High Performance Storage Help

[Digithrill]

 

 

So I am going to need a fair amount of storage to hold this amount of data, but  I am also going to need to be able to access the data often and will probably need to be able to edit the videos often as well.

 

While I have a server with plenty of space for something like this, I'm going to have to reserve the NAS as an encrypted backup solution.  I have to abide by some IRB rules, so a production server, as I would have preferred, is out of the question.  Given this, I've determined that I all the storage will have to go into my main rig.

 

I have plenty of experience with ZFS, but I am running Windows and don't exactly trust "Windows Storage Spaces," so I have determined RAID is my only option.  I haven't dealt with RAID beyond 0 and 1, so I don't have a lot of knowledge on the pros and cons of each. My MOBO will have 6 available SATA ports and the BIOS can do RAID 0, 1, 5, & 10.  I will not run RAID 0 for obvious reasons (okay, I might at first test for kicks and giggles), RAID 1 is also obviously out of the question, so that leaves me with 5 and 10 as options.  From what I understand, RAID 5 is like ZFS1 in parity, I am alright with this option, and RAID 10 is a RAID 0 mirror, I am also okay with this option if I get big enough drives.

 

Lastly, the IT department at my university buys WDC drives in bulk and is willing to work with me on this endeavor (I pay a third, my department pays a third).  IT is saying they can get me access to Black, Blue, Red, Red Pro, and Purple drives.

 

For simplicity's sake, let's say I am considering 3 options:

1. 6x 4TB drives
2. 6x 6TB drives
3. 6x 8TB drives

So recap:

1. RAID Options
   1. RAID5
   2. RAID10
2. Drive Sizes
   1. 4TB
   2. 6TB
   3. 3TB
3. WDC Drive Types
   1. Black
   2. Blue
   3. Red
   4. Red Pro (IT says no)
   5. Purple
4. Potential Video Types
   1. 4K 30fps
   2. 1080p 60fps
   3. 1080p 30fps
   4. 720p 30fps
   5. 480p 30fps
5. Tasks
   1. Scrub through footage on video timeline 

Given these variables, what would you guys suggest as a configuration?

Edited April 9, 2017 by Digithrill
IT emailed me...

[Electronics Wizardy]

6 minutes ago, Digithrill said:

Windows and don't exactly trust "Windows Storage Spaces,"

Its pretty good actually on windows server. Get a copy of 2016 or 2012r2 going and its very nice to work with.

 

Id run raid 5 (maybe 6) for this use, no reason to use 10. Its often slower for sequentical uses, and wastes much more storages.

 

Id probably just run wd reds(biggest you can, so 6tb) using storage spaces(or raid 5 in a hardware raid card)

[Digithrill]

3 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Its pretty good actually on windows server. Get a copy of 2016 or 2012r2 going and its very nice to work with.

 

Id run raid 5 (maybe 6) for this use, no reason to use 10. Its often slower for sequentical uses, and wastes much more storages.

 

Id probably just run wd reds(biggest you can, so 6tb) using storage spaces(or raid 5 in a hardware raid card)

 

 

That's what I was leaning towards.  I would forgo the Windows server, the dean already understands the need for storage, but I don't care to explain the need for additional software after I mentioned all the configuration would be hardware based.

Thanks for the input.