building file server for ESXI lab

Guys I would like to build a storage server dedicated to my home ESXI/Hyperv lab. I am currently using a old cor2duo with an IBM M1015 controller with 4 500 gig Seagate Constellation ES drives passed throughusing Windows storage spaces. I am using iscsi as the storage protocol. I am unhappy with the performance in other words its dog slow. So I need to do something about this what do you guys suggest hardware wise for a build that will server my needs. I want something decent but I don't want to break the bank either so I don't care if the system is AMD based. I have been told that I can do ZFS or maybe just switch to running Centos and use its iscsi target. I am also not against testing out NFS to see if that provides better performance. I have even thought about going back to all hardware raid anyway I've had many thoughts on this subject.

If you are using the microsoft ISCSI implementation you may want to try Starwind's instead. In my experience is was much faster. Also, if you are using parity storage spaces it is going to be slow unless you add some ssd caching. Run it in a mirror setup instead.

If it is still to slow, try _Gea's Nappit ZFS setup.

I have note added any SSD's for caching however I'm thinking or ordering two 256 gig Crucial's this afternoon. BTW I am using mirroring and the speed still sucks.

windows storage spaces performance sucks ;(

try something doing aggressive ram caching

alphabanks said:

I have note added any SSD's for caching however I'm thinking or ordering two 256 gig Crucial's this afternoon. BTW I am using mirroring and the speed still sucks.

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+1 to TType85 here,
Get StarWind Free and use their iSCSI implementation. That would be way faster than storage spaces.
Don't forget to add some RAM caching when you create the device. More RAM-> Better IOPS

BTW: They have 2 free versions now. One is for mere mortals and it can only do iSCSI on one node but only SMB3/NFS if you want HA storage.
Another one is a full-blown 2-node version of their Virtual SAN, but to get it you need to be a student or trainer or VMware/Microsoft Certified.
I'd check with them to see if they can give you the full blown 2-node version. It's 1000% worth it.