Moving from R720 to Lenovo M720q plus NAS/DAS - setup questions

[semicole]

I have had an R720 setup with Unraid for a while and am now looking at switching to something more power efficient and that generates a little less heat. I currently have 6 3.5" array drives + a 3.5" parity drive + a 2.5" cache SSD in my R720. I am looking at switching to a Lenovo M720q for my actual Unraid server that I'll run my Docker and VM's (if any) on and a NAS/DAS for my file storage, but had a couple of logistical questions.

 

I've never used a NAS or DAS before and have only ever had my drives located locally in my server. If I were to move to a DAS/NAS + the Lenovo M720q, what does that setup look like exactly?

 

I assumed I'd use the NVME in the Lenovo 720q as my cache drive, but what about my parity/array drives? I planned on putting them in the DAS/NAS, but how do those interface with Unraid exactly? Do they all show up as individual drives as if they were local to my server?

 

Can someone help me understand exactly how that would work? I've never actually used a NAS before, so I am not exactly sure how to go about this.

[rematch]

@semicole

 

Have you found a solution to the problem? I am currently in the same situation: I have a Lenovo M720q, but it only has room for two SSDs (one 2.5" and one m.2 NVMe). I still have 4x4 TB 3.5 HDD lying around.

How should I build Unraid with parity, cache and data disks?

[semicole]

4 hours ago, rematch said:

@semicole

 

Have you found a solution to the problem? I am currently in the same situation: I have a Lenovo M720q, but it only has room for two SSDs (one 2.5" and one m.2 NVMe). I still have 4x4 TB 3.5 HDD lying around.

How should I build Unraid with parity, cache and data disks?

I ended up going with a whole different solution altogether after realizing how difficult it was going to be to get this working how I wanted. I ended up making a new server in a Jonsbo N2 and I use the M720q as a standalone pfsense box.

[rematch]

3 minutes ago, semicole said:

I ended up going with a whole different solution altogether after realizing how difficult it was going to be to get this working how I wanted. I ended up making a new server in a Jonsbo N2 and I use the M720q as a standalone pfsense box.

I see. Would you be willing to write more details about the installed hardware and your implementation? Sounds very interesting.

 

I'm still going to try the Lenovo box, but having an alternative up my sleeve is certainly not bad.

 

Thanks.