Trying to Add SSDs to a Server

[RONOTHAN##]

Hello LTT Community, 

 

For Background: the CPU in my previous NAS died a few days ago, and rather than try to find a new FX 8120 to replace it, I found a great deal on a Dual Xeon E5-2630 v1 machine, specifically the Supermicro SuperServer 6027R-3RF4+. The problem is with the configuration I'm running, all the front bays are populated (2 Raid Z-1 vDevs of 3x4tb drives with two hot spares) and I need to have a boot drive, as well as like to have a cache disk. At first, I thought I could just put them inside the machine, after all there is 2 SATA 3 ports right on the motherboard itself that aren't in use, as well as two slots for fixed 3.5 drives. But, after I bought the machine and attempted to do that, I realized there aren't any internal SATA power connectors, only Molex and floppy connectors.

 

My question is is there any way to add the SSDs to the server? I know the saying "Molex to SATA, lose all your data" and I've seen the images for aftermath, but it surely has to be possible to do, since after the backplane for the hard drives is powered exclusively by Molex. My only real requirement for this is that I won't spend more than I spent on the server ($120) trying to get this to work, so buying a new power distributer that happens to have SATA power is probably off the table. I don't need any solutions right away, since I do have a USB to SATA adapter running the boot drive for the server, but would prefer something a bit more permanent. 

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer

[Haraikomono]

has it got a usb key(port) on the motherboard ?

or why not pci to sata ?

[RONOTHAN##]

Just now, Haraikomono said:

has it got a usb key on the motherboard ?

It does have an internal USB if that's what you were talking about (I'm pretty new to server hardware so I don't really know what it's used for). I just have the drive hanging out the back, so I would prefer to have a better solution sooner rather than later.

[Electronics Wizardy]

motex to sata really isnt that bad with a good adapter, id do that here.

 

Or remote the hot spares. There probably not needed with only a 6 drive array.

 

What are you using the cache for? ZFS caching really doesn't help in most consumer workloads.

[RONOTHAN##]

2 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

motex to sata really isnt that bad with a good adapter, id do that here.

 

Or remote the hot spares. There probably not needed with only a 6 drive array.

 

What are you using the cache for? ZFS caching really doesn't help in most consumer workloads.

Any suggestions for a good Molex to SATA adapter?

 

As for the hot spares, I'm just paranoid since right before the CPU died I had two drives fail in one of the Raid Z-1s fail one after the other (I was lucky that the second drive lived long enough to survive resilvering). 

 

As for caching, I'm planning on gaming directly off the server once my 10Gb cards arrive, and since I already have the SSD I figured I might as well try and see if it helps loading times. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

15 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

Any suggestions for a good Molex to SATA adapter?

THis guy is good, crimped instead of molded connectors https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-108794-24-Inch-15-Pin-Female/dp/B009GULFJ0/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=molex+to+sata&qid=1625354234&sr=8-4

 

16 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

As for the hot spares, I'm just paranoid since right before the CPU died I had two drives fail in one of the Raid Z-1s fail one after the other (I was lucky that the second drive lived long enough to survive resilvering). 

 

This is waht backups are for normally. Its pretty rare that would happen, and backups will save you if it does.

 

16 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

As for caching, I'm planning on gaming directly off the server once my 10Gb cards arrive, and since I already have the SSD I figured I might as well try and see if it helps loading times. 

Id really advise against storeing games on the nas. Just more hassle, and you can get weird issues. Much easier to just add a hdd/ssd to your desktop.

 

Would you use the ssd as a l2arc? If so that doesn't really help with games, ive tested it. It really only helps with large datastes of ramdom io. What arc hit rate are you seeing now?

 

 

[Jarsky]

50 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

I know the saying "Molex to SATA, lose all your data"

I've never heard that saying, and on any modular PSU, they use the exact same connections and rails regardless if theyre dedicated sata cables or molex cables.

 

Im using multple sata splitters and molex to sata splitter cables in my server (in my signature) and no issues. I've been using them for yearssss. 

[RONOTHAN##]

4 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

THis guy is good, crimped instead of molded connectors https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-108794-24-Inch-15-Pin-Female/dp/B009GULFJ0/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=molex+to+sata&qid=1625354234&sr=8-4

Thanks, I'll order that later tonight

5 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

This is waht backups are for normally. Its pretty rare that would happen, and backups will save you if it does.

I know, I'm setting up cloud sync, but really would rather not have to download 10+TB from the cloud, and figured the hot spares might save me an extra hour with the way my luck usually goes. 

16 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id really advise against storeing games on the nas. Just more hassle, and you can get weird issues. Much easier to just add a hdd/ssd to your desktop.

 

Would you use the ssd as a l2arc? If so that doesn't really help with games, ive tested it. It really only helps with large datastes of ramdom io. What arc hit rate are you seeing now?

The main reason I wanted to do that my system doesn't have any extra room for 3.5 inch drives, and the SSDs I have spare are of lower capacity, only really enough to hold 1-2 games. Thought it might work, and if not I can always pull out the cache drive and put it in my system. I was planning on just using a l2arc, and figured if it can't hurt. If it's not gonna make any difference, I'll just stick use it in my main system and setup backups.

[Electronics Wizardy]

6 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

The main reason I wanted to do that my system doesn't have any extra room for 3.5 inch drives, and the SSDs I have spare are of lower capacity, only really enough to hold 1-2 games. Thought it might work, and if not I can always pull out the cache drive and put it in my system. I was planning on just using a l2arc, and figured if it can't hurt. If it's not gonna make any difference, I'll just stick use it in my main system and setup backups.

Id just get a external usb hdd.Much simpler and more reliable.

 

For l2arc, it can hurt as it needs ram which is often much better used as the arc. I wouldn't buy a drive for this use.

[RONOTHAN##]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id just get a external usb hdd.Much simpler and more reliable.

 

For l2arc, it can hurt as it needs ram which is often much better used as the arc. I wouldn't buy a drive for this use.

I already have the drive, I pulled it out of a system I parted out a couple months ago. Figured I might as well try. I probably will just buy an external drive, but if I can save some money, I might as well try. 

[CerealExperimentsLain]

4 hours ago, RONOTHAN## said:

I know the saying "Molex to SATA, lose all your data" and I've seen the images for aftermath

This is actually a horrible saying because it misleads people but it's popular because it's a neat rhyme.

There is nothing inherently wrong with molex to SATA, molex is actually a very durable and idiot proof connector.  The problem is badly crimped SATA connectors, as in SATA anything,  SATA To SATA, SATA to modular PSU, yes also SATA to Molex.  But those are much harder to make a fun rhyme.  So instead people say 'Molex to SATA, Lose All Your Data' and people have no idea that any other cheap SATA connector is just as much a potential problem.

 

I hate this rhyme because it actively promotes ignorance and misunderstanding in exchange for being fun to say.