Storage Configuration

How odd, a 1U server plus an external 12 x LFF disk cage, a physically larger server such as a T330 (plus tower-to-rack kit) would cost less and take as many disks.

May one ask what this large NFS filesystem is for?

I agree with @andyadler, this is not the best setup.

We found that hardware, and it was bought from Dell like that - I am not sure what it was its initial purpose.
Right now we need to use it as a storage space for some big dataset that we have.

It is a requirement from the end users to be able to mount on their machines the file system(s) as NFS.

Thanks

You probably have two separate RAID controllers, one with external ports for the enclosure and one with internal ports for the server.

Assuming high capacity disks then the enclosure full of them using RAID 6 as one big logical disk. Large LFF disks so capacity rather than speed is implied.

The server's internal bays will just have a couple of faster disks to boot from and load the drivers so 300~GB~ ones with some flavour of Linux.

Yes, exactly this is hardware configuration, and the enclosure is equipped with 3,5'' 8TB SAS disks; the connectivity between the server and enclosure will be through mini-SAS cables.

Any ideas how is the enclosure going to be configured? Should I use Server Administrator?
Assuming that I install a Linux flavor to the server, what is the way to configure the enclosure?

Are you aware of any similar technical references to take a look?

Thanks

Here's the manuals for the powervault MD1400:  https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/product-support/product/storage-md1400/manuals

Understand that this is just an expansion from the server and I would use Dell's Open Manage Server Administrator software to configure it.  That means a Windows deployment with NFS services.

The MD1400 is not a separate storage but only an external chassis for disks (mainly to extend the larger PowerVault MD storages with additional shelfs.

You manage the Disks through the RAID-Controller in your R330 the same way you would manage lokal disks (if you have an external raid controller and not only a SAS controller)

You can then create NFS shares with Windows or Linux on your R330

You use OMSA (Server Administrator) but it does not mean you have to use Windows, there is a Linux/VMware version.

Thanks all.

I am just trying through Win 2012 R2 and OMSA.