NAS/SAN Storage

[Jeff Golas]

I'm curious as to who's using what in regards to storage...tell me what brands/devices you're using and like...can be a small NAS box or refrigerator sized iron. Also curious to know how you're using these devices...shared folders, iscsi, etc.

[Mark]

MD3200 fiber connected as shared storage for VMware ESX.  Buffalos NAS that I just got to use as an NFS datastore for VM backups.  I like it, but had to gain root access in order to set the proper NFS options to actually make it usable for this purpose.  That was a little tricky becuase the NFS options are hard-coded into a binary so I found a little perl script to add into the nfs.sh init script to replace those options before starting the service.  I wish device manufacturers wouldn't make it so damn hard. I mean, I PURCHASED the device.  I didn't rent it.  I own it.  AND it runs OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE.  /rant.

The Buffalo is about 6TB of RAID5 love but is a lower end model (not a rack mount/enterprise grade NAS) and of course has low end drives in it.  I also have a Synology NAS that I got a while back when I needed to store some stuff before a server upgrade.  I really love the Synology.  Has a great interface and awesome features.  This is more of a residential device, but I did get it with RAID1 and actually had to replace a drive months after I purchased it (bad drive, but was under warranty).

iSCSI seems to be extremely popular becuase it's flexible, but I wasn't interested in having to purchase additional network cards and all new switches.  Plus, I didn't want to extra network traffic and also wasn't going to buy a high-end switch just to connect to my datastore.  iSCSI does have it's benefits, but didn't appeal to me the least.  The only limitation I really have being fiber connected is that I can only connect 4 hosts to the SAN.  Yippeee.  I only have 3 anyway.   

[Jeff Golas]

Thanks Mark - keep em coming!

The reason I ask is because I'm in the market for both a short term and long term solution, and like Mark I'd like to have some extra space for VM backups as well as my ISO library. I'm looking at a Qnap Turbonas for the short term solution since it natively supports iscsi and supposedly is on the esxi HCL.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/qnap-gets-serious-with-turbo-nas-line-packing-pineview-iscsi/

Long term I'll be looking at Dell first but also getting ideas for third party devices, since the Dell comes with quite a price tag.

[Jeff Zylstra]

This is way too funny.  Reminds me of a couple of gearheads talking 30 years ago.  A kind of wide eyed enthusiasm displayed in a foreign language.  I can almost smell the rubber burning from all of the burnouts.

[Mark]

I can almost smell the rubber burning from all of the burnouts.

I can hear the platters spinning.  The only thing I smell is similar to an electrical fire.  Maybe it's failing capacitors?

[Jeff Zylstra]

I can almost smell the rubber burning from all of the burnouts.

I can hear the platters spinning.  The only thing I smell is similar to an electrical fire.  Maybe it's failing capacitors?

Hmmm.  Sounds like you need a UPS!

[Jeff Golas]

Hey I'd gladly take an LC2 powered NAS w/200-R4 as long as it has a  BRF valve body. Without it I'll take a TH-350 or 400, or maybe even a 4l80E.

[Gene Foraker]

I still think you would be better off dropping in a small block Chevy with a Holly quad.

[Mark]

NAS != NOS   

[Jeff Golas]

I still think you would be better off dropping in a small block Chevy with a Holly quad.

Blasphemy!!!

[DebAmstutz]

I understand the car talk more than the computer talk...and isn't the carb brand spelled "Holley"??

[Jeff Zylstra]

I still think you would be better off dropping in a small block Chevy with a Holly quad.

...Hooker headers, Edelbrock manifold, Crager mags.

[Mark]

/methinks time to split this thread?

[Jeff Golas]

I didn't realize I dont have the Grand National as my profile pic anymore. Kinda wierd that the best stuff for our cars in most cases was all the factory stuff...literally. Intake, Headers (they do break but whataya want for a 300ft-lb v6)...even the coil packs, cheap $1.99 ac delco plugs, etc.

Back to the NAS...cmon I need some NAS speak! For my short-term goal I was recommended an Iomega box and while I thought Iomega was a dead dinosaur on the side of the road, they got bought out by EMC and apparently get GREAT reviews! Little pricey but thats ok if it works.

On the long-term goals I'm going to be doing some comparison between Dell, EMC and who knows what else. Should be interesting!

[Kenny Cruzan]

Jeff,
We have the MD3200 ISCSI SAN.  I got it the same week Mark did and I think we raced who could set it up and of course I won....No, really he had problems with wrong parts and broken stuff (he still will not admit to Dell that he screwed it all up).

We use XenServer for hypervisor and have three of them hooked up to SAN.  The installation was probably much more complex with the two seperate switches and what seemed to be miles of cat6 cable.  You could do it easy Jeff and Dell support was good.  They did the actual programming of the hypervisors to connect to it and setup of the RAID on the SAN. 

I use it for just about every VM storage but I select to use our old exchange server with huge drives as the ISO repository.  Its just a safety net so I don't keep all software in one basket.  You also should always have a 2nd DC which is stand alone in case a hypervisor crashes.  Along with that its a good idea to have maintenance computer hooked directly to SAN for maintenance upgrades.

I think what is important when selecting your SAN is to make sure it is compatible with your hypervisor software.  I know there was an issue with Dell Equalogic and XenServer in older versions.  I'm pretty sure that has been resolved but some things they don't tell you when your talking to sales people.