Netgate 8200 connection questions

[MacUsers]

thanks @stephenw10 !
I think I got all the info I needed. Now have to decide to-buy or not-to-buy :)

[MacUsers]

@stephenw10 said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

Yes it is possible to fit two NVMe drives and install to them as a zfs mirror:

Got my 8200 now
Just a quick Q: M.2 SATA won't work, right?
I ordered 2 of those, but now I think not a match?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZYPV5RW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

If not, any recomendation?

-S

[stephenw10]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZYPV5RW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Indeed m.2 SATA won't work they must be NVMe.

I don't have any specific recommendations there, I have tested some Intel Optane drives but they are 16GB. The cheapest I could get to test with!

There are some threads in the Netgate hardware section with drives others have used. By aware of this bug detailing some drives that caused issues: https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/15110

[MacUsers]

Not sure why Netgate had to choose a motherboard with such an uncommon configuration as pretty much 99% M.2 NVMe drives are all M-Key type

I'm giving this a try now.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09P58BJ2L/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?th=1

[stephenw10]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09P58BJ2L/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?th=1

Pretty sure that's also M keyed. Pretty much anything that fits the B keyed slot will be M+B keyed. I don't think I've ever seen a B key only SSD.

[MacUsers]

You are righ!
now I see: judging by this pin-out:

looks like pretty much nothing available

[MacUsers]

Never heard of 'em, but that's the only thing I could find in Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0DL5WYGJ1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A14U8PTXJ71BWF&th=1

[stephenw10]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0DL5WYGJ1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A14U8PTXJ71BWF&th=1

Hmm, me either.

There is a recent recommendation here: https://forum.netgate.com/topic/195962/netgate-6100-replacement-128gb-nvme-drive

Not in the UK though.

[MacUsers]

Yeah, I was looking in that post as well......... I couldn't find anywhere to buy Innodisk from.

BTW, do you know how to get to the BIOS? I'm on Mac and pressing ESC is not entering BIOS setup at all.

-S

[stephenw10]

There is no conventional bios setup in blinkboot. The only options there are the efi boot device table and the reset and pxe hotkeys.

[MacUsers]

Another disspoinment - the GiGimundo disk I have been sent (by Amazon) is actualy a K-Key only. Either the picture in the listing is worng or I was genuinely sent a worng item by warehouse staff. But I now believe the former is the case.

But that makes a lot bigger concern: if a B+M key cannot be sourced, what happens if the HDD fails, especially after the warranty. We will be left witha very expensive paper-weaight, I suppose.

-S

[Gertjan]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

if a B+M key cannot be sourced

More then enough :
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR5O5YS/ref=sspa_dk_hqp_detail_aax_0?sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9ocXBfc2hhcmVk&th=1

Never delete a file anymore drive :
https://www.amazon.com/KingSpec-Performance-Internal-Solid-Ultrabook/dp/B08FQVNY5K/ref=pd_ci_mcx_pspc_dp_2_i_4?pd_rd_w=v7kTV&content-id=amzn1.sym.cd152278-debd-42b9-91b9-6f271389fda7&pf_rd_p=cd152278-debd-42b9-91b9-6f271389fda7&pf_rd_r=RQCEC0V1HR020ZW6463P&pd_rd_wg=tl5tJ&pd_rd_r=834c8db7-5bd2-47d3-b2f0-10d25fd34507&pd_rd_i=B08FQVNY5K&th=1

Note : both are B+M keyed drives, the image tells me so, and it's written in the sales text.

If they send you something different, X keyed, suggest that they pause building boosters and give more love to the shipping department

[stephenw10]

That's SATA not NVMe. Must be an NVMe drive in 8200 / 6100 / 4100.

[stephenw10]

This should work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C64DVYZ9

I haven't tested it though.

I can say that the 16G Intel Optane drives work well and are readily available used since nobody wants them any longer.

[MacUsers]

@Gertjan
There is hardly any B+K NVMe availabe in UK that can be reasonably sourced; plenty of SATA availabe though. I'm looking for one eversince I got my 8200.

-S

[MacUsers]

@stephenw10 said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

This should work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C64DVYZ9

Thanks!
I'm goinna give it a try. Hopefully the picture and listing is correct.

-S

[stephenw10]

Mmm, I'm pretty sure it will boot but I have no idea if it will hit the reboot issue.

[MacUsers]

okay, finally worked!!
I wanted to a have a bit bigger disk than 128G, so picked up a pair of those from eBay

So far, running for 8 hrs. without any rebooting issue.

Here is the mirror:

$ zpool list -v
NAME         SIZE  ALLOC   FREE  CKPOINT  EXPANDSZ   FRAG    CAP  DEDUP    HEALTH  ALTROOT
pfSense      238G  1.34G   237G        -         -     0%     0%  1.00x    ONLINE  -
  mirror-0   238G  1.34G   237G        -         -     0%  0.56%      -    ONLINE
    nda0s2   238G      -      -        -         -      -      -      -    ONLINE
    nda1s2   238G      -      -        -         -      -      -      -    ONLINE

Here is the detais:

$ geom disk list
Geom name: nda0
Providers:
1. Name: nda0
   Mediasize: 256060514304 (238G)
   Sectorsize: 512
   Mode: r1w1e2
   descr: WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-256G-1001
   lunid: e8238fa6bf530001001b444a44c4182e
   ident: 194926444415
   rotationrate: 0
   fwsectors: 0
   fwheads: 0

Geom name: nda1
Providers:
1. Name: nda1
   Mediasize: 256060514304 (238G)
   Sectorsize: 512
   Mode: r1w1e2
   descr: WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-256G-1001
   lunid: e8238fa6bf530001001b444a44c452d1
   ident: 194926472104
   rotationrate: 0
   fwsectors: 0
   fwheads: 0

-S

[stephenw10]

Nice! Yes I think we have seen reports of those WD 520 series working but not available new any longer AFAIK.

Did you move the support screw or use adapters for those?

[MacUsers]

@stephenw10 said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

Nice! Yes I think we have seen reports of those WD 520 series working but not available new any longer AFAIK.

yeah, that's the only issue; I wish I could buy new
I think, I'll buy another pair, to keep as the spare.

Did you move the support screw or use adapters for those?

Just moved the support screws.

Was pleased to see that mainboard has the native support of diffrent-length M.2 and Netgate was kind enough to supply the extra screws.