Home server build quandary

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Need some advice about new home server setup. I currently have an N54l with total space of 3tb which runs Linux and stores all media etc.

I also have an old hp server running esxi.

 

Now I have an ml10 V2 which I want to use but need help on hardware setup. I'm thinking use my hp p222 raid card and get a cage and throw in 4 drives. Then I will add an icy dock 4 bay 5.25 jobbie.

 

Now the main problem is I don't know whether to install esxi on this machine make a small virtual Linux instance and allocate it the 4 drives and use the icy dock ones for other VMS (although annoyingly esxi doesn't support the onboard raid I don't think) or just install Linux on the whole machine the same way I have it setup on the n54l and keep my separate VM server. Or dump the icy dock idea and get an external raid enclosure? Currently ml10 has E3 1220 but don't mind upgrading that if it's going to be an all in one box.

 

Or keep the ml10 diskless and install new drives and freenas on the n54l and just use it for storage.

 

O seem to be going round in circles.

 

 

[JackoUK 54]

The requirements of data storage and virtual machines are sufficiently different that I would isolate them in separate machines. So:

 

1. Keep your N54L and old HP Server as bulk data storage machines using HDD's. One could back up the other in case of failure. They are old and slow … but perfectly capable of serving up data at 100MBs.

 

2. Equip your new ML10 with plenty of memory and SSD's only for running VM's, treating it as a workstation for fast working. Access data using SMB shares.

 

I described a more elaborate architecture in:

https://homeservershow.com/forums/topic/16182-converged-10g-home-storage-network/

You don't need to go for 10G networking or as many machines of course - you would be building 'Data4', 'Data5' and 'Workstation' from my diagram.

 

Edited July 20, 2018 by JackoUK

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Thanks for the reply I'll have a read of your project. That sounds like the best way to go, I might even try and source another ml10 to use for the storage side as will hold more drives.