What benefits does unRAID 6 offer? My build already has most of the benefits!

[HiSoC8Y]

Ok,

 

So i built a system few years back, and now I'm running unRAID 5.0.5.

 

Here is my build "My711" (http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=21470.0).

 

As of today, I'm running the following

 

- ESXi 5.0.5 as the host.

- unRAID as VM

- Plex Media server on a Windows 7.

- Windows 7 machine, that runs my various tools (Sonarr, CouchPotato, SAB)

 

Have a total of 19 drives (2 TB to 6 TB)

 

So, what will unRAID 6 add to me? I've already achieved the idea of a single box with all (NAS, VMs...etc.).

 

 

 

Another thing, is that If I decided to migrate to unRAID 6, what will be the procedure in doing so, having in mind my current implementation of apps on the windows VMs.

 

[Frank1940]

Why don't you read this this upgrade manual

 

    http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/Upgrading_to_UnRAID_v6

 

and see exactly what you would have to do.  You have a complex system and, obviously, you are quite technically qualified.  You (and, you alone) know of any issues and shortcomings that you have with your present setup.  IF you don't have any, you could well stay with your present setup.

 

I can't quite tell now many VM's you are running (one or two Win 7).  If you are using two Win7 VMs, you could get rid of the one that is running the Sonarr, etc. by using Docker Containers. That would save you time and hassle from having to constantly update both VMs.

 

If you follow the procedure outlined in the WIKI, you would be able to switch back in a couple of minutes by reformatting the ver6 Flash Drive and copying back the files of your current setup...

 

[dikkiedirk]

Depends on what you want from it.

 

I was in the same boat as you, running comparable hardware with ESXi 5. I had a Windows 7 VM mainly for Asset UPNP server.

 

I took the plunge and moved to unraid 6, after reading the forum a lot, and I discovered then the possibilities of Unraid 6 with dockers.

For my situation it is easier to work with, just Linux based unraid 6 and some dockers. I had a lot of help from Sparklyballs for creating the Asset UPNP docker and from binhex for the SABNZB docker and basically that is all I am running now. I have no need for ESXi now. And not having to deal with that is a big plus for me.

 

I haven't even started with VMs in unraid 6. That will undoubtedly offer other possibilities.

 

Unraid 6 offers docker, VM, more File Systems.

 

And there are already many apps in the Community Applications plugin.

 

 

 

[SSD]

Two other reasons to consider -

 

1 - Version 5 is not going to be enhanced further. It is at or near EOL and not going to see new features or security updates.

 

2 - Version 6 allows XFS (and BRTFS) file systems. I had big problems with timeouts doing I/Os to array disks. At first they were only when the disk was almost full, but as disks got larger, the slowdowns started happening much earlier - after disks got just past 1/2 full. It was annoying bordering on maddening. After converted to XFS these issues have 100% disappeared. It's not RFS's fault, at the time it was authored drives were measured in gigabytes not terabytes and these problems didn't exist. RFS is also at or near EOL, and falling into disfavor with Linux. For me, if all else were the same, I would migrate just for that.

 

With your setup, you could likely just update the unRAID 6 part and the rest of your configuration could remain unchanged. You could even take advantage of Dockers, of which there is a growing set available. I do not think you could create VMs in unRAID that run on top of the VMs in ESX, but not 100% sure.

[HiSoC8Y]

thanks all, will study it throughly and see if it's worth upgrading now.

 

Will it benefit running virtual desktops? like if I want to run a virtual Windows 7 machine, where I do all my work, and I can remotely connect via a simple laptop to perform all my work?  Of course, Assuming adding a good video card to the system so I get a good performance of the graphics.

[Frank1940]

thanks all, will study it throughly and see if it's worth upgrading now.

 

Will it benefit running virtual desktops? like if I want to run a virtual Windows 7 machine, where I do all my work, and I can remotely connect via a simple laptop to perform all my work?  Of course, Assuming adding a good video card to the system so I get a good performance of the graphics.

 

Be sure to look at this video on the LimeTech site:

 

      http://lime-technology.com/videos/

 

The one you are looking for is entitled "Streaming Windows Virtual Desktops". 

[interwebtech]

64-bit

Dockers

 

those two alone are to me the most compelling reasons to upgrade.

[Helmonder]

Keeping up to date.. V5 is no longer developped...

 

Upgrade to v6 will take five minutes.. Now should you want to you could then investigate moving away fron esxi.. That is a personal decision ans is absolutely not necessary..

 

My two cents: i personally never have any hassle with esxi, works like a charm and i see no reason at all to move to the unraid vm"s.. Others have different opinions.

 

Make up tour own mind but do upgrade to v6.. Getting left behind in IT is always a bad idea imho.

[trurl]

There are many improvements in v6 besides VM / Dockers. Built-in UPS support, notifications, much improved GUI, better diagnostics, cache pools, additional file systems.

[Helmonder]

There are many improvements in v6 besides VM / Dockers. Built-in UPS support, notifications, much improved GUI, better diagnostics, cache pools, additional file systems.

 

Agree.. Thing is it is my personal opinion that it is always a good idea to stay up to date... Even if you do not need the new features..

[HiSoC8Y]

 

With your setup, you could likely just update the unRAID 6 part and the rest of your configuration could remain unchanged. You could even take advantage of Dockers, of which there is a growing set available. I do not think you could create VMs in unRAID that run on top of the VMs in ESX, but not 100% sure.

 

So I can do that? Kindly note that I have used this method for the USB in the ESXi (http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=14695.msg149602#msg149602),

 

[HiSoC8Y]

Just started another topic of a possible ultimate build for unRAID 6, feel free to join that discussion.

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=41149.0