If you're building from scratch, please choose nearline/midline SAS disks instead of SATA if you're looking for capacity. For detailed reasoning, see: http://serverfault.com/a/331504/13325
For the server, I've had great success with HP ProLiant systems, focusing on the DL380 G6/G7 models. If you can budget 4U of rackspace, the DL370 G6 is a good option that can accommodate 14LFF or 24 SFF disks (or a combination). I've built onto DL180 G6 systems as well. If you do the DL180 G6, you'll need a 12-bay LFF model. I'd recommend a Lights-Out 100 license key to gain remote console. The backplane has a built-in SAS expander, so you'll only have a single 4-lane SAS cable to the controller. I typically use LSI controllers. In the DL180, I would spec a LSI 9211-4i SAS HBA. You have room to mount a ZIL or L2Arc internally and leverage the motherboard SATA ports. Otherwise, consider a LSI 9211-8i HBA and use the second 4-land SAS connector for those. See: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ewwhite/sets/72157625918734321/ for an example of the DL380 G7 build. -- Edmund White ewwh...@mac.com On 12/17/11 12:24 AM, "Hung-Sheng Tsao (laoTsao)" <laot...@gmail.com> wrote: >imho, if possible pick sas 7200 hdd >no hw-raid for ZFS >mirror and with ZIL and good size memory > > >Sent from my iPad > >On Dec 16, 2011, at 17:36, t...@ownmail.net wrote: > >> I could use some help with choosing hardware for a storage server. For >> budgetary and density reasons, we had settled on LFF SATA drives in the >> storage server. I had closed in on models from HP (DL180 G6) and IBM >> (x3630 M3), before discovering warnings against connecting SATA drives >> with SAS expanders. >> >> So I'd like to ask what's the safest way to manage SATA drives. We're >> looking for a 12 (ideally 14) LFF server, 2-3U, similar to the above >> models. The HP and IBM models both come with SAS expanders built into >> their backplanes. My questions are: >> >> 1. Kludginess aside, can we build a dependable SMB server using >> integrated HP or IBM expanders plus the workaround >> (allow-bus-device-reset=0) presented here: >> http://gdamore.blogspot.com/2010/12/update-on-sata-expanders.html ? >> >> 2. Would it be better to find a SATA card with lots of ports, and make >> 1:1 connections? I found some cards (arc-128, Adaptec 2820SA) w/Solaris >> support, for example, but I don't know how reliable they are or whether >> they support a clean JBOD mode. >> >> 3. Assuming native SATA is the way to go, where should we look for >> hardware? I'd like the IBM & HP options because of the LOM & warranty, >> but I wouldn't think the hot-swap backplane offers any way to bypass the >> SAS expanders (correct me if I'm wrong here!). I found this JBOD: >> http://www.pc-pitstop.com/sata_enclosures/sat122urd.asp I also know >> about SuperMicro. Are there any other vendors or models worth >> considering? >> >> Thanks! >> _______________________________________________ >> zfs-discuss mailing list >> zfs-discuss@opensolaris.org >> http://mail.opensolaris.org/mailman/listinfo/zfs-discuss >_______________________________________________ >zfs-discuss mailing list >zfs-discuss@opensolaris.org >http://mail.opensolaris.org/mailman/listinfo/zfs-discuss _______________________________________________ zfs-discuss mailing list zfs-discuss@opensolaris.org http://mail.opensolaris.org/mailman/listinfo/zfs-discuss
