Dell R710 NAS and Media server - PERC H700

1. offizieller Beitrag

    Hi everyone


    I have been doing a lot of research lately on NAS Os's and I always seem to get stuck. I have used FreeNAS before but it would seem like FreeNAS and ZFS do not allow for hardware RAID unless the controller can be flashed to "IT Mode", I have read that the PERC H700 isn't that bad of a RAID controller.


    Now I want to ask you guys, as I am not vfery well versed in OMV, is hardware RAID a possibility? I would like to keep the RAID controller if possible and it seems OMV allows for hardware RAID?


    The server has (Going to pick it up next week, got it from my mate for roughly $200):


    2x Xeon E5630's
    40GB RAM
    6x1TB SAS 7.5k HDD's
    PERC H700 RAID Card


    Really hope I finally found the OS that is compatible with this.


    Thanks guys

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von KuZu

    Now I want to ask you guys, as I am not vfery well versed in OMV, is hardware RAID a possibility?

    Linux distros like OMV, Freenas, XigmaNas are not compatible with a hardware raid, that's the best way to describe it.


    The problem with hardware raid is there is no GUI for the raid card so you would have no idea on the state/condition of your raid.


    OMV uses mdadm for software raid and the raid is controlled and setup via the GUI, ZFS can be deployed via a plugin.
    Xigmanas uses either ZFS or mdadm and again is controlled and setup via the GUI
    Freenas uses ZFS it too is controlled and setup via a GUI


    Hence the suggestion to flash the controller to 'IT' mode, if it can be.


    If you use the raid card in OMV, OMV will see the setup as a single drive.


    If you want to use hardware raid MS is your only solution AFAIK.

    MS?


    Alright, so no matter the NAS OS you go with, you would need some form of using software raid?


    What do you reckon I get and put into the R710? Live in South Africa and we do not really have free access to this kind of stuff via Ebay, Amazon, etc so if I buy something I want to be sure that it will be compatible and actually work.


    Thank you for the response, highly appreciated!

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von KuZu

    MS?

    Microsoft, either Microsoft Sever or Windows 10.


    Zitat von KuZu

    What do you reckon I get and put into the R710?

    Another Dell Perc card that has been or can be flashed to IT Mode, there is a Reddit thread here in essence the H700 is a Raid card only there's no way round it.
    If you managed to get something else the H700 would have to be disconnected or removed from the m'board, the problem here may be that the m'board Bios may 'look' for that card during a boot process.


    The Dell H310 would be a possible solution even a you tube video on how to flash it.


    BTW is this a rack server or a tower.

    It's a 2u server.


    Been looking at a lot of this stuff lately, would seem like the H200 would be a better fit due to how the chassis was designed, the H310 cards ports would be blocked off.


    Is it easy to flash a card to a different firmware?


    Any idea how to deal with the BIOS 'looking' for the missing card or is it simply as easy as just going into the BIOS and changing it to the new card?

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von KuZu

    would seem like the H200 would be a better fit due to how the chassis was designed, the H310 cards ports would be blocked off.

    :thumbup: well you have found more than I have.


    Zitat von KuZu

    Is it easy to flash a card to a different firmware?

    That you tube video should be the same for the H200 as the H310


    Zitat von KuZu

    Any idea how to deal with the BIOS 'looking' for the missing card or is it simply as easy as just going into the BIOS and changing it to the new card?

    Technically it shouldn't, but as far as computers are concerned I'm a pessimist :) I always look at the worst case scenario.


    BTW, if this has a USB port I would look at booting from that, but that could be a trial and error process as to whether it would boot from a USB Flash Drive.

    Zitat von geaves

    Technically it shouldn't, but as far as computers are concerned I'm a pessimist :) I always look at the worst case scenario.
    BTW, if this has a USB port I would look at booting from that, but that could be a trial and error process as to whether it would boot from a USB Flash Drive.

    It does have an internal USB port, however I was going to build this system for FreeNAS and I read that they did not recommend using USB's anymore due to the amount that the OS actually writes to the drive since a couple of updates ago, so I went out and got a cheap SSD for that purpose, would booting off of an SSD have any benefit over a USB when using OMV?


    Also I am also quite pessimistic when it comes to PC's, expecting the worst at least prepares you for it!

    • Offizieller Beitrag
    Zitat von KuZu

    FreeNAS and I read that they did not recommend using USB's anymore due to the amount that the OS actually writes to the drive

    Interesting, didn't know that, but I moved away from Freenas some time ago.


    Zitat von KuZu

    so I went out and got a cheap SSD for that purpose, would booting off of an SSD have any benefit over a USB when using OMV?

    TBH I personally don't think so, I use USB and have the Flash Memory plugin installed to reduce writes to the USB, the same plugin I think is recommended for SSD's.

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