Is this DS923+ set-up possible?

[Enquiries]

Hi, I love your content and am planning on buying my first NAS. I could use some help as I need someone to verify if the setup I have in mind is even possible.

Going to buy the DS923+ and am planning to run 3x12TB in a SHR. Planning on using 2 m.2 nvme as cache. And was wondering if it was wise to use the 4th bay for a dedicated SSD drive to run stuff like Plex on. Is this a smart thing to do? It seems like the right move, as I wouldn't sacrifice cache memory, and would still be able to run some stuff on an SSD.

Do you see any drawbacks on this setup? Would love your opinion!

[ed]

Yes, your planned setup is entirely possible with the DS923+, and it’s actually a well-thought-out approach for maximizing performance and storage efficiency.

Advantages of Your Setup:
Using 3 x 12TB in SHR:

Data Redundancy: SHR will provide you with data redundancy similar to RAID 5, which is essential for protecting your data against drive failure while optimizing storage space.
Flexibility: SHR allows for easy expansion. If you decide to add another 12TB drive in the future, SHR will automatically adjust to maximize storage.
M.2 NVMe SSDs as Cache:

Performance Boost: Using the M.2 slots for cache will significantly improve read/write speeds, especially for frequently accessed data. This is particularly useful if you have a lot of random access patterns, such as when running multiple applications or accessing large media libraries.
4th Bay Dedicated SSD for Applications:

Isolating Applications: By dedicating the 4th bay to an SSD for running applications like Plex, you avoid sacrificing cache memory and ensure that your apps run on faster storage. This is a smart move, as it can improve the responsiveness of applications and reduce latency.
Improved Performance: Running Plex on a dedicated SSD can help in reducing loading times and provide smoother media streaming, especially if your library includes high-definition content.
Potential Drawbacks and Considerations:
Cost vs. Benefit:

SSD Usage: While using an SSD for applications is a good idea, consider whether the benefits of running Plex on an SSD justify the cost of dedicating an entire bay to it. Depending on your usage, the performance difference might not be significant enough to warrant the extra expense.
Storage Utilization:

Underutilization of SSD: If Plex and a few other apps are the only things running on the SSD, the drive might be underutilized. Make sure you’re getting the most out of that SSD by running other I/O-intensive apps on it as well.
Power Consumption:

Additional Power Draw: While not a major concern, adding extra drives does increase the power consumption slightly. It’s worth considering if energy efficiency is important to you.
Alternative Considerations:
NVMe SSDs for Volumes: Another approach could be using one of the NVMe slots for the Plex volume itself rather than just for cache. However, this would limit the caching capability slightly, as you'd only have one NVMe slot left for caching.

All Bays for Storage: If you find that Plex runs efficiently enough without being on an SSD, you might consider using all four bays for traditional HDDs to maximize your storage capacity and reserve SSDs purely for caching.