HDD upgrade in server - sys drive

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Schroinx
Posts: 218
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2003 3:21 am
Location: Denmark

HDD upgrade in server - sys drive

Post by Schroinx » Fri Oct 12, 2018 5:41 am

I have WHS11 server based on this hardware viewtopic.php?f=28&t=67905.

Currently it is populated with a 1,8TB system hd, a 3TB drive to host the dbase for the movie software (EMBY) and further 4X WD 4TB in mirror and 4X WD red 6 also in mirror for storage.
I am now waiting for the 12TB WD red to come out, and then I'll transition this to 4-6x12TB drives. I have been quite satisfied with the mirror function, and am now contemplating if I in the new setup should also setup the sys and dbase drive in mirror, to reduce the risk from disk failure (I had my share in the past). I have set it all up in windows, due the ease of working with it.

I use a Marvell sata controller, but it does not pass SMART info and need drivers not included in windows, and I might change to one that do and that do, if anyone knows of such a 4-port sata controller.

mingv7v
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2015 1:08 pm
Location: Vancouver B.C

Re: HDD upgrade in server - sys drive

Post by mingv7v » Tue Oct 16, 2018 4:34 pm

Schroinx wrote:and am now contemplating if I in the new setup should also setup the sys and dbase drive in mirror, to reduce the risk from disk failure (I had my share in the past).
Depends on what's important to you. Mirroring your system and database drives is more an assurance of server availability than backup (mirroring will not prevent, for example, accidental over-writes). If the main goal is preventing data loss and not 24/7 availability then backing up the drives to the array maybe a better option.
I use a Marvell sata controller, but it does not pass SMART info and need drivers not included in windows, and I might change to one that do and that do, if anyone knows of such a 4-port sata controller.
WHS V2 reached end of life in 2016 and with MSFT de facto abandoned it soon after its release, there maybe compatibility issues with adding current generation hardware to it.

If 6x12TB HDD is within your budget, have you considered running 5x12TB in RAID6? The saving from a 12TB HDD should be enough for new HW or Windows Server Essential.

Abula
Posts: 3662
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:22 pm
Location: Guatemala

Re: HDD upgrade in server - sys drive

Post by Abula » Tue Oct 16, 2018 5:47 pm

Schroinx wrote:I use a Marvell sata controller, but it does not pass SMART info and need drivers not included in windows, and I might change to one that do and that do, if anyone knows of such a 4-port sata controller.
Im using with WHS2011 2x IBM 1015 flashed to IT it does pass the smart reading from the drives, but the easiest would be LSI 9207 which are HBA from factory, you can find them on ebay, i bought mine for $50. These are 8 ports, but i think there are 4 port versions, although the saving is almost nothing so up to you. You do need to buy the breakout cables, depending on the card, in my case was from 8087 to sata.

As a recommendation, check also unRaid its a very easy to use server linux distro, in case you might want to move from WHS2011. Although im still very happy with WHS2011+Stablebitt scanner/drivepool.

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