Software and Configuration:
My server is running ESXi 5.5.0. A FreeNAS VM is controlling storage disks. The FreeNAS VM has the M1015 controller, two port GigE Intel network card, and a 10GigE Intel network card passed through.
The storage array is 8x4TB disks in a pool consisting of one RaidZ2 vdev. This amounts to ~20 TB actual usable storage space. The pool is encrypted with AES128, and keys are backed up somewhere safe.
The two Samsung SSDs are configured with Raid1 within the MR10i controller, used for VM storage on the hypervisor.
Usage:
The server is also used for other production servers like Windows domain controller, linux database servers (for Kodi and such), splunk, mgmt-server with Veeam, monitoring services. FreeNAS acts as a backup repository for TimeMachine and personal files.
There are also two other windows domains used for labbing, with domain controllers, exchange, SCCM, VDI, HyperV (nested), WAP, DirectAccess and different client VMs.
Backup:
VMs backed up to my computer, important personal stuff backed up to remote FreeNAS server by rsync.
Additional info:
Currently running X5560 processors, which does not support AES-NI. I have ordered E5640's processors which does support this feature, and they come with lower TDP.
Recently upgraded from 5 to 8 storage disks.