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VMware Storage Questions

T

tjwenger

Weaksauce
Joined
Sep 20, 2009
Messages
123
Hey Guys,

I'm building a VMware box at home for testing/Training, and I'm curious about my storage options for my VM's.

My server is a new HP ML110 G6 Xeon 3430 w/8GB Ram.

My questions revolves around storage.

I would prefer to use a NAS solution, but I read this gets complicated with iSCSI targets. Is there any truth to that?

If i'm not mistaken, I can add a second NIC to that server, and Run a "software" iSCSI to a NAS box (if the NAS box supports iSCSI) Is this correct?

OR, Should I install FREENAS on a VM DAS, and then use FreeNAS to Manipulate a USB Connected Storage solution?

OR forget an external storage solution altogether and run everything on DAS?

Any Advice would be appreciatted, or pointing me in the right direction. My google searches are not yielding any good results.
:confused::confused::confused::confused::confused:
 
Create an OpenFiler box, and use it as an iSCSI target. Use dual Intel Pro 1000 NICs, and call it a day.
 
I found the OpenFiler How-to. Would a Simple Mini ITX with a PCI Express RAID card work well for an Open Filer box?

Thanks, Your help is greatly appreciated.
 
Yep. you could certainly do it on that. I'd suggest a RAID card with a BBU, if your data will be important, or if you would like decent performance out of it. Otherwise just check the OpenFiler compatibility list for controllers.
 
FreeNAS is usable with NFS. Don't use it with iSCSI unless you want a ticking time bomb.
OpenFiler is usable with iSCSI.

Neither is supported, but they do function.
 
Supported How? You mean by VMware? I'm fully aware. This is just a test setup at my house. Obviously, I can't budget a SAN for home. I'm just looking for the next best thing.

This is the current direction:

Open Filer
Micro ATX Mainboard w/PCI Express Slot
PCI Express SATA II RAID Card
4x 2TB WD in Raid 5.
Intel Pro Gig NIC Card out to "SAN" Switch, a VLAN on a Cisco Catalyst Express 500

VM Host
HP ML110 G6
Xeon 3430
8GB Ram
32 gig SSD (VSphere 4.0 install)
Onboard Nic to Common Network
Intel Pro Gig NIC to "SAN" VLAN on Cisco Catalyst

Thanks guys, Your help has been greatly appreciatted. I'll let you know how it goes as I get the parts together.
 
TBH, I'd go smaller disks. You'll run out of IOPS way before you run out of space on the 2TB volumes - surprisingly so, and things will be disappointingly slow. If you're only planning on running a few VMs it's fine.
 
Size Suggestion then? I was also readint hat a RAID card really wont help my IOPS either, so I was going to even forgo the RAID card and use the SW raid in Openfiler.
 
If you want to boost performance, you'll need a real HW raid card with a cache - they start in the $300s new. A good one will be quite a bit more, or you'd have to pick up a used PERC card or the like with the BBWC.

TBH, if you're going SATA disks, the smaller the better - you have a LOT of space per IOP in comparison to a SAS/FC disk.

I'd ~probably~ go 300gb or 250g disks, 4x in RAID5. Space to performance will be about right, especially with a good RAID card. 500 is the absolute max I'd do.

Space is cheap, performance, unfortunately, is not :(
 
I think since its just a test setup I will let software RAID handle it. I understand the performance Gains by Hardware RAID. I just don't think I can justify that expense at the outset. I will just get a simple Mianboard/Processor combo with 4+ SATA ports on board, and let OF do the rest. I'll run four of the Spinpoints geiger linked up.

Now, to get out of design phase and start building it!

Thanks for all the help Guys, I really appreciate pointing me in the right direction.
 
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