Splitting my existing FreeNAS server

[kriegalex]

My server is FreeNAS based and is limited to 32GB of RAM (X10SLL) so my existing 32TB (8x4) of data already require most of the RAM (by the rule of thumb 1GB ram = 1TB raw space). I may have some room left but not much I think. But this server also acts as an application server through the jails, but jails take up RAM so I will be limited at some point in my upgrade path (more apps or more raw storage). 

 

I was thinking of splitting the roles of NAS and Application server by buying an entry level Synology (or similar) and moving my disks and data there. Then my existing server with a Xeon and the 32GB of RAM becomes a fast (SSD based) application server (plex, transcoding, automatic media management, automatic network backups, private cloud, virtualization host for VMs, ...). This could also free the CPU from NAS specific tasks, like samba that would be handled by the "new NAS".

 

Good idea ? Would you do it otherwise ? Maybe move from FreeNAS to unRAID and keep one server ? Any thoughts or experiences with this kind of two server config are welcome

 

 

 

 

[ltguy]

How are you going to move the data set into synology? I don't know if you can import a ZFS volume into synology. Do you have to buy an additional 32TB of hard drives and transfer the data from the freenas server to the synology?

[Jarsky]

Synology uses MD, you can't import your ZFS dataset to it. What if you just got a dedicated server for your applications?

32GB RAM is plenty for 32TB, to accomplish scheduled tasks like scrubbing, especially if you have/add SSD's for L2ARC.

 

[GDRRiley]

you don't need 1gb of ram for 1tb of storage it is an old story about ZFS. you are fine on ram. you could give freenas only 10-12gb and it would work fine. 

[kriegalex]

8 hours ago, Jarsky said:

Synology uses MD, you can't import your ZFS dataset to it. What if you just got a dedicated server for your applications?

32GB RAM is plenty for 32TB, to accomplish scheduled tasks like scrubbing, especially if you have/add SSD's for L2ARC.

 

The only use for the Xeon was the apps needing some CPU raw power, so I would end up with a storage NAS powered by a Xeon. I could move the Xeon to the app server but then I would have to buy an "old motherboard", which may not be a big deal for a server but still.

Maybe what would convince me is if a ZFS + L2ARC combo would give me much more perfs than a Synology, which I have to check because my old researchs have been mostly forgotten by now...