New Server Build - Feedback Welcome

[dac9]

Budget (including currency):  3500USD

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Game Servers, Home Lab, Fun, Plex

Other details:

 

Hey Guys Take a look at my planner server build and let me know what you think. This server will be running Unraid. I already have a NAS so this is for VM's & Dockers.

 

CPU	Intel Xeon W-1290P
Motherboard	X11SPL-F
RAM	2 X Crucial DDR4-2933 32GB/4Gx72 ECC/Reg CL21 Server Memory CT32G4RFD4293
HDD 1	M.2 - 2TB Samsung 980 Pro
HDD 2	SSD - 2TB Samsung 980 Pro
HDD 3	Spindle - 8TB Seagate IronWolf Pro
HDD 4	Spindle - 8TB Seagate IronWolf Pro
HDD 5	Spindle - 8TB Seagate IronWolf Pro
HDD 6	Spindle - 8TB Seagate IronWolf Pro

CPU Cooling

IceGiant ProSiphon Elite

[manikyath]

are those two SSD's the same SSD, or are you planning to go 1x m.2 and 1x SATA? because that's not how unraid works.

 

past that.. the IceGiant feels like a bad idea... it's an enormous cooler that can only really be in two orientations to work.

also, either i'm overlooking something somewhere, or the CPU and mobo you chose arent compatible.

[Electronics Wizardy]

If your mostly runing vms, id use proxmox or anotuher hypervisor as they are normally much better at running vms.

 

Why did you pick that board+ cpu combo? Id probably get a used xeon if you can.

 

Id get more ram, like 128gb if you can.

 

What are the hdds for, id put all the vms on the ssds if you can. Id also get bigger slower ssds if price is a issue.

 

Id get a seperate boot drive too for proxmox/esxi/hyper-v

[manikyath]

probably a better pick in just about every way, for home lab use:

 

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Threadripper 3960X 3.8 GHz 24-Core Processor  ($1399.00 @ Adorama) 
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler  ($89.95 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: MSI TRX40 PRO 10G ATX sTRX4 Motherboard  ($445.99 @ Amazon) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL19 Memory  ($349.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($86.30 @ MemoryC) 
Storage: Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($86.30 @ MemoryC) 
Storage: Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($86.30 @ MemoryC) 
Video Card: MSI GeForce GT 1030 2 GB Video Card  ($99.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic PRIME TX 750 W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply  ($200.98 @ Newegg) 
Total: $3244.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-05-13 16:55 EDT-0400

[dac9]

15 minutes ago, manikyath said:

are those two SSD's the same SSD, or are you planning to go 1x m.2 and 1x SATA? because that's not how unraid works.

 

past that.. the IceGiant feels like a bad idea... it's an enormous cooler that can only really be in two orientations to work.

also, either i'm overlooking something somewhere, or the CPU and mobo you chose arent compatible.

Hey, Thanks for the feedback. 

 

So to break down my HHD usage:

M.2 - Hold Vm's & Dockers

SSD - Cache - Scratch Drive

Spindle HDD's in unraid with 1 parity.

 

I will change out the cooler for something that makes more sense. Possible a Noctua NH-D15.

 

I will double check Mobo & CPU compatibility.. If you have and Mobo suggestions let me know.

[dac9]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

probably a better pick in just about every way, for home lab use:

 

PCPartPicker Part List

CPU: AMD Threadripper 3960X 3.8 GHz 24-Core Processor  ($1399.00 @ Adorama) 
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-U14S TR4-SP3 82.52 CFM CPU Cooler  ($89.95 @ Amazon) 
Motherboard: MSI TRX40 PRO 10G ATX sTRX4 Motherboard  ($445.99 @ Amazon) 
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL19 Memory  ($349.99 @ Newegg) 
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive  ($199.99 @ Amazon) 
Storage: Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($86.30 @ MemoryC) 
Storage: Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($86.30 @ MemoryC) 
Storage: Toshiba 3 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($86.30 @ MemoryC) 
Video Card: MSI GeForce GT 1030 2 GB Video Card  ($99.99 @ B&H) 
Power Supply: SeaSonic PRIME TX 750 W 80+ Titanium Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply  ($200.98 @ Newegg) 
Total: $3244.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2021-05-13 16:55 EDT-0400

Thanks. This looks great. Ill take a more detailed look.

[manikyath]

1 minute ago, dac9 said:

Hey, Thanks for the feedback. 

 

So to break down my HHD usage:

M.2 - Hold Vm's & Dockers

SSD - Cache - Scratch Drive

Spindle HDD's in unraid with 1 parity.

 

I will change out the cooler for something that makes more sense. Possible a Noctua NH-D15.

 

I will double check Mobo & CPU compatibility.. If you have and Mobo suggestions let me know.

that's not how unraid storage works.

 

essentially, unraid considers everything as one big pool, and the different data types you have will either be 'primarily' on the SSD array, or the HDD array.

 

past that.. 8TB drives probably arent the greatest idea if mass storage isnt a primary task of this system. even with my quite speedy 3TB drives, integrity checking the array takes pretty much overnight to complete, and rebuilding after a failure on the bigger size drives can actually take several days.

 

in the Pcpartpicker built i posted earlier the idea is as follows:

- 3x 3TB drives so you have 6TB space, and one drive as parity

- 2x 1TB SSD's, of which one is used for parity.

 

as for the CPU/mobo combo.. if you're not getting a stunning deal on that thing, you're better off getting threadripper pro, like i suggested in my build. the price/performance of TRpro is quite amazing. The only annoying thing is the need for a dedicated GPU, but depending on the OS of choice you could possibly run plex bare metal and use the GPU for transcoding.

[dac9]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

that's not how unraid storage works.

 

essentially, unraid considers everything as one big pool, and the different data types you have will either be 'primarily' on the SSD array, or the HDD array.

 

past that.. 8TB drives probably arent the greatest idea if mass storage isnt a primary task of this system. even with my quite speedy 3TB drives, integrity checking the array takes pretty much overnight to complete, and rebuilding after a failure on the bigger size drives can actually take several days.

 

in the Pcpartpicker built i posted earlier the idea is as follows:

- 3x 3TB drives so you have 6TB space, and one drive as parity

- 2x 1TB SSD's, of which one is used for parity.

 

as for the CPU/mobo combo.. if you're not getting a stunning deal on that thing, you're better off getting threadripper pro, like i suggested in my build. the price/performance of TRpro is quite amazing. The only annoying thing is the need for a dedicated GPU, but depending on the OS of choice you could possibly run plex bare metal and use the GPU for transcoding.

Hey Mate Thanks again.

 

Im thinking of Putting a P2000 Quadro in it.

[manikyath]

Just now, dac9 said:

Im thinking of Putting a P2000 Quadro in it.

but.. why?

[dac9]

1 minute ago, manikyath said:

but.. why?

Plex & Jellyfin Transcoding

[Electronics Wizardy]

18 minutes ago, dac9 said:

Hey, Thanks for the feedback. 

 

So to break down my HHD usage:

M.2 - Hold Vm's & Dockers

SSD - Cache - Scratch Drive

Spindle HDD's in unraid with 1 parity.

 

I will change out the cooler for something that makes more sense. Possible a Noctua NH-D15.

 

I will double check Mobo & CPU compatibility.. If you have and Mobo suggestions let me know.

Id really avoid unraid here, and go proxmox as its much more flexable when it comres to storage.

 

 

How about getting something like a 10900 here for the cpu . Then you have quicksync on the gpu for encoding videos for jellyfine. 

 

Id get a small ssd or two for boot, then make a large vm pool.

 

How much hdd storage do you need?

[manikyath]

Just now, dac9 said:

Plex & Jellyfin Transcoding

but it's such poor value.. it's a home lab box, it literally does not matter, get consumer stuff and you'll actually save so much money you can build a box that's twice the speed.

[dac9]

3 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id really avoid unraid here, and go proxmox as its much more flexable when it comres to storage.

 

 

How about getting something like a 10900 here for the cpu . Then you have quicksync on the gpu for encoding videos for jellyfine. 

 

Id get a small ssd or two for boot, then make a large vm pool.

 

How much hdd storage do you need?

Ill check out Promox.

 

I dont need more than say 12TB. I just dont want to run out in 5 years. I have a NAS with thats around 150TB. So plenty.

[dac9]

3 minutes ago, manikyath said:

but it's such poor value.. it's a home lab box, it literally does not matter, get consumer stuff and you'll actually save so much money you can build a box that's twice the speed.

Excellent point.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, dac9 said:

Ill check out Promox.

 

I dont need more than say 12TB. I just dont want to run out in 5 years. I have a NAS with thats around 150TB. So plenty.

Id probably go ssd only for this system, and then mount the main nas if you need larger files. 

 

HOw much do you care about power consumption and noise?

 

What vms are you urnning?