UnRAID on a used server.

[Chris_Hercules]

     This seems to have become a recurring theme for me, not knowing what exactly to do with a piece of industrial grade server hardware. Looking for info, links to really good and clear websites to help walk me through this process, I want to use unRAID for my DL160 g6 server, what I can tell so far is that this may be a much better choice than trying to use FreeNAS with this machine (I miss the early simple days of FreeNAS but, thats another topic) seeing how it  (unRAID) appears to be made for this sort of hardware. Is using this software/ OS viable for this project or should I be looking elsewhere?

 

     Any help, guidance or friendly advice is always welcome and greatly appreciated. Im really out in left field on a bright sunny day without a ball glove and sunglasses and a high hard pop up is flying my way and not quite sure how Im going to make the play. In short Im clueless.

 

 

 

[Bgordy2013]

If you just want a straight NAS then I would go for freenas. If you want to have plugins/light VMs then I would go with UNRAID as it supports both VMs and Docker images.

[Mikensan]

What issues have you came across with FreeNAS? Nas4Free is a fork from FreeNAS that still supports UFS if that's what you're looking for. But if you want to move away from BSD based solutions - what are you comfortable with? Windows is a viable solution as many currently use as their host OS for their NAS (current top rank in the 10TB thread with 150TB+ of storage is running windows).

 

Unless SSDs are going to be your primary storage device, don't expect decent read speeds from unRaid. You will only get the performance and IOPS of a single drive in unRaid. Great as a backup solution, not so great otherwise.

[Chris_Hercules]

7 hours ago, Mikensan said:

What issues have you came across with FreeNAS? Nas4Free is a fork from FreeNAS that still supports UFS if that's what you're looking for. But if you want to move away from BSD based solutions - what are you comfortable with? Windows is a viable solution as many currently use as their host OS for their NAS (current top rank in the 10TB thread with 150TB+ of storage is running windows).

 

Unless SSDs are going to be your primary storage device, don't expect decent read speeds from unRaid. You will only get the performance and IOPS of a single drive in unRaid. Great as a backup solution, not so great otherwise. I dont care about having more space in the machine than those drive so 10 plus TB of Windows is not necessay at a;ll any way.

Im in the process of sorting this out... I REFUSE TO PAY FOR WINDOWS server anything/any year. I can nothing buttails of woe and heartache trying to run FreeNAS on these machines, I dont know why but it appears to be a failure. I dont mind paying a modest price for software and OSes if they work. I regret installing Windows 10 on my workstation, but thats another story. Whatever I do run for an OS. I will have two 120 GB SSDs in the system if they can use it for a cache. Overkill for light home use completely. And for storage Im planning on using 6 Western Digital RED drives. I do understand what you are saying about unRAID, It seems to sort of follow along with the info on their website about how it works. Im considering OpenFiler. I know linux and Linux based stuff will run on this machine, no reall issues there. Like I mentioned earlier Im not used to dealing with flat out server hardware, very new endevour for me. Thats what happens when you try to save money and pick up good cheap hardware. All it is going to do is NAS duty and really nothing else.

[Cvdasfg]

45 minutes ago, Chris_Hercules said:

Im in the process of sorting this out... I REFUSE TO PAY FOR WINDOWS server anything/any year. I can nothing buttails of woe and heartache trying to run FreeNAS on these machines, I dont know why but it appears to be a failure. I dont mind paying a modest price for software and OSes if they work. I regret installing Windows 10 on my workstation, but thats another story. Whatever I do run for an OS. I will have two 120 GB SSDs in the system if they can use it for a cache. Overkill for light home use completely. And for storage Im planning on using 6 Western Digital RED drives. I do understand what you are saying about unRAID, It seems to sort of follow along with the info on their website about how it works. Im considering OpenFiler. I know linux and Linux based stuff will run on this machine, no reall issues there. Like I mentioned earlier Im not used to dealing with flat out server hardware, very new endevour for me. Thats what happens when you try to save money and pick up good cheap hardware. All it is going to do is NAS duty and really nothing else.

You said you refuse to pay for windows yet unraid costs money.

 

Is it something personal against windows? or?

 

regardless I wouldn't recommend freeNAS in your situation for the obvious reasons. 

[Mikensan]

3 hours ago, Chris_Hercules said:

Im in the process of sorting this out... I REFUSE TO PAY FOR WINDOWS server anything/any year. I can nothing buttails of woe and heartache trying to run FreeNAS on these machines, I dont know why but it appears to be a failure. I dont mind paying a modest price for software and OSes if they work. I regret installing Windows 10 on my workstation, but thats another story. Whatever I do run for an OS. I will have two 120 GB SSDs in the system if they can use it for a cache. Overkill for light home use completely. And for storage Im planning on using 6 Western Digital RED drives. I do understand what you are saying about unRAID, It seems to sort of follow along with the info on their website about how it works. Im considering OpenFiler. I know linux and Linux based stuff will run on this machine, no reall issues there. Like I mentioned earlier Im not used to dealing with flat out server hardware, very new endevour for me. Thats what happens when you try to save money and pick up good cheap hardware. All it is going to do is NAS duty and really nothing else.

Well I can try to help with your freenas install, what part of the install/configuration are you hitting a roadblock? I'm more surprised if it's a hardware issue. 

Also check out http://rockstor.com/

 

 @Cvdasfg - he said he's willing to pay a modest price for an OS if it works, so I assume he's talking about unRaid. Being too cheap to buy a high end raid card, I too do not want to use Windows as a NAS. I do however have no issues paying for Windows - makes life easier.

[Chris_Hercules]

2 hours ago, Cvdasfg said:

s it something personal against windows?

 

5 minutes ago, Mikensan said:

Well I can try to help with your freenas install,

     Yes I have something personal against windows... Let me try and state this as clearly as possible about a recent Windows experience. Refuebed a workstation computer recently and this now my current machine.I just to test how it was going to work, Installed the trial liscence version of Windows 10 and it actually worked flawlessly. Okay So I pop the beans and order an OEM copy of Win 10 Pro and low and behold I fought for a cpl weeks trying to get it work properly because of it's automatic mandatory update process and the whole nVidia driver issue. They screwed with something they didnt need to. I am in general not opposed to paying for an Operating system, fact is that But any server version of windows is too costly and ridiculously unneeded for the simply duties of powering a NAS box. This is proven by the fact that there OSes designed solely for that purpose. 

 

     Im probably going to give freeNAS a shot even though I CANNOT FIND ANY instances of it working properly on these machines. Its becoming clearer that unRAID is probably not the best choice and that is OK. I appreciate your offer to and may be taking you up on that. One thing that I do know about freeNAS that it DOES NOT support the internal network ports that are on the machine, I have a dual port Intel NIC so I should be able to get around that issue. The stuff Ive found has been more about corrupt data to vague "It just wont run, it sits there and looks angry explanation". This is what happens when you have self taught people like myself trying to communicate whats wrong. I probably should have gone the standard route but like most people without an unlimited bank account of their own or a corporate account to dabble in, I just do the best I can. I build and troubleshoot my own machines and thats the educational process for me and many like me.

[Cvdasfg]

1 hour ago, Chris_Hercules said:

 

     Yes I have something personal against windows... Let me try and state this as clearly as possible about a recent Windows experience. Refuebed a workstation computer recently and this now my current machine.I just to test how it was going to work, Installed the trial liscence version of Windows 10 and it actually worked flawlessly. Okay So I pop the beans and order an OEM copy of Win 10 Pro and low and behold I fought for a cpl weeks trying to get it work properly because of it's automatic mandatory update process and the whole nVidia driver issue. They screwed with something they didnt need to. I am in general not opposed to paying for an Operating system, fact is that But any server version of windows is too costly and ridiculously unneeded for the simply duties of powering a NAS box. This is proven by the fact that there OSes designed solely for that purpose. 

 

     Im probably going to give freeNAS a shot even though I CANNOT FIND ANY instances of it working properly on these machines. Its becoming clearer that unRAID is probably not the best choice and that is OK. I appreciate your offer to and may be taking you up on that. One thing that I do know about freeNAS that it DOES NOT support the internal network ports that are on the machine, I have a dual port Intel NIC so I should be able to get around that issue. The stuff Ive found has been more about corrupt data to vague "It just wont run, it sits there and looks angry explanation". This is what happens when you have self taught people like myself trying to communicate whats wrong. I probably should have gone the standard route but like most people without an unlimited bank account of their own or a corporate account to dabble in, I just do the best I can. I build and troubleshoot my own machines and thats the educational process for me and many like me.

fair enough. Was just asking about windows server sense you can easily get it for $25

 

 

As far as FreeNAS goes assuming you have a decent background, ecc ram, and quality hardware (server grade which you have) then It should run fine. 

What exactly was the problem you faced with it?

 

 

[Chris_Hercules]

7 hours ago, Cvdasfg said:

fair enough. Was just asking about windows server sense you can easily get it for $25

How and were? If it is legit and not some sort of tomfoolery that goes on with cheap liscences that makes it a viable option. What are the details of such a thing? COA sticker and all? What version? Do I have to client liscence for each computer that accesses it? I will only run legit, no gray market sort of stuff, have been burned on Windows 7 for not doing my due diligence.

[Mikensan]

12 hours ago, Chris_Hercules said:

 

     -snip-

I buy old hardware too, currently using a Dell C1100 and an IBM x3650 m2. Have you already bought the G6, and if so have you personally fired up FreeNAS on it yet? Don't get too caught up in research if you already have the hardware, fire it up and do some real world testing.

[Cvdasfg]

5 hours ago, Chris_Hercules said:

How and were? If it is legit and not some sort of tomfoolery that goes on with cheap liscences that makes it a viable option. What are the details of such a thing? COA sticker and all? What version? Do I have to client liscence for each computer that accesses it? I will only run legit, no gray market sort of stuff, have been burned on Windows 7 for not doing my due diligence.

Its not illegal as I have actually called a asked microsoft myself.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/

 

Assuming you buy from a reputable seller (I bought from a moderator) they give you the code, and anything else youd need.

[Mikensan]

@Cvdasfg You've changed my life. I really need to explore reddit more.

[scottyseng]

7 hours ago, Chris_Hercules said:

How and were? If it is legit and not some sort of tomfoolery that goes on with cheap liscences that makes it a viable option. What are the details of such a thing? COA sticker and all? What version? Do I have to client liscence for each computer that accesses it? I will only run legit, no gray market sort of stuff, have been burned on Windows 7 for not doing my due diligence.

It's legit. I've bought three Windows keys, and two office keys from Reddit. They're really good sellers too, when one key didn't work, he sent me another.

 

I used this seller:

https://www.reddit.com/r/microsoftsoftwareswap/comments/3wxfh5/h_windows_7_8_81_10_windows_server_office_visio/

 

The other option is to find a college student and use their e-mail to get a dreamspark account. I've used a few of my friends college e-mail accounts and I have three Windows Server 2012 R2 Database keys for free now.

[Chris_Hercules]

4 hours ago, Mikensan said:

Have you already bought the G6, and if so have you personally fired up FreeNAS on it yet? Don't get too caught up in research if you already have the hardware, fire it up and do some real world testing.

I am waiting to get at least three hard drives, will eventually run a total of 6 drives. i'm also waiting for my network card to show up as the NIC in the machine is not supported by FreeNAS/BSD. but your right, I have tried to do my due diligence in making sure I pick the right OS but FreeNAS is free, wont cost anything other than time to throw it on there and go for it. I tend to forget that sometimes people have issues that they can't track down and report that it doesn't work when they just have some BIOS setting or software setting wrong.

[Chris_Hercules]

@cydasfg appreciate the info and will definitely check it out. Like I said I am a little leery after getting burned but, My one key code didn't die on me until over a year later, was definitely too late to do anything about it by then. But it is worth checking into.... Reddit huh, never thought LOL.

[Mikensan]

You can install freenas and create vdevs and zpools with what you have just for testing, then when the drives come destroy the zpool.

[Chris_Hercules]

Quote

Just now, Mikensan said:

You can install freenas and create vdevs and zpools with what you have just for testing, then when the drives come destroy the zpool.

 

Whelp this looks like what my weekend project is gonna be. Time to stop studying, reading and asking question and find out first hand where the rubber meets the road. Sometimes I just get it in my head that if i do enough prep I can guarantee myself first time success, LMAO, the sad part is things are very rarely successful the first time for  anything for me me..

[Chris_Hercules]

I LOVE how unRAID has led me right back to FreeNAS.

[Mikensan]

At the very least you've familiarized yourself and have an idea. I'm setting up a new ESXI server this weekend myself and testing our sharing an iSCSI target.

[Chris_Hercules]

Just now, Mikensan said:

At the very least you've familiarized yourself and have an idea. I'm setting up a new ESXI server this weekend myself and testing our sharing an iSCSI target.

At this point way beyond my knowledge level LOL. Thats probably sort of obvious though .LOL

[Mikensan]

3 minutes ago, Chris_Hercules said:

I LOVE how unRAID has led me right back to FreeNAS.

Well if you really want to us unraid and want performance, maybe see how people are doing with using hardware raid within unraid. In theory it shouldn't be an issue.

[Mikensan]

Just now, Chris_Hercules said:

At this point way beyond my knowledge level LOL. Thats probably sort of obvious though .LOL

It's pretty cool, basically you create a "share" and when you connect this share to a computer, it shows up as a device instead of a folder. So then the operating system treats it like a disk. What I'm basically trying to do is create a single "disk" on my FreeNAS and share it between two servers. Beyond saving space, it allows me to move/migrate virtual servers between the two virtual hosts.

 

Honestly iSCSI was a bit intimidating but FreeNAS made it easy.

[Chris_Hercules]

7 hours ago, Mikensan said:

Well if you really want to us unraid

     I think I'm just gonna back off the unRAID and sincerely give the FreeNAS thing a shot just because I've spent a fair bit of time looking into it... Time for a DEFINITIVE answer as to whether it will or will not work on this machine. Like I said the only real investment now is more time. Can't hurt and i KNOW I'll learn something fromit.

 

 

[Chris_Hercules]

Quote

7 hours ago, Mikensan said:

Honestly iSCSI was a bit intimidating but FreeNAS made it easy.

 

So the whole iSCSI thing, if I understand the absolute basics is it lets you set up a drive that will basically appear as a local drive on a machine? Plaus you cab share that to more than one machine and it just appears as a drive to the OS? do I understand it correctly?

[Blake]

2 hours ago, Chris_Hercules said:

So the whole iSCSI thing, if I understand the absolute basics is it lets you set up a drive that will basically appear as a local drive on a machine? Plaus you cab share that to more than one machine and it just appears as a drive to the OS? do I understand it correctly?

The first comment on this reddit thread seems to be a good 'cliff's notes of it'.