Hi Grant, I'm in a similar situation to where you were in July, and I was wondering what route you ended up going?
Patrick On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 4:42 PM, Grant Peel <gp...@thenetnow.com> wrote: > Chris, > > Again, thanks for the info. > > I only have one server with a PERC (raid) card installed, and I beleive it > is an older PERC 3 DCI, and doubt it would do the job. I would not be able > to add more PERC cards to the other machines. > > I am looking to have the connections all done via Ethernet. Again, the > connections would be local (device to my switch, switch to the individual > servers). > > Does this mean I should be considering iSCSI, or, since the connections will > all be on a local network, that I can continue to consider NFS? > > Any takers? > > -Grant > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christopher J. Umina" > <chris.um...@studsvikscandpower.com> > To: "Grant Peel" <gp...@thenetnow.com> > Cc: <questi...@freebsd.org> > Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 8:01 PM > Subject: Re: NFS- SAN - FreeBSD > > >> Grant, >> >> DAS = Direct-Attached Storage, sorry to be confusing. >> >> I cannot personally speak to the performance of FreeBSD's NFS, but I >> wouldn't expect it to be the bottleneck in the situation described. Maybe >> others with more experience could chime in on this topic. >> >> The way to use a DAS is to connect the DAS to a server with an external >> SAS cable (or two). The PERC6/E controller you would need inside the server >> is very well supported in FreeBSD. The DAS system would basically act the >> same as internal disks would act (in the case of the MD1000). Of course >> you'll want to check with Dell before you make any purchases to be positive >> that your hardware will all communicate nicely, as I'm no Dell salesperson. >> >> Depending on how large of an array you plan to make (if larger than 2TB) >> you may have to investigate gpart/gpt to partition correctly, but that's >> quite simple in my experience. >> >> Chris >> >> Grant Peel wrote: >>> >>> Chris, >>> >>> Thanks for the insight! >>> >>> I will defineately investigate that DAS ... although I am not (yet) sure >>> what the acronym means, I am sure it is something akin to "Direct Access >>> SCSI". >>> >>> You are quite right, I would like to use NFS to connect the device to the >>> 6 servers I have, again, it would be only hosting the /home partition for >>> each of them. Do you know if there would be any NFS I/O slowdowns using it >>> in that fassion? Would freebsd support (on the storage device) that many >>> connections? >>> >>> Also, do the Dell DAS machines run with FreeBSD? >>> >>> Also, from you you explained, I doubt I really need the versatility of >>> the SAN at this point, or in the near future. I simply want a mass /home >>> storage unit. >>> >>> -Grant >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christopher J. Umina" >>> <chris.um...@studsvikscandpower.com> >>> To: "Grant Peel" <gp...@thenetnow.com> >>> Cc: <questi...@freebsd.org> >>> Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 5:43 PM >>> Subject: Re: NFS- SAN - FreeBSD >>> >>> >>>> Grant, >>>> >>>> I mean to say that often times external SCSI solutions (direct attached) >>>> are cheaper and perform better (in terms of I/O) than iSCSI SANs. >>>> Especially >>>> if you're using many disks. SANs are generally chosen for the ability to >>>> be >>>> split into LUNs for different servers. Think of it as a disk which you can >>>> partition and serve out to servers on a per-partition basis, over Ethernet. >>>> That's essentially what an iSCSI SAN does. While DAS systems allow the >>>> same sort of configuration, they don't serve out over Ethernet, only >>>> SCSI/SAS. >>>> >>>> Since you plan to use NFS to share the files to the other servers, I >>>> think it may make more sense for you to use a SCSI solution if yo don't >>>> need >>>> the versatility of a SAN. >>>> >>>> Of course I know nothing of how you plan to expand this system, but from >>>> what I understand, with Dell DAS hardware it is possible to connect up to 4 >>>> different servers to the DAS and expand to up to 6 15 disk enclosures. The >>>> MD3000i (iSCSI) expands only to 3. >>>> >>>> Another issue is that without compiling in special versions of the iSCSI >>>> initiator, even in 8.0-BETA2 (which is not production-ready), iSCSI >>>> performance and reliability are terrible. There are other versions of the >>>> code (which I currently use) for the iscsi_initiator kernel module, but >>>> unless you're comfortable doing that, you may consider DAS in terms of ease >>>> of implementation and maintenance as well. >>>> >>>> Chris >>>> >>>> Grant Peel wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Chris, >>>>> >>>>> I don't know what a direct attached array is..... >>>>> >>>>> What I was just thinking was move all of the servers /home directory to >>>>> a huge NFS mount. >>>>> >>>>> If you have the time to elaborate fursther, I would apprciate it... >>>>> >>>>> This iSCSI think has me entrigued, but I must admit I know little about >>>>> it at this point. >>>>> >>>>> -Grant >>>>> >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Christopher J. Umina" >>>>> <chris.um...@studsvik.com> >>>>> To: "Grant Peel" <gp...@thenetnow.com> >>>>> Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 11:27 PM >>>>> Subject: Re: NFS- SAN - FreeBSD >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> Grant, >>>>>> >>>>>> I have to ask, is there a reason you're intent on going with a SAN >>>>>> versus a direct-attached array? >>>>>> >>>>>> Chris >>>>>> >>>>>> Grant Peel wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks for the reply. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I have not used/investigated the iSCSI thing yet.... >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The original question is can I just use an NFS mount to the storage's >>>>>>> /home partition? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -Grant >>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: mojo fms To: Grant Peel Cc: >>>>>>> freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Sent: Monday, July 20, 2009 4:21 PM >>>>>>> Subject: Re: NFS- SAN - FreeBSD >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> You would be better off at least having the SAN on 1gb ethernet or >>>>>>> even better tripple 1gb (on a 100mb switch should be fine but you need >>>>>>> failover for higher avaliability) ethernet for latency and failover >>>>>>> reasons >>>>>>> with a hot backup on the network controller. I dont see why you could >>>>>>> not >>>>>>> do this, its just iscsi connection normally so there is not a big issue >>>>>>> getting freebsd to connect to it. We run 2 of the 16tb powervault which >>>>>>> does pretty well for storage, one runs everything and the other is a >>>>>>> replicated offsite backup. Performance wise, it really depends on how >>>>>>> many >>>>>>> servers you have pulling data from the SAN and how hard the IO works on >>>>>>> the >>>>>>> current servers. If you have 100 servers you might push the IO a bit >>>>>>> but >>>>>>> but it should be fine if your not serving more than 2Mb/s out to >>>>>>> everyone, >>>>>>> the servers and disks are going to cache a fair amount of always used >>>>>>> data. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:52 AM, Grant Peel <gp...@thenetnow.com> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi all, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I am assuming by the lack of response, my question to too long >>>>>>> winded, let me re-phrase: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> What kind of performance might I expect if I load FreeBSD 7.2 on a >>>>>>> 24 disk, Dell PowerVault when its only mission is to serve as a local >>>>>>> area >>>>>>> storage unit (/home). Obviously, to store all users /home data. Throug >>>>>>> an >>>>>>> NFS connection via fast (100m/b) ethernet. Each connecting server (6) >>>>>>> contain about 200 domains? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -Grant >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Grant Peel" >>>>>>> <gp...@thenetnow.com> >>>>>>> To: <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> >>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, July 18, 2009 10:35 AM >>>>>>> Subject: NFS- SAN - FreeBSD >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi all, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Up to this point, all of our servers are standalone, i.e. all >>>>>>> services and software required are installed on each local server. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Apache, Exim, vm-pop3d, Mysql, etc etc. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Each local server is connected to the Inet via a VLAN (WAN), to >>>>>>> our colo's switch. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Each server contains about 300 domains, each domain has its own >>>>>>> IP. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Each sever is also connected to a VLAN (LAN) via the same (Dell >>>>>>> 48 Port managed switch). >>>>>>> >>>>>>> We have been considering consolidating all users data from each >>>>>>> server to a central (local), storage unit. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> While I do have active nfs's running (for backups etc), on the >>>>>>> LAN only, I have never attempted to create 1 mass storage unit. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> So I suppose the questions are: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 1) Is there any specific hardware that anyone might reccommend? >>>>>>> I want to stick with FreeBSD as the OS as I am quite comfortable >>>>>>> admining >>>>>>> it, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 2) Would anyone reccomend NOT using FreeBSD? Why? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 3) Assuming I am using FreeBSD as the storage systems OS, could >>>>>>> NFS simply be used? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 4) Considering out whole Inet traffic runs about 2 Mb/s, is >>>>>>> there any reason the port to the Storage unit should be more than 100 >>>>>>> M/b >>>>>>> (would it be imparative to use 1 G/b transfer)? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> TIA, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -Grant >>>>>>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> freebsd-questi...@freebsd.org mailing list >>>>>>> http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions >>>>>>> To unsubscribe, send any mail to >>>>>>> "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org" >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> freebsd-questi...@freebsd.org mailing list >>>>>>> http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions >>>>>>> To unsubscribe, send any mail to >>>>>>> "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org" >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- Who knew >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list >>>>>>> http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions >>>>>>> To unsubscribe, send any mail to >>>>>>> "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org" >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list >> http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions >> To unsubscribe, send any mail to >> "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org" >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list > http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions > To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org" > _______________________________________________ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscr...@freebsd.org"