mini HowTo Part 1:

Setup a napp-it ZFS-Server appliance on Illumian, NexentaCore, OpenIndiana or Solaris 11 04. February 2012 (Part 2 see http://www.napp-it.org/doc/downloads/all-in-one.pdf)

napp-it is a free, open and user extendable web appliance software to manage your NAS/ SAN/ Web/ AFP/ ZFS-Server from your preferred browser. With the included online installer, your NAS/SAN is ready to run within minutes. napp-it is not a huge and complex thing. it´s just a small and simple copy and run web-application running on top of any cgi capable webserver. Currently mini-httpd is included, one of the smallest available webservers.

napp-it on Solaris 11 and OpenIndiana (c) Günther Alka 2012, you are allowed to distribute this document in any way

napp-it ZFS-Server appliance/ Web-UI Featurelist

* One-Klick Online Installer script to setup a ready to run NAS within minutes for NexentaCore, OpenIndiana and Solaris 11

* Concept to include a virtualized ZFS-SAN with NFS datastore into a vmware virtual esxi Server (ESXi 4/5 + SAN + virtual switch, all-in-one)

* Comstar iSCSI Management (LU, Targets with Auth, Target Groups, Portal Groups, Target Portal Groups, FCOE) * Grouping with ZFS host-host replication (autojob) * Integrated & editable Helppages * Jobmanagement (autosnap, autoscrub, email status & alert mails; perl scriptable) * Pool-Benchmarks via bonnie+ * Property Management of ZFS-folders * Service Management (Start, Stop, Restart, Status) * Share Management of ZFS-folders with optimized settings (ex. ACL and properties) * Snapshot Management (Systemsnaps and Datasnaps, delete based on date or regex) * System + Network Settings (hostname, Router, DNS, IP etc) * User and Group-Management (Solaris and SMB) * User extendable/ editable menues and actions (language: perl) * ZFS Management: Disks, Pools, ZFS Folders, Raid Z3, Deduplication, unlimited Snapshots without extra space or time-lost SSD Hybrid-Storage, Compress, Online Pool-Check with data-refresh =(scrubbing) * Data Encryption (currently only Solaris Express 11)

included or additional installable services

* AFP Fileserver with Time Machine + Avahi Zero Config with afp-installer * CIFS/ SMB Fileserver (Workgroup/ AD-Domain with ACL-Support and Snaps via previous version) * Comstar iSCSI Server * Database Server with mySQL * Ipf Firewall * NFS Server V.3 and V.4 (Datastore for Vmware esxi) * SSH Server * XAMPP Internetserver with Apache2 + PHP, Perl, MySQL with PHPMyadmin and ftp-Server with amp-installer

Target users

* University and Educational use * free Commercial and Enterprise use without external support-needs * Developper * SOHO * Home

1. Basic NAS setup (Nexenta 3, OpenIndiana or Solaris 11)

1.1 Install Operating System Download bootable System ISO Illumian, successor of NexentaCore (OpenSource), small server installation http://www.illumian.org

OpenIndiana (OpenSource, i suggest Live Edition, more user friendly, Time-Slider) http://openindiana.org/download/

or (only free for non-commercial and demo usage) Solaris 11 (i suggest Live Edition, more user friendly, Time-Slider) http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/solaris11/downloads/index.html

Illumian/ Nexenta supports mirrored boot-drives during installation. With OI and SE11 see: http://constantin.glez.de/blog/2011/03/how-set-zfs-root-pool-mirror-oracle-solaris-11-express Use Solaris supported hardware. Look at Sun HCL, napp-it.org/hardware or Nexenta.org http://nexenta.org/projects/site/wiki/About_suggested_NAS_SAN_Hardware Burn this ISO, set Sata to AHCI and boot your Computer from it. Follow the instructions. You must answer questions about Keyboard, Language and network settings.

!! If you use NexentaCore with dhcp network settings, you must enable auto-config after installation: at console enter: svcadm enable nwam 1.2 First time Install update of the base napp-it ZFS-Server Login as root and enter: (or login as other user, enter su to get root permission and enter:) wget -O - www.napp-it.org/nappit | perl passwd root reboot

Thats all. Your NAS is configured, a additional root-SMB passwort is set, your server is ready to use and all needed services and tools for Napp-it ZFS-Server are installed or updated to current versions. To be safe, the installer will clone your system first, so you can go back. If you had a already installed napp-it, all tasks and private menues are kept. In case of problems, check FAQ on last page.

1.3 There is no step 3, start napp-it Web-GUI management software

After Installation, your current network ip is displayed. Open your preferred browser and enter: http://serverip:81 to manage your NAS If something happens ex the minihttpd webserver crashed, you can restart napp-it as root by: /etc/init.d/napp-it start

NexentaCore with Midnight Commander Filebrowser

OpenIndiana with Filebrowser/ TimeSlider and Console

2.0 How to use Midnight Commander (all platforms) File Commander with text-edit

hide/ show mc: ctrl-o jump left-right tab exit menues esc

recommended listing mode: with permissions F9-Listing-mode

edit file F4 view file F3 exit F10

i prefer using mc with putty. if you use it on console, you will eventually have problems with function keys or char sets

2.1 How to login remotely

ssh is installed per default, but user root is not allowed to remote login via ssh because of security reasons. you could either login as a non-root user or:

We know what we are doing, so we will allow remote login for root. Start you napp-it web-gui, goto menu services ssh and enable root

Now you can connect to your system via putty or winscp with full management capabilites. Please disable root-access when not needed!

File Management with Midnight Commander at console or remotly via putty

File/ Security Management with WinSCP (free Windows App for SFTP)Remote management via Putty (free Windows app for remote console)

3. Start napp-it from your Browser: http://serverip:81

If you do not know your ip (it was shown after running the online installer), login and enter at console: ifconfig -a

you will get infos about your network config. If your webserver is not running, start it as root with /etc/init.d/napp-it start

3.1 Create a data pool to store your files on it First needed step is to create a datapool from your disks (Picture 1) Datapools can grow nearly unlimited. They are build from vdevs. Your files and filesystems are stored on a pool

vdevs are single disks or Raidsets ex. Raid-1 or Raid-Z2 vdevs could not grow or shrink beside the special case of replacing disk by disk in a Raid-Zn, followed by a resilvering (Array rebuild)

This is a main difference between other systems like Linux, Mac or Windows. They use Disks or Raidsets to store files. ZFS always store files on pools, build from one ore more disks or Raidsets.

Your can optimize your pool-layout either for maximal performance, maximal capacity or maximal security.

max security: use Raid-1n (n from 2 up) or Raid-Z3 max capacity: use Striping only (not recommended at all) or Raid-Z1 max performance: use Raid-1 mirrors, add more (no limit) mirrors you should add hot spares in case of mirror-sets in case of a single raid-z1 or z2, i would prefer a raid-z2 or raid-Z3 instead (drive is hot, no rebuild) Hybrid-Storage Hybrid Storage is a pool build from disks with additional SSD Read or SSD/DRAM Write Caches. This is the easiest way to combine high capacity, low price and good performance. use mirrored pairs of write cache SSD (min 1/2 x RAM-size) use single SSD read Cache up from 50 GB

After you have created a pool from one vdev (example a Raid-1) you can add more vdevs (example another Raid-1 to get a Raid 10) or a cache/spare drive, see Picture 2

Create a new data pool

Add a vdev (Raidset, spare or cache) to a data pool

3.2 Create ZFS Filesystems on your pool

ZFS filesystems are often called ZFS folders, datasets or volumes or only folders (the last two are bad terminology and wrong) because they are mounted below a pool and look like a folder within, but they are much more. They are completely independend with their own properties. They are more like partitions on conventional systems.

The ZFS folder creation menue allows to setup some basic properties. If you want to use them especially for NAS use, you should just enter a name and keep the other settings.

options:

encryption: available from ZFS pool version 30 (currently Solaris11 only)

compression: integrated in ZFS

casesensitivity: Windows is case insensitive (file „Name“=“name“), on unix you can have different files „name“ and „Name“. If you want to use it with Windows/ Mac only set it to insenstive, otherwise to mixed

smb share: share this ZFS folder with Kernel based CIFS Server

otimize acl: Solaris defaults are a mix of allow/ deny ACL‘s to deny nearly everything to anybody. smb-settings will change this to root=full, everybody=modify access

smb guest: when enabled, you do not need a password to access

nfs share NFS is a file-based sharing used especially to share the folder as a SAN datastore for ESXi.

If used with ESXi, I recommend to share it in parallel via SMB to have easy access to VM‘s and VM snaps and easy and fast Copy/ Move/ Clone/ Backup.

atime set to off for performance atime will update last read access to a file can cause performance degrees on high load

other properties, you can set from menue folder or via CLI

Create a ZFS folder (dataset, Filesystem) with encryption (Solaris 11 only)

3.3 user, pw and share management for smb3.3.1 Basics of user management

On Linux/ Unix user and groups are identified by UID and GID numbers. Permissions are usually based on simple owner/ group/ everybody settings Windows use SID (security id numbers) to identify user, groups or computers. Permissions are much more fine granular based on ACL‘s. SMB passwords have a different format than unix passwords and stored separately on Unix. If you want to use a unix-server for SMB-sharing there have been a lot of problems in the past; SMB sharing was often a pain due to the different user and pw management and missing or inconsistent ACL - behaviours. Usually you had to define all users on the Unix Machine - even in environments where you have a common user database like MS Active Directory. In a second step you had to define a user mapping between Windows and Unix.

With Solaris derived systems this is much simpler

Solaris use NFSv4 ACL. They are mostly compatible to Microsoft Windows, much more than Posix ACL‘s used for ex. on Linux. But the main reason of the easyness of a Solaris SMB Server is a fact, that you have a fully Windows compatible built-in user and group management with automated mappings.

For a easy to use SMB-Server based in the Kernel CIFS modul you have to do the following three steps:

1.) After installing napp-it via the online installer, your NAS is ready to use. You have at least one user (root) with unix passwords. To use root account for SMB, you have to create an additional SMB password with passwd root example: passwd root or passwd „other already created user“ You are then able to mount a SMB share as root with full permissions.

2.) Create a SMB-share from napp-it menu folder. If you enable guest=on all users can modify files without entering name+pw and without restrictions.

3.) Connect your Windows with this share \\servername or \\ip You can now connect as root (and opt. assign ACL for other users from Windows) If you need, create more Solaris users. They can connect after you have set the needed ACL to the shared folder like user or everyone@=any wished permission. If you create the the same user like on your Windows machine (user names are case sensitive) with the same PW, this user should connect without entering name+pw.

Attention: do not set any id-mappings in workgroup mode or you may get problems connected as a user as well as connecting with guest access enabled.

napp-it user management - add a new Solaris user (used for SMB also)

3.3.2 Active Directory

Your Nexenta, OpenIndiana or Solaris NAS can either be a member of a Windows Workgroup or a Windows Active Directory domain.

In the first case you authenticate against a local NAS user example root if you want to manage a share and set permissions for other user.

If root has allowed access for another user on a share or a shared folder, this user can access this share. It is also poosible to enable guest access. In this case, you can access a share without a password.

If you want to use Active-Directory accounts, your NAS has to join the Active Directory first, for example according to this manual: http://blogs.sun.com/timthomas/entry/configuring_the_opensolaris_cifs_server

With napp.it, you just need to open menue services-smb-active directory, fill out the form and join the domain.

messages: unsuccesfull: happens mostly if there is already a host with your hostname in your domain. delete this host and retry. Check also DNS and krb5.conf settings.

internal error occurs mostly if SMB service is not running

Currently you can use only one AD-Server. If this server is offline, no user can login - even if you have a Backup-AD-Server. You have to manually rejoin.

Even if your NAS is a domain member, you can use local user. If you want to manage your NAS as a domain-user, you have to set the following idmapping via idmap add

winuser:domainadmin = unixuser: root wingroups: domainadmins = unixgroup: root

menu: join workgroup or join domain

Problems?

Try different LM levels from menu or via CLI likesvccfg -s smb setprop smb/dc_level = integer: 3

Do not change MTU of your network adapter from default value1500

Check that you have enabled SMB (status online) and SMB shared a folder

3.3.2 ACL

Solaris use NFSv4 ACL‘s. They are much more Windows-like than Posix ACL‘s used on Linux. Together with the Kernel based CIFS Server, you could build a real Windows compatible SMB-Fileserver with full Windows ACL-support.

If you SMB-share a ZFS-folder via napp-it, these settings are used: - set unix permissions to 777 (or some ACL and share options will not work)

- set the folder ACL from „nearly everything is denied“ to the following ACL root=full access everybody@=modify

- Share-level ACL‘s is set to everybody=full access (default value) Set ACL on shared folders (assign ACL to a folder and/or to files)

- Open menu ZFS folder - acl extension - ACL on folders - Select a pool and a ZFS folder (dataset). ACLs of this folders are listed - Add or modify trivial or user/group based ACL of this folder i suggest to use only allow settings and keep the default inheritance=on settings used for newly created files or directories in a folder

Modify Share-level ACL (or folder ACL)

Like a real Windows server, the Kernel based CIFS-server supports share-level ACL to adjust (default=full) permissions for a share without changing folder or file ACL.

If you use a registered version (full or evaluate) of the napp-it ACL extension: - Open menu ZFS folder - acl extension - ACL on shares - Select a pool and a ZFS folder (dataset). ACLs of this share are listed - Add or modify trivial or user/group based ACL of this share i suggest to use only allow settings

Problems?

- Kernel based CIFS server is ACL only (set ACL instead of Unix permissions) - use trivial ACL like everyone@, group@ or owner@ - SMB passwords are different to Unix passwords. They must be created additional (The reason you must reenter root-pw after setup of napp-it) - Windows and OI ACL behaves quite similar with one difference. Windows looks first on deny rules, then on allow while OI respect the order of ACL where the first matching allow or deny entry does the job. From Windows, you cannot set ACL order.

Easiest way to set ACL is using the napp-it ACL extension. Base settings like assign a user ACL or trivial ACL are free to use without registering. (everyone@, group and owner@, these ACL are used similar to default Unix -permissions owner/group/everyone). You may also set ACL via CLI (use Solaris version of chmod) or from Windows (not all Windows versions can remotly set ACL) when connected as root. If you use the napp-it ACL extensionMore detailed settings, AD-users, Group or ACL settings on Shares instead offiles or folders requires registering (non-free extension)

About Unix and Windows user in a AD domain:All ACL are assigned to Unix user and group-ID‘s. A unix filesystem like ZFS is not capable to store Windows Security IDs. To solve this a mapping between the is used. This mapping is generated automatically whenever Windows crea-tes a file or folder or a ACL is assigned from Windows. Beside this automati-cally generated mapping you can manually assign a mapping via CLI command idmap add winuser:Paul unixuser:admin. With idmap dump you can check map-pings. DO NOT USE MANUAL MAPPINGS IN A WORKGROUP (you would map a Solaris user to a Solaris user which gives connecting problems)

3.3.2 some screenshots: -

Upper middle: snap access via Windows previous version (right-klick to folder - properties)

Upper right:Set/ check ACL and permissions from Windows as rootRight-Klick to folder, select property-security,then edit - advanced -find now to show userlist.

If you need to set not only folder but share permissions: You have to restart SMB service afterwards !

bottom: Solaris* Nautilus file browser with Time-Slider: select a folder an go back via slider

To start Nautilus as root:Open a console, enter su and then nautilus

3.4 Additional web-services via XAMPP

If you want to use webservices, you can install Apache, mySQL and PHPwith the napp-it online amp installer:

Login as root (or other user, enter su to get root permission) and enter:wget -O - www.napp-it.org/ amp | perl

This will install:Apache 2.2.21, MySQL 5.5.16, PHP 5.3.8 & PEAR + multibyte (mbstring) support, Perl 5.12.1, ProFTPD 1.3.3e, phpMyAdmin 3.4.5, OpenSSL 1.0.0c, Freetype2 2.4.2, libjpeg 6b, libpng 1.2.39, zlib 1.2.5, expat 1.95.7, pdf class 009e, IMAP C-Client 2007e, Open-LDAP 2.4.23, libiconv 1.13.1, FreeTDS 0.82, libgdbm 1.8.3, libxslt 1.1.26, mcrypt 2.5.8, cURL 7.21.1, eAccelerator 0.9.6.1, Webalizer 2.21-2, libxml 2.7.7, mod_perl 2.0.4, SQLite 2.8.17 + 3.7.2

3.5 Services for Macintosh

If you want to have a AFP Fileserver with Zero Config and Time Machine support, you can install it with the napp-it online installer:

Login as root (or other user, enter su to get root permission) and enter:wget -O - www.napp-it.org/ afp | perl

This will install all needed services.You can share your ZFS folder from the folder menue.

3.6 Auto-Jobs

In menu jobs you can setup autojobs like

autosnap create a snap each hour on daytime, keep 8 create s snap each day, keep 60 etc

autoscrub check/ refresh pool ex every sunday

email ex. send alerts and statusmails once per week

shutdown ex. shutdown 22:00 in the evening

replicate high speed replicate host with another one based on incremental ZFS send

4.0 The napp-it All-In-One concept

see http://www.napp-it.org/napp-it/all-in-one/index_en.html or mini-How-To Part 2: http://www.napp-it.org/doc/downloads/all-in-one.pdf

You can build a simple NAS server, based on a napp-it ZFS server. You can also use itas a SAN-server to provide NFS or iSCSI datastores for your ESXi VMware servers.

But with a modern computer you can do much more. On top of a type-1 barebonevirtual server like ESXi, you could add a virtualized napp-it ZFS Server for optimal resource usage, best performance (internal highspeed links) and less technical problems due to less hardware and cabling.You could not only use this embedded ZFS server for filesharing but also as a High-EndiSCSI or NFS SAN Storage for the ESXi server itself to store VM‘s on it -with all the ZFS goodies like extreme security, unlimited snaps without delay or easy CIFS access to your VM‘s for Copy/ Move/ Clone or Backups.

For a napp-it All-In-One Server, you need a computer with modern hardware I/Ovirtualization features (Intel vt-d), a bootdrive for ESXi with a local datastore for yourZFS storage server, an additional SAS/Sata Controller with disks, directly connectedand managed per PCI-pass-through from your ZFS storage server and enough RAM forthe ESXi server, the ZFS server and your other VM‘s like Windows, Linux or Solaris.

Example - Typical and most used entry level configuration:Server-class SuperMicro Mainboard X8 or X9 ..-fUse a Xeon or other vt-d capable CPU), 8 GB RAM+and a Sata boot drive, i use mostly 2,5“ 24/7 WD drives (from 500 Euro up)

Install (free or commercial) ESXi 4/5 onto this bootdrive, create a local datastore from the free space and install Nexenta/ OI or S11 on it.

Add an extra SATA/ SAS Controller, recommended with LSI 1068 (best) or LSI 2008 chipsetand connect your storage disks to this extra controller. Activate vt-d in your mainboardbios, start ESXi and set this controller to pass-through. Now you can add this controllerin VM-Settings of your ZFS-server to this VM. All disks are managed and controlleddirectly from your ZFS server - needed to have performance and ZFS security features.

Create a pool and a ZFS folder from these disks and share the folder via CIFS (easy access from Windows) and NFS (datastore for ESXi). Store all other VM‘s on this SAN Datastore.

Install vmware-tools (opt with VMXNET driver, currently not available on S11) and set ZFS-Server to start first. Build a second Al-In-One if you need a failover system.

1st Generation ESXi Virtual Server

Virtual ESXi Server with local Storage (DAS)with internal Raid adapter. Access to VM‘s via vsphereFile Browser or commercial Backup-Software(slow and/ or expensive)

LAN / VLAN one ore more NICs

2nd Generation ESXi Virtual Server + SAN + SAN Switch

LAN/ VLANLAN/ VLAN IP Switch

SAN Switch (IP / FC)

opt. all parts redundant

SAN Net

ESXi Virtual Serverwith local bootdrive

without local datastore

SAN/ NAS Servera lot of Storageconnected to VM-Servervia SAN high speed links

3 rd Generation Virtual Server/ SAN/ Switch All-In-One

All-In-One Server, opt. redundant systems

ESXi Server

onboard sata disk with ESXi OS + local datastorefor ZFS Server VM

extra SAS Controller + Disks set to pass-throughconnected to ZFS OS via pass-through NAS/ SAN Storage for filer and all other VM‘s

ZFS NFS+Storage Server

virtual ESXi SAN Switch (10 Gbe) with VMXNET3

SAS/ SATA

NFS

Boot

LAN/ VLAN/ SAN

Virtual machines stored on NFS SAN Storage

5.0 file permissions on folder napp-it:

napp-it will set permissions and owner automatically to web-account napp-it and 755

important!

napp-it can call console commands as root via function &exe(“console command“); this is needed to do system management. so if you can login via napp-it, cou can kill or manipulate your system.

-> do not allow access from unsecure networks (internet, public lan) -> use two network adapters, one for file services, one for nappit on a closed management network restrict napp-it to use ip of management network only or restrict access to napp-it via firewall

If security is a issue: use always a separate management or SAN network, do not allow public access to napp-it, disable ssh-server after setup, use firewall or

restrict access to mini-httpd to a special ip (menu napp-it settings)

see mini-httpd options. set these options in /etc/init.d/napp-it http://www.acme.com/software/mini_httpd/

6.0 Start/ stop/ remove nappit (login as root)

(re-) start napp-it manually: /etc/init.d/napp-it start stop napp-it manually: /etc/init.d/napp-it stop

enable autostart of mini-httpd (napp-it webserver): create a link from file /etc/init.d/napp-it into folder /etc/rc3.d rename the link to S99napp-it

disable autostart of mini-httpd delete link /etc/rc3.d/S99napp-it

delete napp-it + mini-httpd napp-it + mini-httpd is a copy and run application delete folder /var/web-gui to remove it

opt. uninstall tools like bonnie, mc or netcat or go back to a system-snap prior to napp-it installation

more.. see mini-How-To Part 2: http://www.napp-it.org/doc/downloads/all-in-one.pdf

7 How backup my SAN

Best is a second System for backup on another physical place. 1. Replicate (block based with ZFS send, works with large files and short backup intervals like 15 min, replicates only changed datablocks) 2. or copy files with rsync or robocopy to the second machine (not usefull with large files). Do short time snaps ex hourly on daytime/ keep 8 or daily/ keep 7 regularly on your primary box and long time backups like monthly/ keep 12 or yearly/ keep 5 on your backup machine. Really important data: use a third machine or external backups ex on removable USB datapools. Keep them on a separate place.

7.1 Can i virtualize this SAN - Server on ESXi?

Yes, see http://napp-it.org/napp-it/all-in-one/index_en.html

7.2 FAQ

There are two services for setup Network-settings (default/nwam). Which Version should i use?

On NexentaCore especially with more NICs you should use default. On OpenIndiana and Solaris Express (use Live Install with GUI and TimeSlider), the nwam (network automagic) is the new „default setting„. You can use nwam on these systems even with manual settings and more than one Nic.

How can I switch between default and nwam?

default -> nmwam (console with root permission) svcadm disable network/physical:default svcadm enable network/physical:nwam

nmwam -> default (console with root permission) svcadm disable network/physical:nwam svcadm enable network/physical:default

Network is working with ping to an ip-adress, but when I ping to a name like ping www.openindiana.org, i get „unknown host„

DNS-entry in /etc/resolv.conf is missing. Edit this file as root (terminal, su, start nautilus) and insert for example the google-DNS: nameserver 8.8.8.8

I have entered a DNS, but i have already problems with DNS

check /etc/nsswitch.conf for dns entries in hosts and ipnodes line. These lines should look like: hosts files dns mdns ipnodes files dns mdns

if dns is missing, add these lines

8. Reported problems and workarounds

Remote ACL-setting is not working on some Windows 7 versions with workgroups reported to work: Windows XP prof, Windows 2003, Windows 7 professional, Windows 7 premium problems with: Windows 7 ultimate, Windows 7 home ??

or use napp-it ACL extension from menu extension (extensions are non-free, donation required)

SMB access with Windows 7 problems

possible cause: enhanced security settings

see http://www.nexenta.com/corp/static/docs-stable/Win7CIFS.pdf http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/7357-local-security-policy-editor-open.html

ESXi vmware-tools not working

on Nexenta: use apt-get install vmware-tools (without vmxnet3 high speed nic-driver) on OpenIndiana: use ESXi included tools, see all-in-one manual

On OpenIndiana 151 dev release, vmware tools can be installed only with OI and english language setting

There are reported problems with vmxnet3 driver on some configs Use e1000 driver in these cases

9. My best to use hardware (see napp-it.org/hardware)

Solaris is not mainstream. A lot of hardware is not supported or slow down the system. My best to use favourites are:

Mainboards:SuperMicro X8 series X8...-F (with IPMI remote management) and 5520 or 3420 chipsets or SuperMicro Sandy Bridge X9..-F with 202/204 chipset

http://www.supermicro.com.tw/products/motherboard http://www.servethehome.com/category/server-parts/motherboards/

If to choose a mainboard with Onbaord SAS controller: The default firmware for onboard solutions is a Raid firmware, the suggested firmware is IT Firmware (native SAS without Raid) I would reflash the firmware, see http://www.servethehome.com/flashing-intel-sasuc8i-lsi-firmware-guide/

examples: X8SIL-F (uATX), X8-SI6F (SAS2), X8-ST3F (X58, SAS1), X8-DTH-6F (7 x pci-e, SAS2) always use a Xeon, if you want to virtualize (only Xeons supports hardware virtualisation via vt-d) use ECC RAM whenever possible (error correction on RAM failures) check these BIOS settings in case of network problems with onboard NICs a) disable Watchdog functionality b) disable: „Active State Power Management“.

reported to work: Supermicro Sandy Bridge X9-SCM-F Network adapter Its easy; use Intel all the way (1 Gb or 10 Gb)

SAS/ Sata adapter see http://www.servethehome.com/category/server-parts/sas-sata-raid-controller-hba/ SAS1: LSI 1068 based, best are. LSI SAS 3081E-R, Intel SASUC8l or Supermicro AOC-USASLP-L8i SAS2: LSI 2008 based, best are LSI 9211-8 or Supermicro AOC-USAS2-L8e

!! Supermicros are the cheapest, but UIO (wrong side mounted, you need to manipulate slot mounting) these models are HBA types and should come with IT firmware (= SAS native without Raid functions)

whenever possible, use IT flashed controller or reflash from Raid to IT mode http://www.servethehome.com/flashing-intel-sasuc8i-lsi-firmware-guide/ Expander Avoid, when not needed (use 2 or three SAS controller) If you need them, use a SAS2 controller like LSI 9211 with Expanders from HP or better with new LSI SAS2 chipset ex. Intel RES2SV240 or SuperMicro/Chenbro cases with build in LSI SAS2 Expanders

10. Final words

about the napp-it project

Support

The Napp-it user interface and most of its functions are free of charge for end-users. You use it on your own risk without any support or warranty.

Contribution

I started the napp-it User Interface/ ZFS server project in 2009 to setup and manage a core ZFS server to simplify the setup of a Solaris ZFS Server.The project has grown over time to a ready to use ZFS server with a lot of functions that costs a lot of time to develop and maintain. Currently I am the major developer with some contributions and code reviews by others. If you like napp-it and want to ensure further development of napp-it, it is essential to contribute to the project. This can be done by maintaining parts of the code, like it is done with the Comstar Module or via donations, especially if you use napp-it outside home use.

Some demanded and newly developed napp-it add-ons and special functions like grouping and remote controlling appliances to replicate ZFS datasets between them are only allowed to use for those, who are contributing to napp-it - either by maintaining code-parts or by donations. These functions are only important for special use cases. Without contributions, you are allowed to evaluate them only. More see napp-it.org

If you have created an extension to napp-it, you are free to use a different licence or request a fee if you are distributing this extension independently from napp-it. You must place non-free add-ons below menu extensions. You should advertise for these add-ons on napp-it.org

Ads

If you want to advertize a IT-related product, you can place your paid banner shown on all pages of napp-it.org. more see napp-it.org

Distribution/ preconfigured systems

If you want to sell or deliver napp-it alone or as part of a bundle with other soft- or hardware, you have to contribute to the napp-it project, either my maintaining essential parts of napp-it as agreed or by a donation in each case. You can then replace the displayed napp-it logo and name in the web-UI with your name.

Geanapp-it.org