QNAP to TrueNas - PowerEdge T320?

Computer Hardware & Server Infrastructure Builds
1

After some issues with my 453A QNAP device that have since been resolved for now I’m looking at refurbished PowerEdge tower options to install TrueNas onto. Anyone running TrueNas on similar hardware.

I am mindful of the potential power consumption of said unit, but equally it’ll have some grunt for Plex and other potential Jail appilications and virtual machines.

Initial intential is 2 x 120GB SSD for TrueNas OS and 4 x 4TB drives for data. I’ll migrated the QNAP drives maybe in time or I’ll use the QNAP as an rync backup mirror or even TrueNas onto the QNAP unit.

2

The important thing to remember with any system you plan on running TrueNAS (Core or Scale) is that it need direct access to the drives. This means no raid card, just an HBA.

3

Hi Tom,

Yes seen that, so will flash the cards to IT or omit them from the order as they’re an expensive item and order a cheaper SATA PCI-E card etc.

Looking at other PowerEdge tower options too, but an Xeon chip should be way better than any atom/celeron chip.

RAM seems the big benefit with TrueNas.

Particularly if I look further at transcoding etc.

Planning to true Plex Music too for the Sonos system.

This is one of the potential systems I’m considering and then add disks,

Dell PowerEdge T320 Server (techbuyer.com)

or

PowerEdge T320 Configure To Order (etb-tech.com)
Cheers,

Mike

4

If you do have a RAID card in the system I would recommend building a virtual disk (RAID 0) with each individual drive to present those drives individually to the OS. Also, turn off caching or make sure to use write through vice write back.

5

I believe the recommendation was to flash the card to IT mode.

6

Yes, you can do that, but I was providing an alternative that should work just as well.

7

Makes sense.

I’ve ordered the following:

T320
1 x Intel E5-2430L processor
32gb RAM (2 x 16gb)
4 x 3tb 7.2k HDD
4 x Extra caddies
H310 controller
iDRAC Enterprise
1 x 750w PSU
Bezel

8

I have R420s on my homelab and both versions of TrueNAS run fine.

You can set H310 as non-RAID via iDRAC.

1 Like
9

Thanks, I’ll check out the H310 config

10

Repurposing these Enterprise grade platforms for stuff like this is a great idea for many reasons. They def have the durability and endurance for NAS and/or NVR duties, and anything that keeps stuff out of the landfills is always going to be a win-win.

1 Like
11

Just to confirm re the H310, you didn’t change the firmware on the card? I’m more keen to retain OEM flash as it integrates into the iRAC etc better and fans don’t ramp up etc.

Server has arrived and spent a lot of time going through firmware for the H310, but I’m leaning more to swapping it out for an HBA330 and putting it into non-raid mode.

Even the mention of non-raid mode on the truenas forums gets various answers etc.

12

How many HDD are you using
if it is 4 or less the onboard SATA ports wil do just fine.
Thats how I run my Dell T320

Wim

13

atm looking like circa 8 drives on the SAS.

4 x 3TB SAS - fitted and running in a 2 x mirror setup
3 x SATA + one more if I migrate from the Qnap

2 x SATA SSD on the onboard SATA

Got a H310 fitted at the moment running in IT mode, but it mucks with the iDRAC sensors (fans etc).