Mobo / SAS HBA recommendation

[Enquiries]

I am planning to set-up two Truenas Scale configurations as a file/photo/AV1 media server in a CS382b case (Jonsbo N5 is viable SATA when it ships in October) and a Corsair SF850L power supply each with Nine Seagate Mach.2 drives SAS or Sata partitioned into two drives. I would set-up two 6+2 RAIDZ2 pools. I would have hot swap drive with two partitions. If a drive fails then a single volume in each pool would need to be replaced by one of the volumes on the hot swap drive. Will this work?
If I go Sata, I would use either:

1) CWWK i3-N305 Purple board with Intel Arc A380 low profile card (It required PCIex8 bu tonlu has x4), or

2) CWWK 8845HS 9-bay NAS card.

3) new CWWK Q670 board with SFF-8643 PCIe x4 and a T series Intel CPU if I can source them.

Do you have a recommendation between them ?

If I go SAS, I would use motherboard #2 or #3 with LSI 9207-8i PCIex8 card and have the Hot swap drive connected by Sata. Is there a better mITX board, or is mATX necessary?

[ed]

Setting up two TrueNAS Scale configurations with your specified hardware and use case sounds like an ambitious and well-thought-out project. Let's break down your options and provide recommendations based on your needs:

RAIDZ2 Configuration & Hot Swap Drives:
Your plan to partition nine Seagate Mach.2 drives into two volumes per drive and set up two 6+2 RAIDZ2 pools is sound. The idea of having a hot swap drive partitioned similarly, which can replace a failed drive in either pool, should work as long as your RAID controller or TrueNAS can manage these partitions effectively.

Motherboard & HBA Options:
1. CWWK i3-N305 with Intel Arc A380
Pros: The i3-N305 is a low-power, cost-effective option. Pairing it with an Intel Arc A380 could provide decent media transcoding capabilities, especially for AV1.
Cons: The main downside here is the PCIe lane limitation. Since the Intel Arc A380 requires x8 but you only have x4, this might bottleneck your GPU performance, which is particularly concerning if you're relying on the GPU for media tasks.
2. CWWK 8845HS 9-Bay NAS Card
Pros: This NAS card seems like a good middle ground with ample drive bays and connectivity. It’s built for NAS setups, which might make your life easier in terms of hardware compatibility and installation.
Cons: It might lack the flexibility and performance of a full-fledged motherboard, especially if you plan to expand or upgrade in the future.
3. CWWK Q670 Board with SFF-8643 PCIe x4
Pros: This board seems the most versatile, especially with the SFF-8643 connector, which is perfect for connecting multiple drives through a SAS backplane. It offers a good balance of performance and expandability, especially if you can source a T-series Intel CPU.
Cons: Availability might be an issue, and the PCIe x4 limitation could still be a bottleneck depending on your overall setup and how many drives you plan to connect.
SAS Setup with LSI 9207-8i:
LSI 9207-8i: This is a solid choice for handling SAS drives, and it's well-supported in TrueNAS. If you go the SAS route, this card will manage your drives effectively, providing the reliability you need for RAIDZ2 pools.
mITX vs. mATX:
mITX: This is feasible if you want a compact build and can manage with limited PCIe slots. However, given your need for both a GPU and HBA, and possibly other expansions, mITX could be restrictive.
mATX: This would be more suitable for your build. It provides additional PCIe slots, which can help avoid bottlenecks and give you more flexibility for future upgrades.
Recommendations:
Go SAS: Considering your high storage needs and the potential benefits of SAS drives (especially in a RAIDZ2 configuration), I would lean toward using the LSI 9207-8i with either motherboard #2 or #3. The additional reliability and speed of SAS drives, coupled with the hot-swapping capability, make this a strong choice.

Motherboard Choice: If you can source the CWWK Q670 board with a T-series Intel CPU, it would be my top recommendation. It offers better future-proofing and flexibility. If not, the CWWK 8845HS NAS card is a solid alternative, especially if you prioritize ease of setup over expandability.

mATX Consideration: Given your need to juggle multiple components, including a GPU and HBA, an mATX board might be a better fit for your build. It will offer more slots and reduce the risk of bottlenecks, which could be crucial for your intended workloads.