SNAP / Plex / SSD Setup Help

Hey, just put together my unRAID build and testing the waters with the software itself.

I've got unMenu & Control Panel add-ons installed, PuTTY setup, but haven't hooked up any of my drives until I work out the way I want to set them up.

(3) 3TB Seagate Barracuda Drives, (1) 120GB Crucial SSD

(1) 3TB will run parity

(2) 3TB will store my media

(1) SSD cache drive or app drive?

I also have two spare 160 GB laptop HDD's lying around.

My first question is around whether I should use the SSD as the cache drive?  The answer may hinder on the second question which is what is the best way to setup Plex Media Server on a separate application drive, part of the cache drive, should it be an SSD or no?

I've been referencing this guide for application drive information (http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/Setting_Up_SABnzbd,_SickBeard,_and_CouchPotoato), where it doesn't elaborate is here:

"There are 2 common solutions:

1. put a folder on your cache drive that is dedicated for this purpose

2. install a dedicated app drive (an old 40 gig HDD is lots) - this can be done using the SNAP plugin

If you have an SSD cache drive, I'd use option 2, but I'm going to continue this tutorial assuming we are using a cache drive folder."

I then found this guide in my search saying not to use SNAP for the purpose of Plex Media Server? (http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=30496.msg274119#msg274119)

I'll be running SAB, Sickbeard, Couchpotato.  Where I've been referencing this guide (https://github.com/Influencer/UNplugged/wiki/How-to-setup-Sab-and-Sickbeard-in-unRAID)

I'll be setting up a VPN for the first time as well for this build but...I'll be tackling that eventually.

I'm fairly new to linux and writing out commands or scripts and thus don't really understand utilization of a 'Go Script.'

Any thoughts/tips/opinions are appreciated.

Thanks in advance and I'm looking forward to learning how to get the most out of the software.

-Sean

Edit:

So from this Cache Post Overview (http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=5754.0) it seems as though an SSD would be a good move. 

However these make it sound like running SAB/SB/CP is best out of the array (http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=28997.msg259054#msg259054 / http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=29955.msg269377#msg269377)

Still pretty undecided on exactly how to approach the drive setup right now.

Should I install the applications on the cache drive (utilizing the SSD), or should I setup the SSD as the cache drive and then add another smaller HDD to handle application installation?

Also I guess I should note that I have the Plus version of unRAID.

If it were me, I'd setup the cache drive to hold your apps.

(I don't see where you give the size of the SSD, but presumably its large enough for you add ons.)

On my Cache drive I have a share called 'APPS' that is 'CACHE ONLY'. In it, I put all my apps.

Some apps, like Plex are constantly updating their databases, meaning that if it were a regular physical drive it would always be spinning.

The other thing I 'd point out it is that SNAP is really good...but there have occasionally been problems with 'mount order', and SNAP hasn't mounted the external drive prior to some of the APPS attempting to startup. this creates opportunities to test your syslog analysis skills.  The solution seems to be some combination of hand tuning the GO script...and that brings its own issues.

I try to limit SNAP to occasional instances where I need a 'dock' to move some files in quickly to unRAID, and not use SNAP as an 'integral part of the solution. )  YMMV and Your Skills May Vary.  My 2cents

Just keep in mind that unless your crucial ssd has very good internal garbage collection (you can look that up for yourself) you will start losing performance using it as a cache drive since it will not have TRIM / DISCARD enabled.  That is why I wrote the guide for mounting it "outside the array" formatted as etx4 with discard enabled.

But with good built-in garbage collection, then you should be fine.

If it were me, I'd setup the cache drive to hold your apps.

(I don't see where you give the size of the SSD, but presumably its large enough for you add ons.)

On my Cache drive I have a share called 'APPS' that is 'CACHE ONLY'. In it, I put all my apps.

Some apps, like Plex are constantly updating their databases, meaning that if it were a regular physical drive it would always be spinning.

The other thing I 'd point out it is that SNAP is really good...but there have occasionally been problems with 'mount order', and SNAP hasn't mounted the external drive prior to some of the APPS attempting to startup. this creates opportunities to test your syslog analysis skills.  The solution seems to be some combination of hand tuning the GO script...and that brings its own issues.

 

I try to limit SNAP to occasional instances where I need a 'dock' to move some files in quickly to unRAID, and not use SNAP as an 'integral part of the solution. )  YMMV and Your Skills May Vary.  My 2cents

I'll be avoiding using SNAP for the time being regardless of the setup I go with just because as you mentioned it depends on the applications you're running when they will be mounted and thus I could run into problems. 

It's a 120GB SSD, I think my first go will be setting it up outside the array as an application drive utilizing this guide (http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=30496)

If I feel that my setup would benefit from a cache drive I can always purchase and add one in the future. I'll also be limiting Plex's database updates to once a night when items are moved from SAB to the array. 

Thanks for your insights and help, it will definitely be beneficial as I move forward and tweak things in the future.

Just keep in mind that unless your crucial ssd has very good internal garbage collection (you can look that up for yourself) you will start losing performance using it as a cache drive since it will not have TRIM / DISCARD enabled.  That is why I wrote the guide for mounting it "outside the array" formatted as etx4 with discard enabled.

 

But with good built-in garbage collection, then you should be fine.

I'm pre-clearing my 3TB drives now using this (http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2817.0) and then plan to setup the SSD outside the array using the ext4 guide your wrote to house my applications.  If I find that a cache drive would benefit the performance of my setup then I will invest in one at a later date.

Your guide is excellent and greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your assistance!