of their certain PSU products (search youtube for exploding Gigabyte PSUs).

The company's response is absolutely horrific from a customer's stand point of few.

Think twice about giving your money to this company!

Edited August 28, 2021 by Lolight

[Vr2Io]

2 hours ago, Lolight said:

I would also consider the latest Gigabyte fiasco (more like a total disaster) of their certain PSU products (search youtube for exploding Gigabyte PSUs).

The company's response is absolutely horrific from a customer's stand point of few.

Think twice about giving your money to this company!

Don't know Gigabyte PSU disaster, likely below one ..... really lowend design fault and fix by adjusted OPP trigger point range.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Press/News/1930

 

Another class action settlement, better then nothing for refund several USD 😂

 

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/wd-smr-hdd-lawsuit-how-to-claim

 

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by Vr2Io

[Lolight]

3 hours ago, Vr2Io said:

Don't know Gigabyte PSU disaster, likely below one ..... really lowend design fault and fix by adjusted OPP trigger point range.

https://www.gigabyte.com/Press/News/1930

Here's the story and how it has developed (watch the links in sequence).

How would anyone even consider buying anything from Gigabyte after watching those videos?

 

 

 

 

[sunshine59]

11 hours ago, Lolight said:

I would also consider the latest Gigabyte fiasco (more like a total disaster) of their certain PSU products (search youtube for exploding Gigabyte PSUs).

The company's response is absolutely horrific from a customer's stand point of few.

Think twice about giving your money to this company!

Thanks for sharing about this news. I will stay away from Gigabyte Mobo at this time...

[sunshine59]

14 hours ago, Vr2Io said:

No reason for this cooler if haven't height limitation, I always recommend NH-D9L, reasonable price , rather small size and easy installation.

Also beware, some mobo BIOS may enable performance mode of the CPU then it will draw much more power, pls ref. 1"35', i5-11400 will draw over 100w+ during loading.

Cooling the processor is important and even more in a hot and humid country where my Unraid server will be. So I should not make any budget cut on the cooler.

It's great you shared about this because I had no clue that the CPU could actually draw more than 65 W. Your comment pushed me to research more on that. I also found a very profound video sharing on the fact that mobo manufacturers were setting the "multicore enhancement" to auto by default in the BIOS. 

 

Cooling the processor is important and even more in a hot and humid country where my Unraid server will be. So I should not make any budget cut on the cooler.

[Vr2Io]

Great video

[sunshine59]

based on all your comments, I upgraded my equipment list to this:  https://fr.pcpartpicker.com/list/ZjLN8J

I will buy the case in the country in Asia.

 

I know having 2 SSD NVMe drives for the cache pool will be overkill for the 1 Gbps ethernet I will have at the beginning. However the 2.5" SSD drives are now more or less at the same price. So I thought of going this way.

I chose to go with the Asus TUF GAMING Z590-PLUS mobo to give me 24 PCI-e lanes and the Asus TUF GAMING Z590-PLUS motherboard should let me have 2 NVMe drives connected with PCI-e modes and not disconnecting any of the 6 SATA drives (counted on PCI lanes from chipset). I'm not 100% sure about this, so I will appreciate if some of you would check this with me from the mobo manual.

 

1- In the future, instead of adding a dedicated GPU, will I be able to put a SAS to SATA PCI-e card on the PCI-E_1 (it will take 8 lanes)?  

2- If i use one cache pool (SSD_1 + SSD_2) for my array, will I need to have a separate cache pool (SSD_3 + SSD_4) for my VM or could I simply use a single cache drive (SSD_3) for the VM? I understood the cache drive is not mandatory for the server to run but it helps with speed.

 

THANKS for your great help!

 

[Vr2Io]

11 hours ago, sunshine59 said:

However the 2.5" SSD drives are now more or less at the same price.

Correct, not much reason choice SATA SSD instead NVMe.

 

11 hours ago, sunshine59 said:

have 2 NVMe drives connected with PCI-e modes and not disconnecting any of the 6 SATA drives (counted on PCI lanes from chipset). I'm not 100% sure about this, so I will appreciate if some of you would check this with me from the mobo manual.

This mobo support three NVMe, not six SATA available always available, in simple say, six SATA available if (1) no SATA M2 at M2_2 and (2) no SATA/PCIe M2 at M2_3

 

 

11 hours ago, sunshine59 said:

1- In the future, instead of adding a dedicated GPU, will I be able to put a SAS to SATA PCI-e card on the PCI-E_1 (it will take 8 lanes)? 

Yes, PCI-E_1 always allocate 16 lanes even you only use 8 lanes.

 

11 hours ago, sunshine59 said:

2- If i use one cache pool (SSD_1 + SSD_2) for my array, will I need to have a separate cache pool (SSD_3 + SSD_4) for my VM or could I simply use a single cache drive (SSD_3) for the VM? I understood the cache drive is not mandatory for the server to run but it helps with speed.

Separate loading to individual pool should got best performance, you need identify actual loading. For example, I use one SATA SSD for VM + Docker, all work well because light load from all. Endurance also importance and estimate ~4yrs for my loading. 

 

 

On 8/26/2021 at 9:15 PM, sunshine59 said:

This is my first build with Unraid and I would appreciate if you could review the parts choice I made for the following use cases:

- storage for Office, Photo and Video department

 

Last, are you sure Unraid can fulfill your requirement for multiple user access, if multiple user access file(s) in array ( not in cache pool ), then it could be disaster.

For 1G or 2.5G network part, if one user writing a large file need 12min, does other user could accept in queuing or all got slowdown ??

Edited August 30, 2021 by Vr2Io