2020 turns out to be a hardware refresh year for ROMWNET.

I’ve upgraded the network to a 10Gbps backplane using a Netgear XS716T linking to the already existingNetgear M4100-26G through a 4Gbps LACP connection.

I’ve added a Asustor AS7010T to the mix for storage and backup archival purposes. I went ahead and upgraded the box to include an additional 8GB of RAM and a 10Gb network adapter. In total, I have 32TBs of storage split between magnetic state and solid state.

Infrastructure Nodes

These passively cooled and self-contained Hyper-V machines host virtual machines critical to network operations. These virtual machines keep the network up and the Internet accessible in case the main cluster goes offline for whatever reason. Critical services include a Firewall, Intrusion Detection System, Mail Smarthost System, Authentication Systems, and a Z-wave Home Automation Controller.

Specifications:

Cluster Nodes

These actively cooled Hyper-V machines are configured in a automatic failover configuration for all the remaining virtual machines on the network.

Originally I attempted to re-use the spare M350 chassis I had lying around with the X11SDV, but I discovered that the heatsink alone could not dissipate enough heat to keep the system from shutting off while idling for 5 minutes. So, I tried the SCE300 with the Noctua NF-A4x20 PWM fans which would allow the system to stay up while idling but would shutdown under load.

I ended up using the Supermicro FAN-0100L4 fans which move enough air to keep the system cool while even under load.

Specifications:

Conclusion

Overall, I have been very happy with the systems performance and stability over the last few months. My only complaint about the new configuration, over the old configuration, is the fan noise even when most of the system is idle.

Someday…

—– Rom