Need help with home server planning

[Xtreme Gamer]

I cant seem to decide whether to get a xeon for the extra cores or an i7 for the extra speed for home servers. Also, I need help figuring out if I need a server board or not. Server will be always on, transcode on the fly, allow multiple people easy access, and be fast/efficient / and reliable during operation. So, based on that, Xeon or i7? and server board or non-server board?

[Shd0w2]

Xeon. Its reliable and pretty fast. as well as the multiple extra cores giving easier workload share for others. As well as always on reliability

[Xtreme Gamer]

Xeon. Its reliable and pretty fast. as well as the multiple extra cores giving easier workload share for others. As well as always on reliability

 

Ok, then what about the motherboard? Should it be a server board or not? I dont want to get a board and not have the correct features i should have/need.

[dalekphalm]

I cant seem to decide whether to get a xeon for the extra cores or an i7 for the extra speed for home servers. Also, I need help figuring out if I need a server board or not. Server will be always on, transcode on the fly, allow multiple people easy access, and be fast/efficient / and reliable during operation. So, based on that, Xeon or i7? and server board or non-server board?

Alright well before you decide Xeon vs i7, you need to determine whether an i7 is necessary at all. In most Home Server builds, something like an i7 is WILDLY overpowered for what they need.

 

Can you please describe, in as much detail as possible, everything you want this server to do:

Example: Backup server for 4 PC's, File/Media server, 1080p streaming to 2 PC's simultaneously, on-the-fly transcoding to x number of clients, etc etc etc etc.

 

In most cases, even an i3 will do quite nicely for a home server.

[2chriswy]

@Xtreme Gamer

 

have you looked past the asrock intel avoton C2750 

 

i have one and it is great multi user steaming easily and well the 12 sata ports is amazing and it sips power unlike my last server

 

take a look 

http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=C2750D4I

[Xtreme Gamer]

Alright well before you decide Xeon vs i7, you need to determine whether an i7 is necessary at all. In most Home Server builds, something like an i7 is WILDLY overpowered for what they need.

 

Can you please describe, in as much detail as possible, everything you want this server to do:

Example: Backup server for 4 PC's, File/Media server, 1080p streaming to 2 PC's simultaneously, on-the-fly transcoding to x number of clients, etc etc etc etc.

 

In most cases, even an i3 will do quite nicely for a home server.

 

So this is everything I can think of ATM. In no particular order at all.

 

1. Transcode on the fly to stream over wifi or any internet connection possible to pc's tablets, and smartphones (if possible for tablets and smartphones).

2. be able to store files.

3. Backup computers (4 at most).

4. stream media.

5. NOT have anything running in/on the server crash and the program fail (which also hopefully means little to no bsods).

6. be fast and efficient in anything (or as much as possible) it does.

7. can get good to better airflow.

8. reliable

9. affordable (Below $1000).

[Priller]

So this is everything I can think of ATM. In no particular order at all.

 

1. Transcode on the fly to stream over wifi or any internet connection possible to pc's tablets, and smartphones (if possible for tablets and smartphones).

2. be able to store files.

3. Backup computers (4 at most).

4. stream media.

5. NOT have anything running in/on the server crash and the program fail (which also hopefully means little to no bsods).

6. be fast and efficient in anything (or as much as possible) it does.

7. can get good to better airflow.

8. reliable

9. affordable (Below $1000).

 

My old FX-8150 setup does all of that with ease with just 6 cores active in the VM using Hyper V. 

[2chriswy]

My old FX-8150 setup does all of that with ease with just 6 cores active in the VM using Hyper V. 

how much power is that thing using had an undervolted 6300 and that thing guzzled power

[Priller]

how much power is that thing using had an undervolted 6300 and that thing guzzled power

 

It stays on alot and my power bill is not noticeably different then when it wasn't in use. Used the Phenom II for a while but it has an issue that I need to diag before it goes back into service. Until then the 8150 is filling that role as well as still being the home server.

[2chriswy]

It stays on alot and my power bill is not noticeably different then when it wasn't in use. Used the Phenom II for a while but it has an issue that I need to diag before it goes back into service. Until then the 8150 is filling that role as well as still being the home server.

dam you must  be paying less for power than me when i switched from the fx-6300 to intel avoton my bill was noticeably different

[Priller]

dam you must  be paying less for power than me when i switched from the fx-6300 to intel avoton my bill was noticeably different

 

Most likely but I also have all the power saving features on and it's watercooled.

 

What type of rig do you have now? Does it need an update? It might make more sense to retire your current rig and make that the server then build a new/better one to replace it with by mixing and matching parts etc.

[2chriswy]

Most likely but I also have all the power saving features on and it's watercooled.

 

What type of rig do you have now? Does it need an update? It might make more sense to retire your current rig and make that the server then build a new/better one to replace it with by mixing and matching parts etc.

 

the server is running a Asrock C2750D2I its an 8 core atom soldered on a server board with 12 sata ports its all i need from a server for now since transcodeing scales great over cores its a little beast

[Xtreme Gamer]

Most likely but I also have all the power saving features on and it's watercooled.

 

What type of rig do you have now? Does it need an update? It might make more sense to retire your current rig and make that the server then build a new/better one to replace it with by mixing and matching parts etc.

 

 

the server is running a Asrock C2750D2I its an 8 core atom soldered on a server board with 12 sata ports its all i need from a server for now since transcodeing scales great over cores its a little beast

 

Did we forget about the question being asked here?

[Priller]

Did we forget about the question being asked here?

 

Nope. The point it to define the load you expect to handle by what you want to run all at the same time. If the applications will be run during different times then a Xeon or i7 will be overkill. 

[2chriswy]

Did we forget about the question being asked here?

nope power consumption is important for a server cough cough 24/7 operation 

[Xtreme Gamer]

Nope. The point it to define the load you expect to handle by what you want to run all at the same time. If the applications will be run during different times then a Xeon or i7 will be overkill. 

 Then what motherbard and cpu do you recommend based off what I said?

[Priller]

 Then what motherbard and cpu do you recommend based off what I said?

 

What OS you plan on running and what software? Do you plan on making it a storage box where sata ports/RAID is important etc?

[Xtreme Gamer]

What OS you plan on running and what software? Do you plan on making it a storage box where sata ports/RAID is important etc?

Im gonna use WHS 2011, software that can stream to xbox, android, pc, apple, ios, and windows phone. It will be storage handy and stream media easily.

[Priller]

Im gonna use WHS 2011, software that can stream to xbox, android, pc, apple, ios, and windows phone. It will be storage handy and stream media easily.

 

If it's something like Plex then it will use hyperthreading but you will get a 15-40% increase in speed depending on what you're doing. 

 

An i5 should fit everything you need even with several users streaming etc but if you are set on either an i7 or Xeon then I would use an i7. But it's going to be a good bit overkill for even 5 users unless each user is hitting the server with several requests at once. 

 

I would also use a hardware raid controller and pair with several 3 or 4TB RED drives that have TLER and enjoy.

[Xtreme Gamer]

If it's something like Plex then it will use hyperthreading but you will get a 15-40% increase in speed depending on what you're doing. 

 

An i5 should fit everything you need even with several users streaming etc but if you are set on either an i7 or Xeon then I would use an i7. But it's going to be a good bit overkill for even 5 users unless each user is hitting the server with several requests at once. 

 

I would also use a hardware raid controller and pair with several 3 or 4TB RED drives that have TLER and enjoy.

 

Im not set on ANYTHING for components because I cant figure out no matter where I go on which type of cpu and motherboard is best for what I described that the finished server would do. So, i5? are you sure, cause I need to be. Also for the motherboard, does it NEED to be server motherboard or not? I'm sorry if I sound rude. I'm just getting annoyed with the almost no good results. I say almost no goo results because so far, you're the only person who seems like they can help me.

[Priller]

Im not set on ANYTHING for components because I cant figure out no matter where I go on which type of cpu and motherboard is best for what I described that the finished server would do.

 

The issue is that almost anything can run the WHS 2011 and no one on this forum knows the exact load you plan to put on this home server. You might be the one that needs the I7 or the one that is fine with the APU or I3 build. 

 

So you have to plan the server based on peak load useage. Transcoding on the fly is easy with anything more then 2 strong cores and backing up 4 computers may only happen once at night or once every month. If nothing else is going on then that is just network intensive and the CPU writing data to disk. That does not require the Xeon or the I7 unless a specific feature is needed.

 

In order to say what you want to spend money on a guideline needs to be given for what this server will do on a regular basis and what it's heaviest peak useage would be. Being program specific will help as some programs may not use hyperthreading while others do.

 

 

And to answer your other question no a "server" grade mobo most likely is not needed. The reliability and warranty of most consumer boards is very good now days.

[Xtreme Gamer]

The issue is that almost anything can run the WHS 2011 and no one on this forum knows the exact load you plan to put on this home server. You might be the one that needs the I7 or the one that is fine with the APU or I3 build. 

 

So you have to plan the server based on peak load useage. Transcoding on the fly is easy with anything more then 2 strong cores and backing up 4 computers may only happen once at night or once every month. If nothing else is going on then that is just network intensive and the CPU writing data to disk. That does not require the Xeon or the I7 unless a specific feature is needed.

 

In order to say what you want to spend money on a guideline needs to be given for what this server will do on a regular basis and what it's heaviest peak useage would be. Being program specific will help as some programs may not use hyperthreading while others do.

 

 

And to answer your other question no a "server" grade mobo most likely is not needed. The reliability and warranty of most consumer boards is very good now days.

 

Ok, so what I think may be the peak usage is the file/media storage and/or (emphasis on and/or) media streaming. Either one of those 2 will be its peak or they both will. I think however that the file storage will be the peak and the media streaming will be right underneath that. Please tell me if there is any other info you need, I will try to give you all info required.

[Priller]

Ok, so what I think may be the peak usage is the file/media storage and/or (emphasis on and/or) media streaming. Either one of those 2 will be its peak or they both will. I think however that the file storage will be the peak and the media streaming will be right underneath that. Please tell me if there is any other info you need, I will try to give you all info required.

 

So you will be use WHS 2011 and what other programs will be running or used? 

 

What do you think with be the most users that will hit this server all at once?

[Xtreme Gamer]

So you will be use WHS 2011 and what other programs will be running or used? 

 

What do you think with be the most users that will hit this server all at once?

 

When you say programs that it'll be running, can you give me an example? Cause I don't know what programs are available to WHS 2011 and can do or help do in some tasks.

 

Also, when you say users, do you mean # of people, or # of devices connected?

[Priller]

When you say programs that it'll be running, can you give me an example? Cause I don't know what programs are available to WHS 2011 and can do or help do in some tasks.

 

Also, when you say users, do you mean # of people, or # of devices connected?

 

Add on programs, such as plex

 

Both.