New Setup Recommendation with limited resources.

[ChuppaChups]

Dear Unraid community,

Firstly thank you for taking the time to read this. And I would hope to seek your wisdom and opinions on these things. This is my first forum write-up. So please pardon the messiness. Also, I am a linux newbie and am taking some classes on those YouTube programmes.

Goals:
1. To set up a low-powered (low power draw) NAS system with Unraid with minimal hardware (HW) or HW that serves multiple purposes.
2. To learn the proper practices and the reasons for such practices with the various setups.
3. To achieve C9 power state if possible. 

Current plan:
1. New Topton mini PC that will mainly serve as a soft router (Opnsense) and mini-server to play around with. (Arriving on 20th June, yay!)
1a. CPU N100, 32GB Ram, 1TB nvme WD Blues.
1b. It will run mainly as a Proxmox host with VM Opensense, and VM TP-Link Omada Controller.
1c. Will probably run other basic services such as Smarthome? and Plex.

2. Old Topton CWWK NAS motherboard with Jonsbon N1.
(4x Intel i226-V 2.5G Nics NAS Motherboard N5105/N6005 Dual M.2 NVMe Six SATA3.0 2*DDR4 HDMI2.0 DP Mini ITX 17x17CM Soft Routing (aliexpress.com))
2a. CPU N6005, 32GB Ram, 250GB nvme, 4x Random sized HDD(To be replaced with 5x 4TB WD Red HDD in future.)
2b. Currently running Proxmox Host with VM Opensense, VM TP-Link Omada Controller, VM Unraid (Demo, still testing)(Disabled as HDD could not power down).
2c. It uses JMB58x Controller. Perhaps this is the reason it can't spin down? Still trying to figure it out. C-state stuck at C2. 

I've read that some forums recommended not to put Unraid as a VM, but due to my limited resources, and wanting to run/play with multiple services with the same power usage, that's the reason why I wanted to run Unraid as a VM.

For the current setup with the NAS Motherboard in relation to Unraid, I have done the following:
1. Device passthrough of the JMB controller to VM Unraid, passthrough a USB 2.0 thumbdrive for Unraid OS.
2. VM Unraid could see it and set up the array with my mix-match of old HDD. 
3. VM Unraid, was able to spin down the old HDD, this is according to the information inside the VM Unraid GUI. 
4. Powertop on Proxmox Host still shows C2 power state. Was trying to achieve at least a C7 or C9 similar to the the Youtuber Wolfgang. I've gathered that the CWWK NAS Motherboard uses JMB for its SATA controller. Hence, the c-state can't go lower than C2. 

I am still trying to get the VM Unraid to run as a VM inside this machine that can achieve at least C9 state. So I can have the option to run other things on it while keeping the power low.
With the new mini PC coming, the option to run VM Unraid as bare metal has opened up. However, this would limit its uses to just Unraid.

So the big question.

1. If I were to continue to run VM Unraid, what are the other ways to bring down the power draw? Would the change of the JMB Controller work? Where the VM Unraid can spin down the HDD to save power, and the c-state drops to c9 during idle? I am hoping if anyone can  help in this instance to achieve it.

2. Just run Unraid baremetal in this NAS machine. But the c-state will still be a problem, am I right to say it? Due to the SATA Controller JMB inside. 

This machine has 2 nvme slots. I am currently looking to do the following.
1. Disable the JMB controller that comes in the motherboard.
2. Buy a non-JMB controller with m.2 slot. This means, a m.2 to sata non-JMB controller adapter of sorts that has 5 slots on it. And fingers crossed that it can go down to C9 power state.

Based on the above information, may I know what are your thoughts on this? Is it even possible to run VM Unraid and the Host machine still able to achieve C9? or just baremetal, but the issue will still be the same I reckon, where the powerstate is still stuck at C2. If there is any recommendation of purchase, do share with me. I am willing to learn and take in your advice and the various reasoning behind it.

Also, I am not considering other NAS OS, this is by far the easiest for me to learn and it seems to work nicely with the hardware I have at the moment. 

Thank you for your time. 
 


 

[trurl]

7 hours ago, ChuppaChups said:

Unraid as a VM

Not officially supported. 

 

Are you aware that Unraid can host VMs? That is the usual way.

[ChuppaChups]

Hi trurl,

Yes, have not explored much of it yet, only tried the Unraid as nas and read about its support on VM.

I'm using the Proxmox as host and running VM opnsense as my internet facing main router. I am uncertain if running VM opnsense on the Unraid is safe. That's the only reason I'm running Proxmox. 

At this time, Ive successfully done unraid as a VM in the proxmox, and passing the controllers to Unraid. With the parts being here, I am looking to run Unraid baremetal. I am hoping to achieve it this weekend. If it works, I wonder if the JMB controller will allow the system to go to at least C9 state.