Hello,
I am currently planning to build a small home server using ESXi to host different virtual servers (this is my first experience in this field).
One of its main usage would be as a NAS, using FreeNAS and ZFS/RAID-Z.
I have the current configuration :
- Motherboard ASRock Z77 Pro4 (VT-d enabled)
- CPU Intel Core i5 3550
- 16 GB RAM
- 1 x SSD 120 GB to host ESXi and the VM files, currently plugged in the motherboard SATA III (ASM1061 controller)
- 3 x HDD 2TB for the storage, plugged in motherboard SATA II (Intel controller)
I would like to pass-through the HDDs directly to the FreeNAS VM, so that I can use RAID-Z without any intermediary. The Intel controller is correctly recognised as a Intel AHCI controller, and the SSD is as well seen, but the controller does not seem to be properly recognised (it appears as Unknown in the passthrough screen). So what I tried is to pass-through the AHCI controller (the 3 HDD). Unfortunately, when I reboot the ESXi host, it seems that it loses the access to the datastore on the SSD, making the VMs unreachable.
I have read a bit around, but cannot find a precise solution, except that this seems to be a known issue with the ASM1061 controller and passthrough. I am then ready to buy a PCIe controller that will work correctly, but would like some advice on which ones will be properly usable in my setup, while keeping the cost low enough (I have seen recommendations to use LSI SAS/SATA controllers, but this is not the range of prices I am planning to pay for my small server).
In case no affordable controller is available, what would be my best option : creating VMFS datastores available to the FreeNAS server (but I have read that RAID-Z on top of VMFS is not recommended)? Setting up a RDM (but that seems a bit risky as well, and I am not sure this is more recommended)?
Thanks for the help you can bring me.
Jonathan