PCIe SSD in qnap x71?

[pwilson]

Have anyone tried to install a PCIe SSD in a Qnap ? Do you think it could be possible to install a PCIE SSD like the M6e in a qnap x71?

I have no idea if this would work or not. It might work as storage, but I doubt it is usable as SSD Cache. Pity you didn't choose a TS-ECx80 / TVS-ECx80 / TVS-x71U series model, as they provide 2 mSATA ports for use in SSD Cache in additional to the normal HDD/SSD slots.

This is a question you should be asking the QNAP Helpdesk. The Community really can not provide advice on this type of "unsupported" configuration. Seek guidance from QNAP directly.

[pwilson]

Thanks for the answer It was not my intention to use it for caching purposes, my intention is to use it purely as a storage drive. Thanks for the headsup at the TVS-EC880. Do you know if its possible to use the mSATA ports for storage instead of cache?

Sorry I don't. I'm using an older model, which does not support mSATA either. Ask the Helpdesk as previously recommended. These products are too "new" to have developed a knowledge base within the Forum, and we would be hesitant to provide advice that could result in either data loss, or purchasing incompatible hardware. Please ask QNAP, as only they can provide an answer for you.

I've never seen this question before, despite participating in this Forum since 2009.

[pwilson]

I've never seen this question before, despite participating in this Forum since 2009.

I'm sorry about my weird question I'm gonna use this for plex primarily, and want to store the plex database on fast storage and everything else on normal slow hard drives. I'm gonna ask qnap support, and write about my findings here.

Don't be sorry. It's a great question. Unfortunately it is one that we simply can't answer it for you.

[Toxic17]

cant see this working tbh. the nas is not as open as a full blown linux PC. the OS is locked down, and hardware compatibility is for SATA drives in the main Bays, and internal plugin cards for extra LAN ports

http://shop.qnap.com/index.php?route=pr ... uct_id=100

http://shop.qnap.com/index.php?route=pr ... duct_id=82

if you wanted PCIe SSD support you should have bought something else.

[Toxic17]

you could try and ask for a feature request by submitting a ticket.

[Tylast]

Any idea what is intended to fit in the 2 PCIe slots in the TVS-471? The term PCIe doesn't even show up in the manual.

[P3R]

Any idea what is intended to fit in the 2 PCIe slots in the TVS-471?

Network adapters I'd think after looking at the product page.

Confirmed in the product brochure: Dual PCIe expansion (PCIe Gen3 x8/PCIe Gen2 x4) for a maximum of 4x 10GbE or 8x 1GbE ports.

[tomsa]

Hi,
I added a Samsung 950 Pro on a Delock PCIe NVMe Adapter (DELOCK PCIe x4 > 1 x M.2 NGFF) to my TVS-671. The system booted ok but did NOT show the /dev/nvmeS0 device. It seems that capability has been removed from the kernel by QNAP. At least that is the case in the GPL sources currently available for QTS 4.2 (TS-xxxP, TS-xxx) (the NVMe option is commented out).

I removed all drives and started the TVS-671 using a CentOS live DVD: The device was immediately available so I've got proof that the combo was indeed working.
What I would need now are the GPL sources for TVS-x71 to recompile the kernel. No other changes would be needed after that, since I could mount the 950 pro at startup and create/recreate a symlink to a directory on my existing Samsung 850 Pro in Slot #1. That should do to start using the NMMe SSD for VMs w/o QTS even knowing.

If someone finds the GPL sources, please add the information here.

Thanks and kind regards
Bernd

[bertdb]

Great info tomsa/Bernd!

I'm tempted to try this on a TS1079 Pro. When I installed it at a customer, there was no SSD support yet, and we filled it with 10 HDDs in RAID6. Now I'd go for 8 HDDs (slightly bigger) in RAID6, with 2 SSD's. That kind of RAID transformation is not possible unfortunately (I mean going from 10x 1TB RAID-6 to 8x 2TB RAID-6). So adding the SSDs in a nonstandard way like PCIe to mSata or m.2 or nvme would be a way to go.

There are a couple of m.2 adapters that claim to be driverless. Don't know what the chances of getting this to work are. Not very high, reading your post...

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Samsung- ... B00SJCCKUY
https://www.amazon.com/Ableconn-PEXM2-S ... 017JGVTAM/

[OPERATOR76]

i'am waiting for a solution too, this should be a big performance boost if we can use M.2 PCIe drives with our QNAP Systems.

On the kernel from the https://www.qnap.com/de-de/product/mode ... 32&event=2 it must be supported. There you find 2 places for the m.2 pcie ssds. So it can be possible to use this kernel for the x71 systems.

[Spider99]

IIRC in some model nvme does work but only for Intel SSD's in the pcie slots

remember there are more than a few types of M.2 drives - SATA versions will work(which is what the link above says) and in the pcie slots but others have tried the Samsung nvme versions without success so far using expansion cards

viewtopic.php?f=182&t=124419&hilit=nvme

not to say somebody might come up with a mod

Has anybody raised a ticket with QNAP to ask why its not supported/disabled etc

[colindbrookes]

Pleased to advise that the x4 pcie slot accepts a dual M.2 card with M.2 SSd's up to 2TB.
I have one installed and working with no problems in TVS-871 used as cache drive.
The only problem I had was Ghost drives showing in storage manager - this was corrected by removing my existing cache drives from slots 1 and 2, and placing my RAID 5 array from slots 3 to 8 to slots 1 to 6.
No drivers were required, the PCIe to m.2 adaptor works OOTB.
My two OCZ 500GB SSD,s were replaced in slots 7&8 and configured as a fast raid 1 volume.
I have also installed a single slot workstation GPU in the PCIe 3 x8 slot.
This provides UHD output to 2 Display Port 1.2 on which I am running two 3840x2160 UHD monitors @60HZ.
I have been unable to find a compatible card (MUST BE PCIE 3 x 8 - NOT x16) with HDMI v2.0 output, so had to stick to DP.
I will shortly be testing Virtualization station pass-through to this card with windows.
Regards.

[tomsa]

Hi,
great news, thanks for sharing!
Could you please state what kind of pcie adapter card (make & type) and M.2 SSDs you have used?
I guess the M.2 drives are sata kind, not NVMe? It is however amazing that they show up in the storage manager.
Thanks

[intel352]

Another solution, in addition to M.2, would be to install a 3.1 USB expansion card (QNAP sells one for the TVS-471). That transfers at 10Gbps. You could then attach an external SSD.
As I'm new to QNAP, my suggestion above may be naive, as it's dependent on QNAP allowing USB storage to be used as application storage...

[P3R]

Another solution, in addition to M.2, would be to install a 3.1 USB expansion card (QNAP sells one for the TVS-471). That transfers at 10Gbps.

IRL it's well below the USB marketing numbers.

As I'm new to QNAP, my suggestion above may be naive, as it's dependent on QNAP allowing USB storage to be used as application storage...

I'm not sure what "application storage" means but yes, Qnap treat USB connected storage different from internal SATA disks.