Home Server Build

DirtyFish · April 29, 2013

So I want to build a home server, I just dont know what kind of parts i need. I just want to use it as a simple backup for the home pc's and to store all media in one centralized location as well as streaming it to devices on the network. I have made a rouch parts list, ~$450AUD, but I dont know whether it's too powerful, not powerful enough or just doesn't make sense. So far I have:

CPU: Pentium G2020

MoBo: Asrock B75M-R2

RAM: 4G Kit 1333 Ripjaws-x

PSU: Antec VP-450P

Case: CM silencio

HDD: Seagate 2TB

OS: WHS 2011

What I really want to know is, is the CPU a decent choice for what I want to do, would I be better off getting a couple of hard drives so i can start a raid array, do I need a seperate boot drive and is there anyway that I can save a few bucks on parts without making any real difference to performance?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

Lavi · April 29, 2013

You might be better served by a actual NAS than building home server. I tend to see them as something to put old parts to use than something to buy.

The CPU, if you plan on running something like a mincraft server then it would be a good choice. For media streaming though you could just get the cheapest possible and be fine.

More hard drives are better, at least a pair in RAID 1 would be ideal as it gives you some redundancy. Since gigabit Ethernet would be a bottleneck you can get lower RPM drives and be fine. WD Reds are worth a mention as they are built for putting in RAID arrays.

I also prefer to have the OS on a separate drive from the storage pool since setting up booting from RAID arrays can sometimes be funny.

DirtyFish · April 30, 2013

Thanks for the reply.
Yeah for the past few weeks I've been tossing up whether to get a NAS or home server because, in my case I would want to get a 4 bay NAS, something like a ReadyNAS RND4000 is what I was looking at, and working out costs, the server is only ~$100 more. I'm not sure whether it would be better to fork out that little bit extra to get some more functionality and longevity out of a storage solution or just go with a simple NAS.