This post covers more topics than ZFS but as ZFS storage is most relevant, I wrote it here.
History:
I wanted to put a ESXI based ZFS/VM server in the cellar. Not being an IT admin/hw expert, I may have
had some unrealistic ideas - I wanted to sit in my room and access any VM I wanted to play with
and the server was supposed to handle ZFS storage, router functionality , access point controller, Windows
Linux and various other VM's I needed. I bought a Lenovo TS140 (mistake - can handle only 4 drives) with
4 core/8 thread Xeon and a Dell P45 PCoIP zero client (will be extinct in 2025)
Questions:
(a)If I want to keep the TS140 - what is the best way to add 8 disks to the system ? Is there a more future
proof hardware purchasing strategy (e.g. racks) - where mainly mainboard and memory
need to be replaced?
(b)What alternative low power hardware could I use and would it be better to have 3 servers:
ZFS server and server for router + access point controller in cellar and run other VMs on a low power server
in my room to avoid the pcoip/blast hardware?
History:
I wanted to put a ESXI based ZFS/VM server in the cellar. Not being an IT admin/hw expert, I may have
had some unrealistic ideas - I wanted to sit in my room and access any VM I wanted to play with
and the server was supposed to handle ZFS storage, router functionality , access point controller, Windows
Linux and various other VM's I needed. I bought a Lenovo TS140 (mistake - can handle only 4 drives) with
4 core/8 thread Xeon and a Dell P45 PCoIP zero client (will be extinct in 2025)
Questions:
(a)If I want to keep the TS140 - what is the best way to add 8 disks to the system ? Is there a more future
proof hardware purchasing strategy (e.g. racks) - where mainly mainboard and memory
need to be replaced?
(b)What alternative low power hardware could I use and would it be better to have 3 servers:
ZFS server and server for router + access point controller in cellar and run other VMs on a low power server
in my room to avoid the pcoip/blast hardware?