Splitting Out My Storage Server?

[PhoenixC5]

Hi All,

I'm considering a change of home lab architecture. Right now I just have one server running ESXi 5.5. Here are the specs:

• ASRock EP2C602wwd-4L/D16 Motherboard
• 2 x Intel Xeon E5-2620V2 Processors
• 16 x 16GB DDR3 1600 MHz Memory (256GB)
• Norco 4224 Rackmount Case
• 1 x 500GB Samsung 840 SSD
• LSI Logic 9265-8i RAID Controller
o 2 x 500GB Samsung 840 EVO SSDs (RAID 0)
o 2 x 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SSDs (RAID 0)
o 4 x 256GB Samsung 840 Pro SSDs (RAID 0)
• Areca 1880i RAID Controller with an HP SAS Expander
o 8 x 2TB Hitachi 7K3000 HDDs (RAID 6)

All of my VM's run off of the SSD's, but for my bigger storage, I'm considering breaking it out to a separate box. So I have a few key decisions to make.

First is what storage solution I want to use (hence this post). Should I transplant my 1880i and HP SAS Expander into my new storage-only server and stick with hardware RAID? Should I switch to something like ZFS with JBOD and just get something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4U-Supermic...6&pid=100005&rk=4&rkt=6&sd=141564888800&rt=nc

Second, and less storage related, but still important is what to do with the new physical box itself. I have one VM that I have the RAID 6 array connected to directly. When I move the storage, should I move that Windows-based file server as well and make the new box an ESX node in the cluster? The file server is used for backups mostly but also contains some media that I stream around the house. So really the decision ends up being ESXi node, or standalone SAN-type box?

Help! I'd love some feedback on how others are doing what I'm doing and what any of you might recommend.

Thanks in advance!

-Brian

 

[cantalup]

........
First is what storage solution I want to use (hence this post). Should I transplant my 1880i and HP SAS Expander into my new storage-only server and stick with hardware RAID? Should I switch to something like ZFS with JBOD and just get something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4U-Supermic...6&pid=100005&rk=4&rkt=6&sd=141564888800&rt=nc

Second, and less storage related, but still important is what to do with the new physical box itself. I have one VM that I have the RAID 6 array connected to directly. When I move the storage, should I move that Windows-based file server as well and make the new box an ESX node in the cluster? The file server is used for backups mostly but also contains some media that I stream around the house. So really the decision ends up being ESXi node, or standalone SAN-type box?

Help! I'd love some feedback on how others are doing what I'm doing and what any of you might recommend.

Thanks in advance!

-Brian

the ebay link is for supermicro with expander backplane.
make sure to verify with seller that backplane IS sas2!!!!