New dual E5-2690 build, motherboard questions

[Tette]

Hello!

I am currently in the making of a server upgrade, current machine dual x5650 96gb ram running Unraid server.

Parts that i already have. Dual E5-2690v1 , 12x8GB eec rdimm. LSI 9207-8i HBA. 16x300gb SAS 2.5 drives. INTEL 910 400gb ssd. Quad intel 1000vt nic-card.

New server will run virtual PFsense machine, docker containers, Windows VM(passthru GPU). Probably Unraid or FreeNAS(ZFS is tempting).

Now to my question. What motherboard would you guys recommend? Supermicro X9DR3-LN4F+ or X9DR7-TF+

C606 SCU SAS vs LSI 2208 and Dual 10Gb nic vs quad 1Gb nic....

In sweden prices of these two cards are about the same.

Thanks Mikael

 

[BlackArchon]

I can't give you a motherboard recommendation, but you may want to reconsider using an asymmetric DIMM configuration like 12 modules for two CPUs having a quad-channel memory interface.

 

[vinceflynow]

For ZFS, you'll want to stay with your HBA (or upgrade to a 12G/SAS3 HBA), instead of looking at a hardware raid card.

 

[BLinux]

I would avoid LSI 2208 or 2108 chipsets if you have hopes of using it with ZFS. If the onboard SAS doesn't matter then maybe ok. Look for LSI 2308 instead, since it readily supports IT mode and would be more useful for ZFS or unraid.

 

[w0mbl3]

I've got an X9DRH-7F with onboard 2208 - which I've flashed with 2308 IT firmware so it works as an HBA (see this thread: LSI 9270-8i IT mode ).

However - its a very not-supported setup, so unless you get a Supermicro with onboard 2208 very cheap, I'd just buy a decent PCIe 3.0 LSI2308 based card, and flash with the generic firmware to use as an HBA.

I have a few HP H220 which are 2308 based (E5 stepping) and flash just fine using LSI 9207-8i IT mode firmware and work great with freeNAS.

This ebay seller is the one I bought - as they came with both low and normal profile brackets, but that was over a year ago, so there may be cheaper options around now:
650933-B21 HP H220 Host Bus Adapter 660088-001 638834-001 | eBay

Out of interest - with your setup, what hypervisor are you planning on using to virtualise docker/pfsense/windows/etc.?

 

[Tette]

I was planning to use KVM... Most probably Unraid as i run it today. But i am open for sugestions .

Have just orderd 4x8GB sticks to fix the unbalanced memery issue.

Flash onboard raid controller sound like something i would avoid, so i think i will get the X9DR3-LN4F+ , have read that the onboard intel SCU from the c606 chipset works in FreeNAS if i go that route. If ut works in FreeNAS i think Unraid supports it to.

 

[msg7086]

Also a dedicated HBA can be replaced individually at later time in case any of those components go bad. Usually people buy on board chip option for space optimization purpose.