Need help with my storage setup

[jtvd78]

Currently, I have this nice little WHS server. It does backups for all the computers in the house, as well as operating as a NAS and a small minecraft srever. It has dual core CPU with 4GB RAM.

However, I wanted to expand, so I got an AMD FX-8320, and 32GB of memory. I plan to run an ESXi host. I have all the hardware I need for the new server, but I am still confused on what I should do about storage.

I have 2x2TB Drives(Getting one more), 1x640GB, and 1x500GB Drive. Though, I don't yet know how I'm going to pool them. There are so many options, and I can't really tell the difference between them. Like, unRAID, and FLEXRaid, and RaidZ, and Greyhole, and ZFS. I just don't know.

I was also thinking about just doing regular RAID. By raiding the 640 and 500 in RAID 1 for VM files, and the 3 2TB drives in RAID 5 for storage. Though, that would mean I would need to get a dedicated RAID card, which I don't want to pay for if I don't need to. It is still an option, though.

So, what do you guys think?

 

[Concentric]

I'm curious, what are you planning on running apart from the fileserver?
You could continue using WHS as the fileserver - it sounds like it fits your needs and is probably a lot simpler to set up. Depends what features you want and how much effort you want to have to put in. If you go for a different system (like setting up a Unix OS and ZFS) then you'll have to start all over again.
Anyway, before you do anything, back it all up!

 

[Dangman]

There are so many options, and I can't really tell the difference between them. Like, unRAID, and FLEXRaid, and RaidZ, and Greyhole, and ZFS. I just don't know.

Then read some more then? Or re-read the research? I mean, there's quite a bit of info out there detailing the pros and cons of each of those file storage methods on their respective web-page. I mean if you really did your research, you would have known that RAIDZ is ZFS' kind of RAID. Or better yet, if you have a spare PC and spare hard drives, try them all. The paid options have trial offers and the free options are, well, free. Oh there's also DrivePool if you need to use Windows.

I was also thinking about just doing regular RAID. By raiding the 640 and 500 in RAID 1 for VM files, and the 3 2TB drives in RAID 5 for storage. Though, that would mean I would need to get a dedicated RAID card, which I don't want to pay for if I don't need to. It is still an option, though.

You won't need a dedicated RAID card if you're using any non-Windows software RAID like ZFS or Linux MDADM RAID. If you have to use Windows, then you might need a dedicated card if you want really high performance. With that said, you might to replace all your drives together as many RAID controllers are a quite selective as to what drives they'll support.

So, what do you guys think?

Do some more research and try to get some hands-on experience with each of those file storage methods. We can quote specs and features and arguments at you all day long but it's just faster and less confusing to you..