Raid Configuration for a Storage Server with user profiles

[Sharpie888]

Hi all, 

 

I am currently looking to create a srorage server but want peoples opinions on what raid to run. I have a basic understanding of raid but I am stumped. The server is for a school with 1365 students and each need a user profile. Feel free to email me on [removed]  if you want more infomation about this project. 

 

Thanks 

Edited December 6, 2020 by leadeater
Removed email

[the gamer that is bad]

12 minutes ago, Sharpie888 said:

Hi all, 

 

I am currently looking to create a srorage server but want peoples opinions on what raid to run. I have a basic understanding of raid but I am stumped. The server is for a school with 1365 students and each need a user profile. Feel free to email me on [removed] if you want more infomation about this project. 

 

Thanks 

what hardware are you running

Edited December 6, 2020 by leadeater
Removed email

[Electronics Wizardy]

What hardware?

 

How much storage space do you need?

 

What bandwdith and iops do you need?

 

What OS?

 

Id probably go ssd only here if you can, go raid 10 for performance.

 

Also for windows, don't store profiles on network shares, just do redirected users for folders like documents, downloads, and desktop and others, redirected users have to copy lots of files on login, causing slow login, and can have issues if software versions are different.

[leadeater]

For file storage the most common and appropriate RAID is RAID 6. However more information would help a lot, like what is the actual hardware and number of disks etc.

 

Personally I would recommend against just going with a storage server, meaning a general server used as a file server. You would be better off either getting a small scale Netapp FAS or going with some like a Netapp E-Series/Lenovo V3700 along with some ESXi VM host servers with VMware Essential Plus license and creating a File Server VM and other VMs for other role/functions etc.

 

My last job I worked at was for an IT provider that worked exclusively in the education market. Our standardized setup at the time was the IBM/Lenovo V3700 dual SAS controller and at least two x3650 M4 (4 mean 4th generation so current models much newer/high number) with the mentioned VMware vSphere Essentials Plus license.

 

P.S.I removed your email address, not a good idea to publish that.

[Sharpie888]

Hi all 

The Hardware is a DELL T320 with 6 slots of 3 teribyte hard drives. It will run windows server 2016. the DELL model has 2 10 gig ports that will be used and it will also use iDRAC. I wish to run NTFS file system as well. 

 

Thanks for all you help

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Sharpie888 said:

Hi all 

The Hardware is a DELL T320 with 6 slots of 3 teribyte hard drives. It will run windows server 2016. the DELL model has 2 10 gig ports that will be used and it will also use iDRAC. I wish to run NTFS file system as well. 

 

Thanks for all you help

Do you have other IT members to work with? THis feels like a ask you coworker or hire someone, not ask a forum type of issue. Also you probably don't want a single system doing this in case of failure, whats your backup system/ha plan?

 

What raid card?

 

How much storage space do you need? 

 

Probably go raid 6 or 10, depends on the space and speed needed.

[Catsrules]

I agree with @leadeaterAt your scale you need to separate your infrastructure out to be more redundant A setup they are suggesting is very redundant. 

Backend storage will have redundant controllers,data connections, power supplies and drives. You then have two or more compute nodes. aka standard server running VMware ESXI. If one compute node dies you can just migrate the VMs over to the other one and get the downed server fixed.

 

I also agree with @Electronics Wizardythis kind of sounds like your in over your head. Your looking at tens of thousands for this type of setup that you do need. Best to just hire a contractor to come in set everything up. This goes way beyond RAID levels.