Hi All Fellow "Unraiders"

I am in the process of setting up Unraid on this great little server MS-01 with 32G Ram and a 1TB Nvme drive (Package)
So with the limited options on storage and my need to get some security I need some guidance

Parity vs Cache Pools?

The HW have some limits also:

The MS-01 has 3 NVMe slots with different PCIe versions:

• Left slot (primary) = PCIe 4.0 x4 (max ~7000 MB/s)

• Middle slot = PCIe 3.0 x4

• Right slot = PCIe 3.0 x2 (lower bandwidth)

SSD adapter included:
The MS-01 supports 1× 2.5” SATA SSD/HDD, and the mounting plate/bracket is included in the box.

• This is SATA 6 Gb/s (≈ 550 MB/s max). No NVMe speeds here – but stable additional storage.

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The limitation is only here:

• If you use the PCIe x16 expansion slot, lanes are shared and one NVMe slot is disabled

• Without a PCIe card → full configuration is possible

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Bottom line:

• Yes: 3× NVMe + 1× 2.5” SATA SSD = the optimal MS-01 setup

• No: Using a PCIe adapter at the same time = you sacrifice one NVMe

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What you should NOT do (if you want the most NVMe):

• Use a PCIe adapter card (it disables an NVMe slot)
  
  So that leaves me with
  3 x Nvme + 1 x 2.5" SSD
  Creating 1 Array with parity doesn't make much sence so would it be better to just make one big cache pool with raid? and a SSD UAD assigned drive
  This would mix fast Gen4 with Gen 3 Nvmes?
  
  Or
  Cache single gen 4 Nvme
  Array with 1 parity drive 2 x gen3 Nvme
  and the 2.5" as a ZFS drive having all my snapshots on here?
  

  I can see other people have used the MS-01 as a small server, what did you decide on?
  
  Cheers
  Casperse

Okay I might have misunderstod this.... If I use the adapter for the 2.5" I lose the fast 4 gen NVMe drive....

Update:

When the SATA bracket is installed:

❌ The Gen4 NVMe slot cannot be used for an NVMe drive

✅ The other two NVMe slots (PCIe 3.0 x4 + x2) still work

✅ You can run 2× NVMe + 1× 2.5” SATA

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When the SATA bracket is not installed:

✅ 3× NVMe (1× Gen4 + 2× Gen3)

This is reported to be working if I go with external case....
Broadcom LSI SAS3008 9300-8e ??

ooH this is pretty cool:
https://youtu.be/3MDzL2mxYcY?si=qaWH1qmfiPqfokab

Edited January 6Jan 6 by casperse

But is it correct that with a small server like this that everything is best setup and defined as cache drives maybe in a Raid/mirror setup?

Trim does not work on array. You do not want to assign nvme or ssd there.

48 minutes ago, casperse said:

and defined as cache drives maybe in a Raid/mirror setup?

Technically ‘cache’ is a capability linked to User Shares where you can use a pool to ‘cache’ writes to User Shares. It is just a legacy detail that the default name for the first pool defined is ‘cache’. I assume what you mean is use all the drives in pools and do not bother with the Unraid type array.

6 hours ago, itimpi said:

Technically ‘cache’ is a capability linked to User Shares where you can use a pool to ‘cache’ writes to User Shares. It is just a legacy detail that the default name for the first pool defined is ‘cache’. I assume what you mean is use all the drives in pools and do not bother with the Unraid type array.

Yes so do I dont define them as a mirror cache? I just create one big ZFS Pool? - I create this for everything and forget about the traditional Unraid server setup ? (Sorry this is so strange to me)
(It complain about parity hope that goes away if I remove the one Nvme drive (As this one drive is now listed in my Array)


I have never created anything but either a Array with parity drives and some different cache pools

You are wrong on ports available and their usage.

Ms01 doesn't have a sata port. The adapter is for U.2 nvme ssd. And on the ms01 there is a switch near the first m.2 connector. This switch is for using either U.2 with the adapter or m.2 nvme without the adapter. You can't use both at the same time. And if you plug a m.2 ssd with the switch in U.2 position you will most likely fry your ssd.

On mine i setup a cache pool with the ssd in Pcie4.0 x4 and pcie 3.0 x4 slots. This pool holds my vms and appdata.

I setup another pool with the ssd in the last slot which hold data to be transferred to array.

Finally i plugged a sas hba in the pcie slot and connected a sas das. disks in das are my array disks.

But this can't work as is, you have to help with the airflow or it will overheat.

What i did is to seat the ms01 on a 120mm fan with rubber feet to cool ssds and put a 80mm (or 120mm) on top to help the airflow in the hba zone. Hba like lsi are made to run in servers which have a high airflow. Without this the hba will most likely overheat and fry. If i remember the vrm are close to this zone and won't appreciate too.

There are some threads on sth forums about the ms01 heating problem and hardware compatibility.

Edited January 7Jan 7 by caplam

You will need to assign your SSDs into an unraid POOL... Not the Array as you currently have it.

This is not advised (should only be used for HDDs):

Below this, there is a "Create Pool" button when the array is stopped/offline.

In order to fix your mistake, you will need to go to the TOOLS menu and select "New Config" and do not preserve any slots. This will let unraid forget the drive assignments so you can move it to a pool without unraid throwing a fit.

I can also add that using pcie x16 slot doesn't doesn't desactivate 1 nvme and yes 9300-8e is running fine in the ms01 (but take care of airflow)

Perhaps you should correct you posts. It might lead to unaware users plugging the wrong ssd. in the wrong slot.

edit: your photo shows a U.2 nvme ssd. This is the good ssd but be careful on the switch position if you change it for a nvme m.2. This has nothing to do with a sata ssd.