Selecting highly compatible storage for a new server
Hi,
I will soon be preparing a Dell PowerEdge T20 server to run Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It does not come with storage, so I need to purchase and install a storage drive. I am looking for the easiest possible installation. Would one of these work well? The Samsung EVO unit appears to come with a disc, and I do not understand why. I thought those drives are supposed to work with no software preparation. Are there any particular drives on the market that are easier than others to install with Red Hat?
Responses
Hi Jonathan,
To answer you question, there shouldn't be any issue installing Red Hat on an SSD (I haven't come across an issue yet) and the compatibility you need to be concerned about with storage is more often than not the storage controller (eg. RAID card), but I haven't had specific experience with Red Hat on this drive.
You can use the following site to confirm hardware compatibility with the server itself (note: it's on there and compatible with RHEL 6.5)
https://hardware.redhat.com/&quicksearch=dell%20T20
Now for the drive. The Samsung EVO is a good choice for desktops but it's definitely not something I would select or recommend for a server. As for your concerns with the disc, I believe the EVO comes with migration tools to simplify the process to move from your existing (Windows) spinning disk to SSD.
If you are determined to use SSD in your server (what do you plan to use the server for?) I would personally use something from the Intel Data Center product range or the higher end Samsung SSD's that are specifically designed for server workloads.
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/solid-state-drives/solid-state-drives-ssd.html
Or preferably use the Dell recommend drive detailed in the Poweredge T20 Technical Guide (compatibility list) which is available direct from Dell.
SATA SSD 6Gb 160GB
Others will likely have different opinions in regards to selecting a disk (or disks) for your server. I have only used enterprise grade SSDs in servers but I am interested to know what others are doing in this space!
My guess is that when the HCL (hardware compatibility list) was created for the Dell Poweredge T20 the 160G SSD was the only SSD disk compatible with the server. No doubt since then they have released larger sizes but have not updated the documentation.
It would be worth contacting Dell for a recommendation. I would expect them to be able to provide details of a server grade SSD to fit your requirement (likely Dell branded) and they will also guarantee compatibility.
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