I'm in the process of buying a few small servers and need under 20TB of usable storage and less than 1TB of usable RAM. I'm considering two main options: setting up three nodes with a small SAN like the Dell PowerVault 5024, or going with three nodes using Storage Spaces Direct (S2D). The costs are similar for both approaches. While I'm leaning towards the SAN for its reliability, I can't help but think about the single point of failure it presents. I've heard both good and bad things about S2D, but a lot of the critiques seem to stem from poor configuration practices and patch management. What experiences do you all have with S2D versus a SAN?
5 Answers
If possible, I’d suggest budgeting for a small PureStorage solution. Even though it seems like a SAN can lead to a single point of failure, a high-quality SAN should have redundancy built in with dual controllers and power supplies.
I wouldn't trust S2D based on my experiences. When it's good, it's fine, but when it fails, it’s a complete nightmare. I don't recommend it for smaller setups—if you're looking for stability, a proper SAN is usually the safer bet.
Totally agree, anything under three nodes is pushing it. Bigger setups might be better, but even then, I’d still lean towards a SAN.
I had a decent experience with StarWind vSAN for a two-node Hyper-V setup, but overall, I'd steer clear of S2D.
Virtual SANs definitely come with their own challenges and can get pricey. I've been working with VMware VxRail, and although it's effective, I often think about going back to separate compute nodes and storage for more flexibility. Vendor lock-in is real with these systems.
Yep, getting renewals has been such a headache, especially if you're tied to OEM.
I switched from a SAN to a 4-node cluster with S2D. The SAN was giving me a lot of trouble with failing controllers every month, so I made the switch. Honestly, as long as my VMs are running smoothly, I don’t mind the change. Just make sure you monitor everything closely!
Which brand and model were you using? Was it that bad?
Wow, replacing controllers every month? That's insane! What hardware was that?
Consider hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) solutions like Nutanix or Proxmox with Ceph. They really shift the paradigm away from traditional SANs and might serve you better in a smaller environment. Just be prepared for increased storage needs with CEPH due to its redundancy features.
Pure X20 with a 3-year Evergreen support plan costs around 90k.