EST unRAID 15 Bay Server 45 tb : Research, Specifications, Build, Setup : 45 TeraByte

[bing281]

The first link tells about the research put into the project and purchasing the equipment.

The second link shows a detailed approach to the build with how I dremelled the case, routed all the cables, and installed the software.

The third link shows a detailed approach to how I setup using Active Directory.

The fourth link will show using the server on a daily basis information.

I hope that this post helps users doing their research to be able to build there own server.

The Research and Specifications are here:

unRAID NAS Server Research & Specifications

The Build Process is here:

unRaid NAS Server Build

The Setup is here:

unRaid NAS Server Setup

The Use is here:

(coming soon)

 

[Hydaral]

Great write-up, thanks. Are you doing anything to ensure integrity of the OS drive, or is unRAID very simple to restore in case of drive failure?

I am using 4GB and 8GB flash drives for my OS drive with Nexenta, this allows me to mirror the OS drive. I originally started with 2 of the same 4GB Sandisk flash drives, these both failed within days of each other after a month, now it's been about four months and I just had to replace a 8GB Corsair Voyager drive that kept losing its partitions.

 

[bing281]

unRAID is very easy to restore. The entire OS is only about 60 MB so the 8 GB flash drive I have is backed up to another flash drive in case of failure remove replace and reboot.

There are actually only 2 or 3 files I need from the drive to fix the entire thing in case of complete flash drive failure.

 

[UrbanVoyeur]

I'm working on a server build myself - though not 45 TB!, only 27.

I'm curious:
- Why unRaid and not ZFS via Nexenta or FreeNas?
- How is the power draw?
(With an Atom 510, 9 3TB Green drives and 2 16GB SSD's and 1 LSI HBA, I am coming hoping to come in just under 200 at start and about 70-90 running.)

 

[bing281]

I choose unRAID for the fact that it seems to be in heavy active development with a large user base. I enjoy the fact that it links to my active directory also.

I don't know my exact power consumption. I calculated originally with spindown the server would sit around 50 watts and at start up like you said much much more. Each green drive is about 2-3 amps at startup from my recollection, therefore 12v * 3 amps = 36 watts per green drive at startup. 36 * 15 = 540 watts at startup. Plus the rest of the system probably heading around 600. But I use spindown and most of those drives sit idle most of the day.

bing281

 

[Hydaral]

I don't know my exact power consumption. I calculated originally with spindown the server would sit around 50 watts and at start up like you said much much more. Each green drive is about 2-3 amps at startup from my recollection, therefore 12v * 3 amps = 36 watts per green drive at startup. 36 * 15 = 540 watts at startup. Plus the rest of the system probably heading around 600. But I use spindown and most of those drives sit idle most of the day.

I thought those numbers sounded very high, so I checked the Amazon link you provided for the disks on your site, it has a review with some electrical data:

Idle: 4.2 W
Powerup: 10 W
Activity: 5 W

http://www.amazon.com/review/R9S03O...&ASIN=B002ZCXK0I&nodeID=172282&tag=&linkCode=

 

[bing281]

Wonderful that gives us a much better approximation. The core i3 numbers I recollect are around 33 watts at idle and with ~5 watts idle * 15 we are just around 100 watts idle which is pretty good really.

 

[UrbanVoyeur]

Do you have acess to a Kill-a-watt?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...2715001&cm_re=killawat-_-82-715-001-_-Product

 

[bing281]

I don't but one is on the way to my house now.

 

[DaveGee]

The first link tells about the research put into the project and purchasing the equipment. The second link shows a detailed approach to the build with how I dremelled the case, routed all the cables, and installed the software. The third link shows a detailed approach to how I setup using Active Directory.

The Research and Specifications are here: unRAID NAS Server Research & Specifications

Very inspiring and fortunate for me that I (google) stumbled on your post! I'm in the process of doing a similar setup myself ... thanks to the encouragement your post game me!

I got the same case and I was always a fan of the icy dock products so that was an easy sell... Since I don't have a dremel handy (I did own one once upon a time but as any home owners will tell you, over time the house tends to EAT things... I've officially call off the search for a really nice 3/4" professional drill that was given to me by my dad... HOW could a drill THAT BIG just go missing?!!? The world may never know...

Anyway I'll try my hand a bending back those tabs... perhaps I'll get lucky that some of the clamps and assorted implements of destruction I do still have will getter done...

Anyway.. My question to you and the rest of the crew here is this...

unRAID

Prior to last night when I was going to buy the pro version I was all for unRAID... Once I saw the USB Key SN request alarm bells just went off everywhere!

I certainly don't mind paying for a product, especially a proven one. However the system they have put in place to ensure I'm not a thief is to lock the software to a quite fragile USB memory stick that would need to be used to boot the device. In my mind, never do business with someone who assumes you to be a crook!

As you can see I have some reservations about this...

1. Don't treat me like a thief when I've given no indication that I am one.

2. USB sticks die with an uncomfortable level of certainty... Hey they're cheap so its not a big deal you buy a new one BUT the 20 or 40TB raid you use for your home / business will no longer work until such a time that the developer gets around to doing you an UNOFFICIAL favor (their words not mine) and provide you a new key (based on yet another fragile USB stick that will also die). I've seen posts where 2 or more days go by before the developer of unRAID resolves dead stick issues.

Did any of the above issues bother you too and if so how did you resolve yourself and choose it anyway?

I mean well designed raid (usually) means including a certain level of redundancy so in the case of a failure things have a good shot at being brought back to life... This is a good thing... Then to take all of that planning and expense and have it all hinge on a USB stick that will die (and can't be replaced without intervention from someone you don't know who may or may not get back to you) kinda flies in the face of everything we are trying to accomplish.

At this point it looks like I'll choose anything but unRAID but that just me I guess... Lots of people don't seem to mind so more power to em... However I wont be supporting what I feel is very bad business practices not to mention raid building preferences.

 

[bing281]

I can certainly see your dismay, let me tell you this however. It does not constantly access the USB drive. You can take out the USB after load as long as you change no settings everything is loaded into RAM.

I purchased the 2 keys kit so I have a spare USB just in case. I think he only charges like $20 more for another key.

I can see the point of not putting it on a hard drive. You want all the drives just for storage and load the program / OS into ram.

However I would tell you get the 2 key kit for redundancy and get 2 sticks and you will not have to worry.

Your other options are just not as good as unRAID I considered WHS with a plugin like flexRAID but I want something that is always protected live. There is nothing comparable to unRAID.

Hope that helps.

 

[DaveGee]

I can certainly see your dismay, ... Your other options are just not as good as unRAID I considered WHS with a plugin like flexRAID but I want something that is always protected live. There is nothing comparable to unRAID.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the reply and yes I did notice the 2 keys for a very reasonable up charge... I'm still less than happy with the way things are done I guess if unRAID was garbage I wouldn't care as much as I do... lol

I'll have to give it a second look cause I was sold on it 100% until I got to the checkout page... The fact that the key can be removed once the system is booted .... At first blush seems like a good idea.... Until you realize that if the server was rebooted for any reason the box wouldn't come back online until the key was reinserted into the box.

Ah I guess I'm mad mostly because when you've found something you really like and then find some crazy issue that really rubs you the wrong way and said issue was an intentional feature.

 

[Ken_z71]

No such silly issues with FreeNAS

 

[Generious]

No such silly issues with FreeNAS

I guess you haven't tried the latest release yet have you.