[Flashstor 6] first run

[father.mande]

Hi,
F.Y.I. ... some return after starting a new Flashstor (6)

1 why choosing Flashstor ? ... in my case I use a NAS (AS5202T near my TV for direct HDMI connect (and SPDIF to sound bar) with myHD APKG
... 5202 is not ugly, but it's a box and it's more like any server box ... my Family Acceptance Factor is not at top level
Flashstor by design is more acceptable for all ... a futuristic star wars side ... it's small (A4 + 5 to 6 cm Hight) ... fan seem silent ...

2 I bought NAS (FS6706T) + 3 1TB SSD FireCuda 530 (PCIe Gen4) + 16 GB memory Crucial CT2K8G4SFRA32A°)
Flashstor ... required
SSD for a NAS rnning for longtime (I hope) and running all days ... the choice is important
... the most important is the endurance for a SSD NAS, so TBW specs (total bytes written) and / or DWPD (drive writes per day calculate using this formula : DWPD = TBW / (365 * Warranty (Years) * Capacity (TB) ) ) ... if this term have no correspondence for you, forget it AND RESPECT THE SSD compatibility for this model from Asustor web site.
... memory is to limit usage of swap disk (so write on SSD) ... if you add a management shell to clear cache and buffer in memory ... you can expect to have a low usage of swap.

3 unboxing and prepare hardware.
... I start by installing SSD ... it's a mix between "old" screw and "new" clip attach ...
... screws (4) for the fan top PLEASE due to the size of screw use the correct screw driver.
... SSD require just to be plugged then you push clip and SSD is in place ... seems that no short SSD (less than 2280) can"t be used (T.B.C.)
... SSD emplacement are numbered so no error ... also a possibility exist to add heatsink (one for 2 SSD) available in Asustor store (for the price ... judge yourself
ATTENTION fan (is at bottom, so put your NAS on a flat space without any risk to lock the small space between desk and bottom of the NAS
... NAS can't be positioned in another position (it's not a rectangle)
... I will change memory later (4GB is large to start)
NOTE a difference exist between documentation (image and description) and the box receive
... doc present 2 HDMI when 1 is in fact 2 USB 2.0
... doc don't speak about the face USB3 entry, no more of the power button (hide at left in the design and without led)
F.Y.I. this front USB 3 is ALSO an USB 3.1 '3.2) gen 2 ... so with 10Gbs capability (tested with Startech disk extension using 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbs)

4 init the NAS
... plug Ethernet (DHCP server IP is static DHCP address), plug HDMI (even ... not used)Power (an external box big compare to the NAS) ... to hide urgently ...
init is VERY quick ... even if a question (in French ?) is not clear and refusing snapshot ... also cancel usage of BTRFS ??? so ext4 ...
... FS6706T is ready to configure and update in a minute (EVEN Raid 5 (3 disk) finish (but don't stop usage of the NAS in one hour)
... kernel is 5.13.x as other x86_64 supported by ADM 4.2+ (shame to don't use normal number for sub version ... )

5 increase memory
... to do it, it's 2 screws in the front and slide the top ... no problem very easy and very accessible
... 16GB are accepted instantaneity

6 test USB 3.2
... In fact it's really amazing the throughput possible with this USB 3.2 gen 2 ... the disk in my USB box seem to be connected internally
... I also share through a direct private link the FS and my AS66 ... result are really impressive, even not testing yet the multicanal
... validate USB hardware using Entware full tools)
... for PCI the list is full of unknown Intel ... so

7 Asportal and Xorg run, but some strange crash can appear with myHD (Ubuntu 2204 or 2210) ... so I decide to use Xorg from Ubuntu and all work as expected
... adding a login manager (not yet in current release) ... so with direct launch of Kodi or Openbox/Idesk (Asportal replacement)
... Kodi start instantaneity video acceleration work fine and sound (Alsa or Pulse) also ... only pipewire have some difficulty
... All Idesk App. seem to run as well, Chrome (last), Molotov TV, VLC, Netflix, Primevideo, Remmina,etc.
... and other desktop manager plasma, etc. ... but only an abominable hack at the moment

8 for which price ... around 800€ in Amzon.fr (all is available)

I will post some screen, but no difference with other NAS ...

Philippe.

[Vla]

Hi Philippe,
I am new to NAS and Flashstor 6. I intend to use it as a Hi res audio server. While I am waiting for my new Flashstor 6 to be delivered, I found your post. Could you please help me with some questions?
1. I looked at Tomshardware, which says Best M.2 SSDs are Samsung 990 Pro and Alternate WD Black SN850X. They are not listed in Asustor M.2 SSD Compatible devices. Should I expect backward compatibility or better stick to recommended Seagate FireCuda 530, 2 TB? I was thinking about 2 of them.
2. Seagate FireCuda 530, 2 TB (ZP2000GM3A013) is with a heatsink and there are separate Cooler Heatsinks on Amazon for Firecuda 530 PS5 PCIE NVME SSD -Red – do I need them?
3. Did you get 3 SSD to configure Raid5? I was thinking about using external USB HDD 2TB drives for backups – is this not good strategy?
4. You mentioned 16 GB memory Crucial and I see CT2K8G4SFRA32A is 16GB Kit (2x8GB), whereas Amazon has Crucial RAM 16GB DDR4 3200MHz CL22 (or 2933MHz or 2666MHz) Portable Memory CT16G4SFRA32A – any difference?
5. I like your notes on "memory is to limit usage of swap disk (so write on SSD) ... if you add a management shell to clear cache and buffer in memory ... you can expect to have a low usage of swap."
Where I could find more on how to add the shell?

Thank you,
Vla

[father.mande]

Hi,
=== first, I am only a user that return experience with a new NAS ...for some question ... I don't have any advice and better is to open ticket on Asustor support.

1. I looked at Tomshardware, which says Best M.2 SSDs are Samsung 990 Pro and Alternate WD Black SN850X. They are not listed in Asustor M.2 SSD Compatible devices. Should I expect backward compatibility or better stick to recommended Seagate FireCuda 530, 2 TB? I was thinking about 2 of them.

... In fact other SSD can works with the NAS if they respect the requirement ... (I have tested first with Samsung 970)
BUT ... problem with SSD and NAS are not performance, but the large I/O done during eventually 24 hours 7 days ...
... the SSD proposed by Asustor are selected on the TBW and DWPD ... so be able to support large write / delete / read during long time (per day) ... this increase the luck to get your NAS up and without problem during long time ... desktop SSD are generally more for a shortest life cycle ...
SO you can used other, and return tour experience after some time ... (remember TBW is available for good SSD on the Web.

2. Seagate FireCuda 530, 2 TB (ZP2000GM3A013) is with a heatsink and there are separate Cooler Heatsinks on Amazon for Firecuda 530 PS5 PCIE NVME SSD -Red – do I need them?

I don't have any problems with temp with FireCuda SSD ... just be sure you have space to enter a ssd with heatsink OR on Asustor shop you can later buy specific heatsink (each supporting 2 SSD) specially build for Asustor NAS ... so you can start (like me) without heatsink and add it later ... my usage is relatively iintensive and the temp of SSD never greater than 35° ...

3. Did you get 3 SSD to configure Raid5? I was thinking about using external USB HDD 2TB drives for backups – is this not good strategy?

... my strategy on NAS is to use Raid (1 to 5) and prefer multi-volumes to a big one ... and I have local backup using the USB 3.1 Gen 2 for this model, performance are really very good (I have a disk box with this level (10 Gbs)
... with 3 SSD for Raid5, I am able to read it on another Linux box ... it's not difficult to get some SSD-USB box ... with more SSD you need a large configuration to save data in case of NAS breakdown
BUT ... any user have it's own startegy ... the important is ... it's your choice ...

4. You mentioned 16 GB memory Crucial and I see CT2K8G4SFRA32A is 16GB Kit (2x8GB), whereas Amazon has Crucial RAM 16GB DDR4 3200MHz CL22 (or 2933MHz or 2666MHz) Portable Memory CT16G4SFRA32A – any difference?

... no idea ... delivery memory is DDR4 2933 ... if you don't select a "NONAME" .. today ... the memory are easy compatible ...

5. I like your notes on "memory is to limit usage of swap disk (so write on SSD) ... if you add a management shell to clear cache and buffer in memory ... you can expect to have a low usage of swap."
Where I could find more on how to add the shell?

here for ex. but thousands of Linux site explain it ... : https://www.tecmint.com/clear-ram-memor ... -on-linux/
This is usable for SSD but also for low memory, for ex. jdownloader use very large memory ... so the APKG introduce a cron (scheduled task) to free memory for other usage ...
BUT as previous ... it's my choice, not mandatory and perhaps without interest for you (as all I write in the forum)

Philippe.

[Vla]

Thank you, Philippe! Do you use btrfs?

[wde]

4. You mentioned 16 GB memory Crucial and I see CT2K8G4SFRA32A is 16GB Kit (2x8GB), whereas Amazon has Crucial RAM 16GB DDR4 3200MHz CL22 (or 2933MHz or 2666MHz) Portable Memory CT16G4SFRA32A – any difference?

I got the Crucial 16GB kit (2X8GB) CT2K8G4SFRA32A from Amazon and it works fine in my Flashtor 6.

[father.mande]

hI?

Thank you, Philippe! Do you use btrfs?

Not on this NAS ... but yes for all others (Asustor)

ext4 is enough for the usage attached to the Flashstor (my choice) and I don't used snapshot on this NAS ...
... I used external backup (simple) for cold data (video, music, etc.)
... I used Syncthing for hot data (development share) to have a duplication just in time of change ... F.Y.I. I used a separate private LAN for replication and not the Syncthing glocalization ... but a virtual LAN based on Tailscale network (tailscale-native APKG) ... so end to end encrypted with wireguard ... so "old" non secure tools can ne used to don't encrypt data transmitted on encrypted virtual LAN .

Philippe.

[eattout]

If want to use RAID 5, is it necessary to use same make and model for all drives?

[father.mande]

Hi,

If want to use RAID 5, is it necessary to use same make and model for all drives?

You can find information on Asutor collage ...
On NAS Raid(5 in your case) are only for one partition (data ... Part 4), so when created all partition have same size (lowest if different)

So theoretically ... no problem to used different disk or SSD BUT
... same size (+ or -) is a good idea to don't lost space on larger
... same characteristic (cache, throughput, etc.) as better to avoid some incoherency
... lifetime (estimated) can be a problem if some disk or SSD are not build for same usage
... etc.

So using same brand and model don't suppress risk ... but reduce it.
Last ... don't forget : Raid is not backup ... so never forget backup

Don't hesitate to ask to Asustor expert (support form) to have the best advice for your usage.

Philippe.

[MRNAS]

I just installed a Flashtor 6 as a multimedia server running Jellyfin for movies, TV, Music & photos. for use on my LAN only. Will I benefit from upgrading the RAM? If so what is the best option? Thanks

[father.mande]

Hi,

I just installed a Flashtor 6 as a multimedia server running Jellyfin for movies, TV, Music & photos. for use on my LAN only. Will I benefit from upgrading the RAM? If so what is the best option? Thanks

Just do a survey of memory usage and swap (on sdd)
if you need to clear cache and buffer to prevent usage of swap ... add memory
if not , no swap usage or clean regularly of cache and buffer, continue using the memory you have.

swap is on sdd and can increase drastically the write on sdd ... so reduce the life of sdd

Philippe.