i5 2500k for virtualisation/storage.

[tom k.]

Hi,

 

I'm new to the community, so forgive me if I'm posting this in the wrong section.

 

I'm looking to convert my existing NAS box into a rack mounted NAS running UnRaid. Currently I have windows server 2012 R2 running on a Gigabyte h67n-wifi board with an intel 2500k. I have an Areca 1214-4i RAID card, that runs a RAID 5 array of 4 WD Red 5TB disks (15TB of usable storage).

 

Now this is ok, but the RAID 5 write speed is much to be desired, and using windows server is overkill considering the NAS essentially runs: Plex media server, FlexGet, and Filebot to move TV shows and movies into appropriate folders.

 

I'm looking to sell my hardware RAID card in favour of a Areca 1320-8i SATA/SAS HBA that should give me the ability to install up to 8 drives (for expansion later). I want to install UnRaid, and leverage the 120GB SSD in that box as a write cache.

 

On this I want to run a linux distro (preferrably CentOS) that has full access to the UnRaid array as its storage drive, using a 250GB standard HDD as a boot drive. Will my mobo/CPU support this?

 

My main concern here is that the i5 2500k does not support VT-d. Is this a problem for my proposed setup?

 

Thanks

Tom

[CHBMB]

With the k processors vt-d isn't supported.

 

AFAIK you can still run VMs but you won't be able to passthrough hardware without vt-d.

 

Looking at your mobo manual, all it says is that it supports virtualisation technology.  Whether that means just vt-x or vt-d I'm not sure.

[tom k.]

I also have an Asus P8Z68-LX, if that is a better option. How much of an issue is the lack of VT-d? I thought that was PCI pass through, or does it also prevent say plugin in USB devices?

 

Thanks

[CHBMB]

I also have an Asus P8Z68-LX, if that is a better option. How much of an issue is the lack of VT-d? I thought that was PCI pass through, or does it also prevent say plugin in USB devices?

 

Thanks

 

Again, with the Asus I can only see that it supports virtualisation.  Not specifically vt-d.  However I think that means both support vt-x and your CPU doesn't support vt-d anyway.

 

Yes you're correct, I do believe that it means PCI passthrough...

[klips]

Both chipset used on Gigabyte h67n-wifi (Intel H67 Express) and Asus P8Z68-LX (Intel Z68) does not support vt-d. I would look for alternatives if vt-d is important to you.