Investigations on a new NAS build

TrueNAS General
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Dear all,

first of all, I would like to thank the community, and especially @etorix for his good advices on an old topic:
=>h-ttps://www.truenas.com/community/threads/compatibility-of-a-9400-16i-hba-with-desktop-nas-drives.111430/

I contacted smicro.eu and had very good advices from them. I thus bought an A2SDi-H-TF, required Micron memory and cables from them, and I now have a 20-drive NAS in my Meshify 2 XL case with an HP220 HBA from “the Art of Server” on ebay. Everything is fine with adapted fans (Artic P14/P12 fans, including those I placed for the HDD just below the motherboard). So thanks a lot! If someone is interested, I can detail the build. I wanted to come back on my topic when the machine was running but the forum was migrated to the new website. So here I am. :slight_smile:

I have a new project for “cost-efficient” NAS. The former one was done using brand-new HW and a bit costly. Additionnaly, it seems that the smicro.eu website has some filtering mechanism that prevents me to reach it using my european ISP (while it is fine from my work or a japanese VPN server).

I would like to evaluate an idea to build a NAS (mainly file server) between 8 to 12 drives, possibly based on the Jonsbo N5 case (which seems to be interesting), to keep things more compact compared to the Meshify 2 XL. :slight_smile:

I read a lot of stuff, and compared technical possibilites together with their availability, especially in France and neighbouring countries.

I would need ECC, IPMI, clearly. I read that AMD AM4 and AM5 processors, together with ASUS and ASrock desktop MBs unofficially support ECC (UDIMM) which is good for availability, but they lack IPMI. I can go for server MBs but their availability and price are not really good. Same for Intel depending on the product line and model.

I could thus go for ebay, but I do not really know trusted sellers. From a small search, a first ebay-based pick could be:

  • A Supermicro X11SCM-F (~200€) with the issue of not being able to extend her with 10GbE since it only has 6 SATA and one PCIe 16x (which will be used for the HBA) and not being able to passthough the iGPU is the CPU has one (not really needed, but who knows)
  • A used Core i3-9100 or even F due to previous issue (~30€) or a Xeon E1000 or E2000 for more than 100€ (perhaps it does not worth it, from ServeTheHome tests for a file server).
  • 2x16GB Samsung or Micron 16GB UDIMM ECC. I read that each stick can be bought for less than 50€ (hoping they’re originals…)
  • An HP220 HBA, which is quite good.

I know that there are some better choices for the motherboard, but they do not seem available from trusted sellers and more pricey…

Any advice or comment on this? Thanks a lot in advance. If no interesting option available, I will just wait…:slight_smile:

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What is your usecase?

If it’s just storage then you can get an x11ssm-f or x12scz-f for less than 100 euros each.

If you want AM4 then MC12-LE0 is an option. Someone is selling it here but i do not know the seller and it is too expensive for what it used to sell for EU - [FS] 2x Gigabyte MC12-LE0 | ServeTheHome Forums

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Yes please. It seems that you put some thought on cooling.

It would be very strange that a European ISP prevent access to a Czech shop.

Just looking at it, I have severe doubts about drive cooling. The eight vertical drives behind a backplane are already a cause for concern, but the stack of four horizontal drives in front of the PSU gets no airflow.
Fractal Design Node 804 is noisy, but can hold and cool 8-10 drives.

(Lian-Li PC-Q26 is just the perfect small case for 10 drives…except that it is long out of stock.)

AsRock Rack E3C246D4U2-2T on eBay for about the same price. :wink:

I would have said that you missed the big liquidation sale on Gigabyte MC12-LE0, but @MSameer beat me to it, complete with a link to a seller. There’s a long thread on STH about this board, read it and take a decision while there’s some supply. (Yes, last year you could have bought two boards and their coolers for less than what’s asked for one. But that was last year. In absolute terms, 135 € for a genuine AM4 server board is still a very good opportunity.)

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Thanks for the answer. Currently, my usecase is mainly file storage/server, but if there is room for upgrade later, I will be OK. :slight_smile:
I tried to find the x11ssm-f or x12scz-f on ebay but could not find them for less than 100€ (just to see) and there are not a lot of them (I did not consider sellers outside Europe, but perhaps there are ones in China?).
I also considered the MC12-LE0 during my survey phase, but some people commented that it was now indeed “too” expensive compared to the good old days (even if it may be interesting, as mentionned by @etorix). I will not buy it from an unknown seller (he seems a new member).

Thanks again for your advices some months ago. I will put some details in a new post, it can give ideas to other people. I gave nine fans in the case (:slight_smile: ). The good point with the Meshify 2 XL is that it is a mesh case, so there is a lot of airflow (and I added some “custom” ways of adding some fans using some of the Meshify features). I will add some photos.

That’s very strange. I can access to the main “Anafra” website but not the smicro.eu website from Orange (either mobile or home). But it is fine from another provider on my professional mobile (I just tested). Curious…

Always the Node 804 after all these years. :slight_smile:
I considered it during my first round a few weeks ago but I wondered if there was a more modern alternative and thus, the Jonsbo N model line appeared. Another possibility is to stick with another Meshify 2 XL in server mode (16 drives without any strange custom operation)… But I wanted something a bit smaller. I will perhaps consider again the node 804…

I also read good points related to this model, but could not find it easily on ebay (in the EU). I searched again and found some sellers from China. These are the ones you are referring to? (for this price ~240€)
The board itself seems quite nice, with the ability to add options if needed.

You’re right. But as I answered above, I would not buy a board from an unknown seller without any feedback. I indeed read some great feedbacks (especially on price, 50€ or something like this one year ago), but it is too late…

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Ok, maybe a week ago x12 was available for less than 100 euros. I have no idea why prices of old equipment is skyrocketing like that.

Anyway, i received an automatic offer for 100 and rejected it. Try sending 100 or less as a best offer and maybe the seller will agree

X11SSH 108 Supermicro X12SCZ-F Motherboard - micro ATX HD Audio +Netzteil +CPU Kühler | eBay.de

X11SSM-F for 97 euros from china Supermicro X11SSM-F For Intel C236 Chipset LGA1151 DDR4 Server Motherboard | eBay.de

There is this asrock rack E3C236D4M-4L for 90
https://www.ebay.de/itm/306393745095

I’d not recommend the node 804. It is a great case. You can even fit 12 3.5 drives if you 3d print. I used it for years but having to take out for drives to replace one makes me nervous. I moved away from it (custom 3d printed case if you are wondering).

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Yes. By waiting or making an offer, you might get it for less—but, depending on shipping mode, there could be duties.

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Thanks for the links. I will investigate these motherboards. Regarding the case, I just figured out that the Meshify 2 “non XL” can accomodate with ease 11 HDD (and perhaps more using my customizations). Could be an option (while being a bit pricey).

Thanks. I will see. The AsRock Rack E3C246D4U2-2T is quite tempting… Paired with a Xeon E1000/E2000, it could be very interesting…
I read that someone had to pay 50€ for the duties. I will see the shipping methods (I am not in a hurry).

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There’s no Xeon “E-1000”; it’s E-2100 (Coffee Lake) or E-2200 (… Refresh). Up to 8 cores and supports 128 GB RAM vs. 4 cores and 64 GB for a Core i3-8100/9100.

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Exact, sorry. I meant indeed 2100 or 2200… :slight_smile:
Hum, the Meshify 2 does not seem easily available now… Let’s study again the Node 804… :slight_smile:

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Or X11SCA-F. 128GB ECC RAM, Xeon E2100/2200, IPMI, 8 SATA.

181 euros from china. The seller is new, it is an ATX workstation board but it is cheaper than the asrock.

Just roll your dice :grin:

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Well… :smiley:
The model is interesting, but the seller is a bit new indeed…

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Sorry for the long time.
I finally changed my mind and contacted Smicro.eu => they confirmed me that my issue was known and was under investigation. They resolved it and everything is fine now.

I thus bought again a brand-new A2SDi-H-TF (thanks again @etorix), with the idea of having a 12-drive NAS (1 volume => 2 VDEV of 6 disks in RAIDZ-2). I already have 20TB Seagate EXOS drives and I started to buy Toshiba MG10 20TB drives to build the volume.

Regarding the case, I noticed that the Meshify 2 (not XL) had also a “server mode”, enabling to host properly more than 12 drives. Thus, I decided to go for the “small brother” of my 20-drive NAS based on the XL version.

Since I do not know if my configurations are of big interest, I will post the common characteristics of my NASes here, especially regarding the cooling.

So as already introduced, I chose the Meshify 2 series from Fractal since I was inspired by the " 320 TERABYTES in a normal case!! - The DIY 4k editing NAS" video from Linus Tech Tips in which he added 20 drives in a Fractal Define 7 XL. My goal was to use a normal case (it is very difficult to buy specific hardware in France, where I live and since I am in an appartment, having a server case is not really easy).

The problem with that build is clearly the cooling… The Define XL does not have a lot of input flow and the output flow is closed by the drives… Crazy…

On the contrary, the Meshify 2 XL case offers plenty of airflow. The problem was to put 20 drives without killing the output flow. The Meshify 2 XL offers 16 drive locations on the front directly. Let’s find 4 additionnal ones. I decided to go PCIe brackets: I ordered 4 “PCIe 3.5 drive brackets” enabling me to add my drives on the PCIe brackets of the case (it has nine locations, a drive with proper spacing is fine with two, the additional one is for the HP H220 HBA I bought from The Art Of Server on ebay => 12 + 8 SATA cables = 20!).

Before the cooling, another problem was to give power supply to 20 drives… And I do not like “adapters”. I chose a Seasonic Prime-TX 850 power supply which exhibits 6 SATA/PATA connectors. I contacted Seasonic to buy some additional native “4 SATA power cables”, they gave me the contact of their RMA in Germany. OK => 6 x 4 = 24 SATA power connectors… :slight_smile:

And the cooling? My NAS has nine fans… :slight_smile:
In addition to the well-known Noctua A6 fan for the Atom of the motherboard, I first replaced all 14cms Fractal fans of the case by Arctic P14 PWM PST high-pressure fans => three on the front (enabling to almost cool all drives) and one on the back. Then, I put two 12 cms fans (Arctic P12 PWM PST on the top).

And the four drives at the rear, on the PCIe brackets? I bought a fan holder PCIe bracket, enabling to hold two fans. The Meshify XL has some vertical PCIe brackets in front of the traditional horizontal ones… Thus, I added an Artic P12 PWM PST (for the drives) and a P8 (for cooling the HBA) on this bracket, vertically on the side of the drives. Each group of 4 fans are controlled by a fan port of the motherboard => each of them designed to drive server fans, with up to 2A current, each Arctic fan has a max current of 0.17A or something like this… :smiley:

It was quite a fun build I am very happy with it. :slight_smile:

I have some pictures if I can put them, and if there is interest.

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