How would you build it? My single host issue.

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DaddyGrant

Active Member
Jul 14, 2016
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Ok guys I have one SuperMicro SYS-5028D-TN4T w/64GB of RAM. I'll like to use it as a ESX 6.5 host with an accelerated datastore.

I can tolerate dataloss if needed because everything will be backed up to a QNAP. Below is all the raw storage I have on the desk. I dream of a signal node VSAN(Not 100% Warm and Fuzzy) but there might be other creative options the community can suggest.

(6) - Seagate Enterprise 7.2k rpm 6TB (NEW)
(1) - Samsung 950 NVMe - 512 m.2 (NEW)
(2) - Samsung SM 863 -2.5inch- 480GB (NEW)
(1) - Samsung 845 DC EVO -2.5inch- 480 GB (NEW)

Thanks
 

Patrick

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 21, 2010
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How much raw storage do you need? Would you want to try something like using FreeNAS in a VM with ESXi? Are the 6TB drives going to be just for the Supermicro or are they also destined for the QNAP? Are you willing to entertain using a USB drive for ESXi boot?

Assuming you are not using the 6TB drives for the QNAP I would do the following:
4x 3.5" bays with the 6TB drives. RAID 10
Samsung 950 NVMe
2x SM863's RAID 1

That gets you to 6 full SATA ports and the m.2 slot full. If you boot ESXi off of a USB stick you make drive selection easy.

Samsung 845 DC EVO and 2x 6TB for QNAP data + caching, or just save them for the inevitable second node :)
 

DaddyGrant

Active Member
Jul 14, 2016
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First of all.. Thank you for the reply
just save them for the inevitable second node
Funny... I will resist the empire.

How much raw storage do you need? Would you want to try something like using FreeNAS in a VM with ESXi? Are the 6TB drives going to be just for the Supermicro or are they also destined for the QNAP? Are you willing to entertain using a USB drive for ESXi boot?
-I have a USB drive for ESXi.
-The QNAP is already populated with eight 4TB drives. All those 6TB drives are sitting around collecting dust.
-I only really need about 2TBs of raw storage right now..

"4x 3.5" bays with the 6TB drives. RAID 10
950 NVMe
2x SM863's RAID 1"
So I will end up up with 3 tiered data-stores? Or are you suggesting I leverage SSD acceleration with FreeNas (which is what I would perfer).
 
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