Powerful Home Server

[Peter_The_Ent]

8 minutes ago, Blue4130 said:

So you will use a thin client and connect to the server?

What is a thin client?

[miagisan]

Servers are built for specific functions (ex. databasing, virtualization, AI, 3d design, etc)...and each function has different hardware which makes it specific to that task. You can build a cheap DIY home file server and automation server for a cost of a raspberry pi....or you can spend up to millions depending on what tasks you want it to accomplish.

 

I am running a home server and game server off a 10 year old computer, what do YOU NEED IT TO DO will dictate WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO BUY.

[Peter_The_Ent]

I am looking for a server that is capable of running AI, ML, CAD, and Media editing/encoding, as well as doubling as a storage server. I want it to be as powerful as possible, be able to run independently or as a part of my normal computer to make my normal computer more powerful. I want the switch from an independent machine to a part of my normal computer to be as seamless as possible. I DO NOT want it to connect to my computer via the internet.

[Blue4130]

36 minutes ago, Peter_The_Ent said:

And where how have you come up with this price?

I pulled it out of thin air because you can't pin down an actual use-case. BUT it is not out of line for a powerful server from a vendor like Dell EMC, HPE, IBM etc.

 

37 minutes ago, Peter_The_Ent said:

What is a thin client?

A thin client is a low power machine that connects to a more power machine. All of the computing is done on the powerful machine, the thin client simply acts as a display and IO.

[Peter_The_Ent]

27 minutes ago, Blue4130 said:

A thin client is a low power machine that connects to a more power machine. All of the computing is done on the powerful machine, the thin client simply acts as a display and IO.

Yes, I want this, but I want to be able to use it as a seperate server if I want to run a high load program (like AI training/ML) and, for instance, play a game with out hurting either's performance. It will be used for AI/ML, CAD, and media editing/encoding, and also must act as a storage server as well.

[Blue4130]

2 hours ago, Peter_The_Ent said:

Yes, I want this, but I want to be able to use it as a seperate server if I want to run a high load program (like AI training/ML) and, for instance, play a game with out hurting either's performance. It will be used for AI/ML, CAD, and media editing/encoding, and also must act as a storage server as well.

Is this for personal home fun or is it your business? How much money are you realistically looking to spend on a server? You say budget is based around the server, but I just priced out an AI ML based server on dell.com and it was over $200,000 US dollars. I assume that you are not going to buy something like that. To get yo a better recommendation, you need to set a REALISTIC budget or it's all a waste of time.

[leadeater]

Using generic terms like AI/ML and CAD are not helpful, like at all. What actual CAD application(s) will you use, what will you be actually designing/modeling? AI/ML? For what, to do what? What frameworks will you be using, what type of data?

 

Every single general IT and computing term represents a massive entire field of endless possibilities or all kind of different needs and use cases. Nobody is doing every single possibility. People are asking what you are wanting to do and you are answering with the equivalency of "Mathematics" or "Calculus", you don't do "Mathematics" or "Calculus" you do something that involves or requires those.

 

You need to give more specific answers to what exactly you will be doing or learning. What is your current knowledge levels, actual experience with these IT fields etc.

 

The topic is so far not productive to getting you help or other members time, if that doesn't change unfortunately it is likely the topic will simply get locked.

 

This forum does not allow "dream build" or similar that essentially wastes community members time. If you just want to learn about servers then parting out a server to build or buy will offer you almost no help or knowledge. It would be better to pick a use case and ask what would make a good server for that and why, you'll learn almost everything you need to know without having to purchase anything, then if you want to become more expert in a certain area you can learn and attain those types of skill without buying a server at all.

 

You should only buy hardware if you actually have a need and purpose of it. Aimless tinkering really is not that and will only harm you financially and isolate you in to spending time that will not provide you good education.

[Peter_The_Ent]

1 hour ago, leadeater said:

Using generic terms like AI/ML and CAD are not helpful, like at all. What actual CAD application(s) will you use, what will you be actually designing/modeling? AI/ML? For what, to do what? What frameworks will you be using, what type of data?

 

Every single general IT and computing term represents a massive entire field of endless possibilities or all kind of different needs and use cases. Nobody is doing every single possibility. People are asking what you are wanting to do and you are answering with the equivalency of "Mathematics" or "Calculus", you don't do "Mathematics" or "Calculus" you do something that involves or requires those.

 

You need to give more specific answers to what exactly you will be doing or learning. What is your current knowledge levels, actual experience with these IT fields etc.

 

The topic is so far not productive to getting you help or other members time, if that doesn't change unfortunately it is likely the topic will simply get locked.

 

This forum does not allow "dream build" or similar that essentially wastes community members time. If you just want to learn about servers then parting out a server to build or buy will offer you almost no help or knowledge. It would be better to pick a use case and ask what would make a good server for that and why, you'll learn almost everything you need to know without having to purchase anything, then if you want to become more expert in a certain area you can learn and attain those types of skill without buying a server at all.

 

You should only buy hardware if you actually have a need and purpose of it. Aimless tinkering really is not that and will only harm you financially and isolate you in to spending time that will not provide you good education.

 

6 hours ago, Blue4130 said:

Is this for personal home fun or is it your business? How much money are you realistically looking to spend on a server? You say budget is based around the server, but I just priced out an AI ML based server on dell.com and it was over $200,000 US dollars. I assume that you are not going to buy something like that. To get yo a better recommendation, you need to set a REALISTIC budget or it's all a waste of time.

I will be using autodesk inventor, and for AI/ML I will be coding my own, and do not want to wait on my slow computer, and would like to still be able to use my computer while I am training them. I do not have a specific type of AI/ML that I will be using. I will use a variety of them, so the server must be powerful enough to handle it. I do not want a pre-built server. I will post my budget later.

[ToboRobot]

5 minutes ago, Peter_The_Ent said:

 

I will be using autodesk inventor, and for AI/ML I will be coding my own, and do not want to wait on my slow computer, and would like to still be able to use my computer while I am training them. I do not have a specific type of AI/ML that I will be using. I will use a variety of them, so the server must be powerful enough to handle it. I do not want a pre-built server. I will post my budget later.

What programming language(s) do you know and will be using for your coding?

[OddOod]

19 hours ago, Peter_The_Ent said:

The server must have a total of 500 terabytes, with 100 percent redundancy. It must be capable of:

• AI/Deep Learning Training
• Business Intelligence & Analytics
• Conversational AI
• High Performance Computing
• Industrial Automation
• Cloud Gaming
• EDA (Electric Design Automation)
• High-availability Cache Cluster
• MEC (Multi-Access Edge Computing)
• Mission Critical Web Applications
• Multi-Purpose CDN
• Telco Edge Cloud
• Machine Learning
• Cloud Computing
• Enterprise Server
• Virtualization
• Edge Nodes
• Data Center Optimized
• Value IaaS
• DNS & Gateway Servers
• Firewall Application
• Web Server
• Firewall Application

Okay, so, that's not gonna be *one* server. Not happening. You want 500TB full redundancy? You want a matched pair of Storinator Q30s running trueNAS mirroring each other with 30 20TB drives grouped into 5 Z1 vdevs which will give you 500TB (450TiB) of storage that is robust and accessible and 100% redundant. Each will cost north of 25k USD. Ideally you toss 100G NICs in for good measure.

Then, for your compute units, you'll want to work with someone like Liqid Solutions to spec and build a multi GPU quadro box configured for joint and split tasking. That will cost 100-200 grand. Additionally you will want to reach out to a place like Supermicro and have them build you a server like the one shown below for another 60-70k USD.

Once you have all this, you need the knowledge of how to use it which means you will want to take about half a dozen certification courses which will suck back 15k USD and about 3000 hours of study if you're good at it.

At this point you're out half a million bucks and two years of schooling. Now what?

[Peter_The_Ent]

22 minutes ago, ToboRobot said:

What programming language(s) do you know and will be using for your coding?

 

18 minutes ago, OddOod said:

Okay, so, that's not gonna be *one* server. Not happening. You want 500TB full redundancy? You want a matched pair of Storinator Q30s running trueNAS mirroring each other with 30 20TB drives grouped into 5 Z1 vdevs which will give you 500TB (450TiB) of storage that is robust and accessible and 100% redundant. Each will cost north of 25k USD. Ideally you toss 100G NICs in for good measure.

Then, for your compute units, you'll want to work with someone like Liqid Solutions to spec and build a multi GPU quadro box configured for joint and split tasking. That will cost 100-200 grand. Additionally you will want to reach out to a place like Supermicro and have them build you a server like the one shown below for another 60-70k USD.

Once you have all this, you need the knowledge of how to use it which means you will want to take about half a dozen certification courses which will suck back 15k USD and about 3000 hours of study if you're good at it.

At this point you're out half a million bucks and two years of schooling. Now what?

Earlier I was joking about the 500tb full redundancy.

 

I currently only know python, but WILL learn more languages like, but not limited to, javascript, C, C++, and C#. My budget is around $12,000.

[Blue4130]

25 minutes ago, Peter_The_Ent said:

 

Earlier I was joking about the 500tb full redundancy.

 

I currently only know python, but WILL learn more languages like, but not limited to, javascript, C, C++, and C#. My budget is around $12,000.

So you are currently starting with next to zero knowledge... Don't blow $12,000 on something that will be outdated by the time you learn how to use it. Spend $1500 on a gamer PC, it will do EVERYTHING that you need it to at this point in your career. Once you know what you are doing, then move up to a better tuned system for the workload.

[OddOod]

5 minutes ago, Blue4130 said:

So you are currently starting with next to zero knowledge... Don't blow $12,000 on something that will be outdated by the time you learn how to use it. Spend $1500 on a gamer PC, it will do EVERYTHING that you need it to at this point in your career. Once you know what you are doing, then move up to a better tuned system for the workload.

That's the answer. If you want to get into server management you can build a 1500$ gaming rig and add the LSI HBA and a disk shelf and play around with different storage and virtualization optimized OSs. Learn all about how well and poorly Linux plays with NV drivers and VMs and different RDP platforms and virtualization and dockers and CLIs and all the fun stuff with a powerful hardware. Once you have enough experience with this stuff, then you won't even need to ask what to buy, you'll just know