m.2 compatibility with VMs?

[fonzie]

my motherboard: Asrock EP2C602-4L/D16

 

I am hoping to install an m.2 SSD in my motherboard.  Looking at the specs, it doesn't seem my mobo has the input for it so I am looking at getting an adapter and a card listed below:

 

SilverStone Technology Dual M2 to PCI-E X4 and SATA 6G Adapter Card

https://www.amazon.com/SilverStone-Technology-PCI-E-Adapter-ECM20/dp/B01798WOJ0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1486772843&sr=8-4&keywords=pcie+m.2

 

Samsung 960 EVO Series - 250GB PCIe NVMe - M.2 Internal SSD

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-960-EVO-Internal-MZ-V6E250BW/dp/B01LYFKX41/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486773030&sr=8-1&keywords=samsung+m.2

 

I want to use the SSD as a second cache drive to house all of my Dockers and VMs.  Will I run into any problems with my hardware?  I want to have Windows 10 VMs, Linux, and MacOS

 

thanks

[JorgeB]

It should work with your hardware but probably best to use it as an unassigned device, used as second cache device would make it a mirror or extension of your current cache, and as extension there's no way to choose what files would use it.

[tjb_altf4]

I have a HyperX Predator M.2 on the supplied PCIe adaptor, it shows up like any other drive.

I'm currently using it as my (only) cache drive (no redundancy).

 

 

[fonzie]

It should work with your hardware but probably best to use it as an unassigned device, used as second cache device would make it a mirror or extension of your current cache, and as extension there's no way to choose what files would use it.

 

Awesome!  Setting it up as an unassigned device does make more sense.  I didn't realize I could set up my dockers and VMs on unassigned devices so that's good to hear.

 

I have a HyperX Predator M.2 on the supplied PCIe adaptor, it shows up like any other drive.

I'm currently using it as my (only) cache drive (no redundancy).

 

What supplied PCIe adapter?  What is the rest of your hardware on your unRAID server?  Forgive me, but m.2 is all new to me and I'm still trying to understand all of the terminology that goes along with it.

 

[JorgeB]

I have one of these and it works:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Lycom-DT-120-PCIe-Adapter-Support/dp/B00MYCQP38

 

But any m.2 adapter should work, they are transparent to unRAID.

[fonzie]

Got it.  So the link you provided to the adapter and the one I did should both give no issues in unRAID.

 

Looking into the HyperX Predator, it seems that you have an option of purchasing it with a PCIe adapter for those that don't have the m.2 slot on their mobo.  So I understand what he meant now.