Creating a software NAS head

sabregen

sabregen

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Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Messages
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Guys, I have quite the interesting situation in mind, but suffice it to say, I need to create a NAS head for my 500GB WD SATA drive, and the Samsung 160GB that's in my file server at home. I can really go into detail if need be on what I am trying to accomplish, but for now, I will leave it at that.

I need to know where to start (I plan on looking into FreeNAS, because that's the only one that I know of that may work) on this one. I don't care what OS it uses, or what the overhead is, as long as it serves up storage over an IP network. Please let me know where to start, or any suggestions that you might have.
 
- Well what are you trying to accomplish?
- What's your budget?
 
I am going to create a VM under ESXi in prep for my VCP exam. The VM will have it's own physical NIC to use to NAS IP interface for internal SATA disk drives. One 500GB disk is already in use with NTFS on it, and data. I have a 160GB drive to give to VM storage, to be accessed by the ESXi host. I know, it's a bit confusing for a lot of people to wrap their head around, but here's the physical view:

File server running ESXi
18GB 7.2k RPM Seagate U320 on Adaptec U320 PCI controller for boot LUN
500GB WD SATA on Nforce controller
160GB Samsung SATA on Nforce controller
80GB Maxtor SATA previously used as XP boot drive, which has been converted to Ghost9 image for import into ESXi after installation

Logical view:

ESXi running on physical file server hardware, booting from 18GB SCSI U320 drive on Adaptec controller, 2 onboard GbE NICs (one for production traffic of VMs, one dedicated to NAS function). 18GB drive partitioned to 5GB boot for ESXi, the rest (or as needed) for NAS head VM.

NAS head OS installed in VM, using 160GB Samsung SATA drive as it's VM_Store for all VMs.

Import XP Ghost9 backup (running file server)

Store XP FS VM on 160GB Samsung

Create other VMs on the NAS Head's IP faced 160GB Samsung


Budget: $0
Getting it to work, and making people's head hurt when I tell them how it's working: Priceless


Can it be done?
 
I dont see the positiveness of having all the VM's hard drives, stored on a virtual NAS, also on the same ESXi machine
 
dbwillis said:
I dont see the positiveness of having all the VM's hard drives, stored on a virtual NAS, also on the same ESXi machine
Click to expand...

yes, I understand your concern. It's a test of my mental abilities :D. I have setup the Virtual Center Server at work as a VM, and that runs on the ESX host #1, which manages both ESX physical servers.
 
this is for practice. I just pulled an old Quantum Snap! Server 2000 (20GB on 2x 10GB IDE drives) and got it all reset, and up on the network. PSU was almost toast, and the main ASIC had a siezed fan. So, now I have a real NAS box, even though it's only 100Mbit faced, it's a start. I will see about upgrading the OS on it, and adding more disk space. Anyone got a line on two identical IDE drives between 80-120GB ea?

Oh, and I'm not giving up on a VM NAS head by any means, the challenge is half the fun.
 
no. File server in this case = physical hardware running XP on Maxtor 80GB drive. The NAS Head is to be an ESXi hosted VM that points to the internal Samsung 160GB and serves it up to the ESXi host as a NAS target for VM Storage.
 
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