Dell PowerEdge R630 – Opinions on how to use it in my current setup at home

[PGlover]

I am trying to figure out how to incorporate the Dell R630 in my current setup at home. This machine is a beast; however, it is so quiet. Here are the specs:

• Memory - 512GB DDR4 ECC Memory (16 32GB modules)
• CPUs – Two E5-2690 v3
• 2 Dell 300GB 10K SAS drives (I have the eight 2.5” hard drive configuration of the R630)
• Dual 1GbE NICs
• Dual 10GbE NICs (SFP+)
• Onboard Perc H330 Mini Raid Controller
• Dual 1100W Power Supply Units
• Front Bezel Included
• Rack Rails Included
• Warranty Until 2019
• Next Day Repair Service

My current setup at home is mainly used to play around with the free version of VMWare ESXi and to stream movie files to my Kodi (XBMC) computers (5 machines) from my SAN server. The SAN server is also used to serve up ISCSI LUNs as datastores for my VMs.

My initial intent when purchasing the R630 was to build a new SAN server using Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces. However; based on the specs of the R630 I may be able to replace and consolidate some of the servers I have. Here is a list of servers I currently have.

VMWare ESXi Host with 4 VMs (using free version of the ESXi Hypervisor)

Specs:

• IBM Thinkserver TS140 transplanted in a SuperMicro 2U CSE-822I-400LPB chassis
• Intel Xeon E3-1225v3
• 20GB DDR3 ECC Memory
• 1 240GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD drive – local storage only used to install ESXi 5.5 update 2
• 1GbE NIC
• Dual 10GbE NICs (Brocade 1020 Dual NIC card)

SAN Server (Windows Server 2008 R2) – Used to serve up ISCSI LUNs (using free version of Starwind Virtual SAN) as datastores for my VMs and serve up Window shares for my Kodi (XMBC) machines. I am using FlexRaid software for the XMBC Windows shares because I have so many hard drives of different sizes and speed.

Specs:

• Supermicro 3U 16 Drive CSE-836E2-R800B Chassis - I have replaced the noisy dual power supplies and fans in the chassis with quieter ones.
• SuperMicro X7DBE Motherboard
• 2x Intel Xeon L5420
• 16GB DDR2 ECC RAM
• Dual 1GbE NICs
• Dual 10GbE NICs (Brocade 1020 Dual NIC card)
• 1 Intel 120GB SSD drive – for OS and Apps
• 14.5TB - 8 Hard drives of different sizes and speed to create FlexRaid Volume for Media files. Using available SATA ports (5) on motherboard as well as connecting the remaining drives to a LSI 9211-4i in IT mode (acts as a HBA) so Windows can see all the hard drives.
• LSI 9260CV-8i Card with CacheCade Pro 2.0 – used to create RAID 10 Volume and RAID 5 Volume for VM datastores. Using an Intel 240GB SSD drive for Cache drive.
• 8TB Raid 10 Volume – Four 4TB HGST Deskstar NAS 7200 RPM drives
• 2TB Raid 5 Volume - Three 1TB WD Green 5400 RPM drives

Other Storage Server - Not being used currently

Specs:

• SuperMicro 4U 24 drives Server Chassis: SC846TQ
• SuperMicro H8DME-2 Motherboard
• 1 Dual Core AMD Opteron, 2212 HE
• (3) AOC-SAT2-MV8 Controller Cards
• Supermicro AOC-SIM1U(+) & and AOC USB2RJ45
• (2) Supermicro 900w pws-902-1r redundant PSUs.
• (8GB) Qimonda 2GB PC2-5300 DDR2-667MHz ECC Registered CL5 240-Pin DIMM

So back to my original question. How can I use the R630 in my current setup to either compliment the servers I currently have or to replace / consolidate some of the servers? Your recommendation will be much appreciated.

 

[bradslinux]

:0 Thats one serious piece of hardware for home use I LIKE IT! I am curious though what power draw will be at idle... and the db level :|
I have been using 2012R2 and storage spaces for the past few months and so far I like it. It has been rock stable and my wife appreciates the presence of money in the checking account. hehehe

 

[T_Minus]

What I wouldn't give for that RAM in my 28C Intel Awesome home system.

I think you can easily combine them all to that one Based on 4VMs only!!

 

[PGlover]

Been thinking a lot of what to do with all these servers in my home setup. I have come up with a plan. Please provide feedback and comments on the plan.

New SAN server (Windows Server 2012 R2) – Use Window Storage Spaces to serve up ISCSI LUNs as datastores for my VMs and use FlexRaid software (I have many hard drives of different sizes and speed) to serve up Window shares for my Kodi (XMBC) machines.

Specs:

• SuperMicro 4U 24 drives Server Chassis: SC846TQ (already own)
• SuperMicro X10SRH-CLN4F Motherboard (need to purchase)
• OS – Windows Server 2012 R2 Using Storage Spaces (already own)
• 2 240GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD drive in RAID 1 – (already own – used for OS (C drive) and APPS (D drive)
• 1 LSI 9211-4i in Raid Mode (already own – used to create RAID 1 for OS and APPS SSD drive)
• CPU – 1 E5-2690 v3 (already own - take 1 CPU from the R630 server)
• Memory - 128GB DDR4 ECC Memory (already own – take four 32GB modules from the R630 server)
• FlexRaid Volume (14.5TB) for Media Files (already own) - 8 Hard drives of different sizes and speed to create FlexRaid Volume for Media files. Use available SATA3 ports (10) on motherboard.
• HDD Windows Storage Spaces Volume for VM datastores (already own) - 5 4TB HGST Deskstar NAS 7200 RPM drives to create RAID 10 Storage Pool for VM datastores. Will add more drives when needed.
• SSD Windows Storage Spaces Volume for VM datastores (need to purchase) - 4 Crucial M500 960GB SSD drives to create RAID 10 Storage Pool for VM datastores. Will add more drives when needed.
• 1 LSI SAS 3008 (HBA controller on the X10SRH-CLN4F motherboard. Will be flashed to IT mode and connected to an Intel RES2SV240 SAS expander. Will connect the HGST and Crucial drives to the HBA controller and SAS expander.)
• 1 Intel RES2SV240 SAS expander (already own – capable of handling 24 drives)

New VMWare ESXi Host Server (using free version of the ESXi Hypervisor) – Will use the Dell PowerEdge R630 with 1 E5-2690 v3 CPU and 384GB of memory. Based on the CPU (12 cores, 24 threads), that is 24 vCPUs in VMWare. Not sure what the limitation of the free version of ESXi, but I should able to run at least 20 VMs if the free version allows.

Specs: (Dell PowerEdge R630 – already own)

• Memory - 384GB DDR4 ECC Memory (had 512GB, but removed 128GB to put in new SAN Server)
• CPUs – 1 E5-2690 v3 (had 2 CPUs, but removed 1 to put in new SAN Server)
• 2 Dell 300GB 10K SAS drives (I have the eight 2.5” hard drive configuration of the R630)
• Dual 1GbE NICs
• Dual 10GbE NICs (SFP+)
• Onboard Perc H330 Mini Raid Controller
• Dual 1100W Power Supply Units
• Front Bezel Included
• Rack Rails Included
• Warranty Until 2019
• Next Day Repair Service

New Backup server (Windows Server 2008 R2) – Will be used to backup data located on SAN server and other PCs connected to the production network.

Specs:

• IBM Thinkserver TS140 transplanted in a SuperMicro 2U CSE-822I-400LPB chassis (already own)
• OS – Windows Server 2008 R2 (already own)
• Intel Xeon E3-1225v3 (already own)
• 20GB DDR3 ECC Memory (already own)
• 6 4TB HGST Deskstar NAS 7200 RPM drives (need to purchase). I may not need 7200RPM drives. If not, I will get 4TB HGST Coolspin 5400RPM drives.
• 1GbE NIC
• Dual 10GbE NICs (Brocade 1020 Dual NIC card – already own)

New JBOD server (will only be used if I run out of disk drive space in the new SAN Server)

Specs:

• Supermicro 3U 16 Drive CSE-836E2-R800B Chassis (already own) - I have replaced the noisy dual power supplies and fans in the chassis with quieter ones.
• SuperMicro X7DBE Motherboard (will not be used in JBOD setup)
• 2x Intel Xeon L5420 (will not be used in JBOD setup)
• 16GB DDR2 ECC RAM (will not be used in JBOD setup)
• Dual 1GbE NICs (will not be used in JBOD setup)
• Dual 10GbE NICs (Brocade 1020 Dual NIC card - will not be used in JBOD setup)

 

[bradslinux]

With that setup, clustering the VM's and using storage spaces from the 2012R2 server you could build in failover redundancy with access to the shared storage (iSCSI, SMB3, NFS etc... Considering the usage environment (home) it is similar to hunting gnats with a 16" battleship gun, but both are FUN! LOL
For me, the VM stuff is for lab/education and testing for production at work. The big benefit for me to having shared storage and multiple servers for home use is the integrity of data. It has taken me YEARS to accumulate all of this ....stuff. I enjoy having 500 movies, and 10,000 television show episodes, 50,000 pictures and 15,000 songs at my fingertips. The reason for our insanity....

Brad

 

[T_Minus]

I look forward to your build! I'm doing a # of similar server/setups here at my home too. I need to finish figuring out what's going where and map it out like you here soon

Can't wait to see more.

 

[PGlover]

:0 Thats one serious piece of hardware for home use I LIKE IT! I am curious though what power draw will be at idle... and the db level :|
I have been using 2012R2 and storage spaces for the past few months and so far I like it. It has been rock stable and my wife appreciates the presence of money in the checking account. hehehe

Power draw is 266 watts according to the Dell's remote access tool (iDRAC).

 

[PGlover]

More server consolidation suggestion...

To reduce the physical server footprint, I will make the backup server a VM and get rid of the IBM Thinkserver TS140 transplanted in a SuperMicro 2U CSE-822I-400LPB chassis.

 

[Magnus919]

Big CPU & RAM footprint, almost no storage... sounds like a hypervisor to me.

 

[PGlover]

Big CPU & RAM footprint, almost no storage... sounds like a hypervisor to me.

Yes.. This will become my new Hypervisor server using the free version of VMWare ESXi 6.0. Additionally I am building a new SAN server and will take 1 CPU and 128GB of RAM for the new hypervisor server (R630) to build the new SAN server.