Server/NAS/VM's - Decisions

[rharris118]

Hi, I'm struggling to decide on the best/most suited solution.

Currently, I have a server running windows server 2016, with hyper-v handling a few V's including untangle for my router/UTM.

I then have a bunch of hard drives managed by drivepool providing a drive I share/use for my NAS.

I've decided I need to upgrade a few of the hard drives so have ordered 6x4tb drives in the sales - which leads me to think it would be an ideal time to make any changes.

I'm thinking of running ESXi, virtualising windows server, and running the other VM's there instead.

But that leads me to storage - I can't decide what is the best solution?

Should I pass the HBA through to windows and set up drivepool again? Use storage spaces? Or pass the HBA to a FreeNAS VM? Or other solution.

I'd like your ideas on what you'd do?

The data I horde isn't massively important, I keep offsite backups of anything I cant afford to lose - but I have about 10tb of media I'd prefer not to lose in the process.

 

[neodude]

Just use UnRaid. It would be able to handle your NAS functions as well as acting as a VM host. With Dockers in UnRaid you might find you won't need as many VMs as you have now anyways.

 

[Deleted member 138126]

No need to pass the HBA through to the VM, just pass the disks through as RDMs. And also, don't use Storage Spaces. It is slow, it is painful, and you will (eventually) 100% regret it.