CentOS - Nov 2017 - low end file server with h/w RAID - recommendations

DO NOT buy the newer HPE DL20 gen9 or ML10 gen9 servers then (especially if
using CentOS 6.x)

I don't use hardware raid (mdadm for the win!) so cannot speak to that.

DL20, bought it on a stock 'B' sale. Great price. Works well on Windows.
HPE doesn't sell hard drive trays, etc. You pretty much have to buy their
equipment.

You CAN get 3rd party parts (drive trays, etc.) but will nickel and dime you.
Example, try to get an HPE-ODD power to sata power adapter. I haven't been
able to locate one. The one HPE sells, doesn't work on a standard SSD drive.
**NO** standard place inside machine to mount an SSD drive either. **NO**
standard power connectors either. So trying in install a bootable SDD, then raid
your storage drives will be a task. One I gave up on.

THEIR website says the DL20 gen9 it supports CentOS 6.x.... In reality, NO
unless you want the pain of downloading, compiling drivers, etc.
If you don't use THEIR hard drives, they work but you don't get
"LED Support" from the smart array controller. i.e. A drive craps, the
smart array won't lite up the dead drive tray. You have a 50/50 shot at
guessing which one. At least the Smart Array software (in Windows) will tell you
what bay its in.

The DL20 once you get past the crap in setting it up (again, you have to use the
smart provisioning utility to install server 2012 r2 on it; Seriously HPE) but
once up and running, so far no more headaches.

My ML10 gen9 experience is a mix. 

The newer ML10 gen9 experience was worse. First several installs just never ran
right. Unexplained lockup and crashes. Onboard nic never ran right. Now,
it's using a transplanted install of CentOS 6.9, using installed Intel nics
and this setup so far is running pretty well, no issues so far.

On the other hand, I've got an year (maybe two) older ML10 gen9 running
CentOS 6.9. Hasn't given me a day of trouble from day one.

Hopefully some of this helps...

Regards,

Richard


-----Original Message-----
From: CentOS [mailto:centos-bounces at centos.org] On Behalf Of vychytraly .
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2017 8:28 AM
To: CentOS mailing list
Subject: Re: [CentOS] low end file server with h/w RAID - recommendations

Hello, what is the purpose of this server?

On Thursday, November 2, 2017, Gary Stainburn <gary at ringways.co.uk>
wrote:
> I'm just about to build a new server and I'm looking for 
> recommendations
on
> what hardware to use.
>
> I'm happy with either a brand name, or building my own, but would like 
> a hardware RAID controller to run a pair of disks as RAID1 that is 
> actually compatible with and manageable through Linux.
>
> Any recommendations would be appreciated.
>
> Gary
> _______________________________________________
> CentOS mailing list
> CentOS at centos.org
> https://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
>
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Richard Zimmerman wrote:
> DO NOT buy the newer HPE DL20 gen9 or ML10 gen9 servers then (especially if
using CentOS 6.x)
What would you suggest as alternative, something from Dell?

I just put a call into AT&T Office 365 asking them to explain the spoof
warning thing...

To answer your question....

At the moment, no I can't. I like HPE stuff, we bought a DL380 gen9 say five
months ago and totally happy with it. In fairness, its running Server 2012 r2
too but I didn't run into the hardware gotchas I did on the other stuff. It
just seems HPE skimped on their lower end stuff and CentOS 6.x doesn't play
well.

This whole incident with the DL20 JUST happened. It's (finally) been
spinning Server 2012 r2 for about a week now. It was a long 5 week process just
to get to to this answer.

I haven't had the time to research out what my next buys are going to be.
I'm listening as well if someone has a suggestion.

Honestly, I'm leaning against Dell because their stuff just doesn't seem
to be built to last. We have 1 T620, 2 R620 servers. So far just past the 5 year
mark, 3 dead hard drives, 2 power supplies. That is with the machines mostly
TURNED OFF. (Failed IT project after I was hired; aborted a move to a new ERP
system) With my personal Dell laptop just bought 4 months ago, periodically get
the 6 beep on power on error. Tells me Dell quality / quality control might not
be where it needs to be.

Then again, I get a constant flow of HPE advisories..... :(

I've thinking of taking a look at Supermicro severs. 

Bottom line is, they all have their quirks, problems, deficiencies....

WHY did Lenovo have to quit selling the RS140's? I *LOVE* those machines....
Fast, reliable and just work GREAT with Centos 6.9!

Regards,

Richard


-----Original Message-----
From: CentOS [mailto:centos-bounces at centos.org] On Behalf Of hw
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2017 9:09 AM
To: centos at centos.org
Subject: Re: [CentOS] low end file server with h/w RAID - recommendations

Richard Zimmerman wrote:
> DO NOT buy the newer HPE DL20 gen9 or ML10 gen9 servers then (especially if
using CentOS 6.x)
What would you suggest as alternative, something from Dell?
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hw wrote:
> Richard Zimmerman wrote:
>> DO NOT buy the newer HPE DL20 gen9 or ML10 gen9 servers then
(especially
>> if using CentOS 6.x)
>
> What would you suggest as alternative, something from Dell?
Yep, Dell's are good. And I do *not* want to buy from HP, because their
support is nothing like good. And once you run out the warranty, they
don't want to even let you get things like firmware updates. Dell will.

Another company that's ok is ThinkMate, though their support ain't
great,
I think they're better than HP...oh, sorry, for a server, it'll be HPE
(the company divided a year or two ago).

If you get a Dell, and one of their PERC cards, you're getting a rebranded
LSI, sorry, Avago, um, who bought it last? Those are good and reliable,
not super expensive.

Next question: you want RAID, how much storage do you need? Will 4 or 8
3.5" drives be enough (DO NOT GET crappy 2.5" drives - they're
*much* more
expensive than the 3.5" drives, and smaller disk space. For the price of a
1TB 2.5", I can get at least a 4TB WD Red.

One more thing: if you go with a vendor like ThinkMate, know that most of
them are reselling Supermicro systems. We used to buy a lot of Penguins,
but their quality control.... At any rate, the direct names are cheaper:
if you go for Dell, find a reseller, who may get you a better deal than
Dell direct. If you go this route, email me offlist, and I'll recommend my
preferred reseller for Dell - the discounts are good.

       mark