Backup Server

[SoftwarePro]

The mammoth server build project

So i have come to a point where i am tired of loosing data...3 times now, and i am going to finally break down and spend some money on a decent backup server/SERVER. I am still in the planning basis but i am going to start with just the bare minimum of storage and upgrade later.

There are a couple things i need now, along with some things i would like to have later but just cant spend the money right now. I would like to keep the whole project pretty cheap but i dont want to skimp on the important stuff because i dont need to loose my data AGAIN (dam seagate backup drive) I have to be extra carefull with the data i have because i handle a lot of customer data and if i loose that i am toast. So that being here is what i would like to have to now.

Requirements that i need now.

1. 6+ hot swap bays, i would prefer more but i will settle for 6 just because i dont need to spend an arm and a leg. Im not sure if this is possible but i would like to be able to expand more drives later.
   
2. Redundancy for drive failure. This is really the main point of this whole build. If i do not have good protection against drive failure then this whole project is pointless.
   
3. The ability to add drives to the server/raid/software raid config in order to expand it when i need more storage....
   
4. Hot spare drive that is ready incase of emergency This is critical because if a drive dies i am not going to have an extra laying around plus if im not home i want it to be able to rebuild the array ASAP.
   

Things i would like in the future.

1. More drives
   
2. More storage
   
3. Ability to turn it into an actual server vs just having a file server
   
4. ill put more things here once i think of them
   
5. Dual or more gigabit ethernet ports so i have more bandwidth.
   
6. Be able to sync everything off sight to another server....again that i would have to build($$$)
   

What hardware i have now.

• I got an old MSI athlon x2 board (this was actually my old computer and still runs great) Its got 4x sata with raid. Other than that its just a normal board.
  
• I also have another "gamer" board that i aqqired that works fine. Its supports up to a 95watt phenom CPU
  
• 2x Seagate 3tb 7200 RPM internal HDD (brand new)
  
• 2x WD 2tb RED drive. These things are awesome. (new)
  
• 2-4x 1tb WD blue HDDS, I am not sure how many of these i have/will have.. These have just been pulled from machines that i am selling where the people dont need the a 1tb HDD (school student machines on a network) So i get them for free....they are okish drives.
  
• Lots of 430watt-600watt PSU that i just pick up whenever they are on sale.
  

What i parts i am thinking of getting right now.

• I saw this on newegg, its a little pricy. but it gets the job done. [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?]
  
• Here is another case but i prefer the first one, this one would also work [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811321019]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16811321019[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811321019]
  
• i also thought i could get a case without hot swap capability and then add something like this [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817707117]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817707117[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817707117] I have no idea if this would actually work though. Just an idea
  
• For the raid card/SAS card i was thinking at something like this [url=http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips0740.html]http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips0740.html[/url=http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips0740.html] I have heard some really good things about this one, it supports 8x drives out of the box and i think there is a way to add more (i dont compleatrly undersatnd all the SAS stuff) But my question is acording to that spec sheet it says it has a bandwidth of 6 Gbs, is that over all? Is there per sata port (after i use one of those SAS cables?)
  

Software???????????

EDIT: Thinking flexRAID now!

[SoftwarePro]

About the M1015' date=' it's best if you flash it in IT mode before using. Flashing the firmware is fairly easy. You can look it up in google. One SAS port can split to four SATA ports, each of them getting 6Gbps speed. FlexRAID works well for my needs.[/quote']

What does flashing the firmware do? Also i heard something about being able to add a SAS expander to get more drive ports? Is this correct? If so what do i need to expand it? Do i looe bandwidth? Yeah, a lot of questions lol

I was thinking the same thing as far as flexRAID, It looks really good. Which engine do you use?

[IdeaStormer]

Here's a 1U that fits 14 Drives :p

pricier but includes its own Mobo.

Opps left off the link: http://www.quantaqct.com/en/01_product/02_detail.php?mid=27&sid=158&id=159&qs=100

[IdeaStormer]

About the M1015' date=' it's best if you flash it in IT mode before using. Flashing the firmware is fairly easy. You can look it up in google. One SAS port can split to four SATA ports, each of them getting 6Gbps speed. FlexRAID works well for my needs.[/quote']

What does flashing the firmware do? Also i heard something about being able to add a SAS expander to get more drive ports? Is this correct? If so what do i need to expand it? Do i looe bandwidth? Yeah, a lot of questions lol

I was thinking the same thing as far as flexRAID, It looks really good. Which engine do you use?

If you're not using an IBM server mobo I'd stay away from teh M1015. Stick to LSI for a more general card, supports more platforms and has better support.

[SoftwarePro]

Here's a 1U that fits 14 Drives :p

pricier but includes its own Mobo.

Opps left off the link: http://www.quantaqct.com/en/01_product/02_detail.php?mid=27&sid=158&id=159&qs=100

Yeah, thats going to a little to much, I cant even see needing 12 drives anytime soon but better safe than sorry. I would go for a norco case like linus has but i dont want to spend that much.

[SoftwarePro]

Those are up there in price, Is there a certain one i have to get? Or does pretty much any SAS expander work?

I also found this nice article at "servethehome.com" Very informative with some good information about the card, thought i would post it incase any one wanted more info about the card

Those are up there in price, Is there a certain one i have to get? Or does pretty much any SAS expander work?

I also found this nice article at "servethehome.com" Very informative with some good information about the card, thought i would post it incase any one wanted more info about the card.

About the M1015' date=' it's best if you flash it in IT mode before using. Flashing the firmware is fairly easy. You can look it up in google. One SAS port can split to four SATA ports, each of them getting 6Gbps speed. FlexRAID works well for my needs.[/quote'] What does flashing the firmware do? Also i heard something about being able to add a SAS expander to get more drive ports? Is this correct? If so what do i need to expand it? Do i looe bandwidth? Yeah, a lot of questions lol I was thinking the same thing as far as flexRAID, It looks really good. Which engine do you use?

The card has a BIOS which will pop up everytime you restart your PC. Flashing in IT mode basically makes the card transparent and passes straight through to the OS. A SAS expander requires a SAS card to begin with, like the M1015. Two SAS ports can expand to 5-7 ports depending on the expander you get. My personal favorites are the offerings from HP[/url=http://www.amazon.com/HP-468406-B21-Sas-Expander-Card/dp/B0025ZQ16K/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366234449&sr=8-1&keywords=hp+sas+expander] and Intel[/url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816117207]. Chenbro[/url=http://www.amazon.com/CHENBRO-CK23601-36-Port-Expander-Controller/dp/B008LA8AO4] also makes a very good expander. I am using Cruise Control mode, which uses Tx engine. Working very nicely thus far.

Those are up there in price, Is there a certain one i have to get? Or does pretty much any SAS expander work?

I also found this nice article at "servethehome.com" Very informative with some good information about the card, thought i would post it incase any one wanted more info about the card. [url=http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/''>http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/' rel="external nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/HP-468406-B21-Sas-Expander-Card/dp/B0025ZQ16K/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366234449&sr=8-1&keywords=hp+sas+expander'>http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/]http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/''>http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/' rel="external nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/HP-468406-B21-Sas-Expander-Card/dp/B0025ZQ16K/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366234449&sr=8-1&keywords=hp+sas+expander'>http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/[/url=http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/''>http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/' rel="external nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/HP-468406-B21-Sas-Expander-Card/dp/B0025ZQ16K/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366234449&sr=8-1&keywords=hp+sas+expander'>http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-75-dollars/]

[SoftwarePro]

You have to check compatibility of the expanders with the HBA you will be using. If an expander is not compatible with an HBA' date=' it may not work. All of the expanders I mentioned above should be compatible with the M1015. And yes, expanders can get expensive. I have seen the HP expander for $100+ prices in eBay however.[/quote']

I assume when you say HBA you are referring to the IBM m1015?

Also another question, adding say a 4 port SAS expander so 16 SATA ports/drives am i going to be limited by the some bottleneck wherever that may be? Or is it just like adding another card? So in other terms is adding a SAS expander like installing a outlet multiplier, I can do it, but it i try to draw 15amps from each plug at the same time i am going to run out of "bandwidth" or is it like adding a outlet multiplier that magically creates more "bandwidth" or amps? (sorry couldnt come up with a comparison /: )

If they are around the $100 mark, why dont i simply buy another card? Wouldnt this make a little more sense? Or would this cause compatibility issues?

[SoftwarePro]

I assume when you say HBA you are referring to the IBM m1015?

Also another question, adding say a 4 port SAS expander so 16 SATA ports/drives am i going to be limited by the some bottleneck wherever that may be? Or is it just like adding another card? So in other terms is adding a SAS expander like installing a outlet multiplier, I can do it, but it i try to draw 15amps from each plug at the same time i am going to run out of "bandwidth" or is it like adding a outlet multiplier that magically creates more "bandwidth" or amps? (sorry couldnt come up with a comparison /: )

If they are around the $100 mark, why dont i simply buy another card? Wouldnt this make a little more sense? Or would this cause compatibility issues?

Yes, I am referring to the IBM M1015.

I am not clear about what your concern is but PCIe x8 I believe is 4GB/s? You are going to have to run A LOT of drive simultaneously before you hit any bottleneck.

You mean buy another IBM M1015? Sure you could. There isn't any compatibility issues with running multiple M1015s flashed in IT mode. It's usually better for people with 20+ drives to go with a HBA+expander solution, since there are limited number of PCIe slots in a mobo (unless you get a server mobo or the Intel expander, which doesn't need to plugged in to a PCIe slot for power. It has a 4pin molex connector for that.)

Ahhh ok, just making sure. Im pretty sure now i am going to get one of the IBM m1015 cards, run windows home sever 2011, with flexraid. Thank you so much for your help!