Media Server Upgrade

Spotopolis · February 16, 2016

I just figured I would share my recent score and how cheaply I have been able to upgrade it.

I am currently running my unRAID server out of a HPz400 with a Xeon w3520 and 6x1GB DDR3 memory sticks. I mainly use this for my Plex Media Server but I also use it for Transmission and a single Win7 VM. I am running out of space in the small HP case for drives and I would like more memory for running more VMs.

I got lucky and managed to get an IBM x3650 M2 for free. It only had a single heatsink, single CPU (Xeon E5530), and 2x2GB DDR3 ECC modules (out of 16 DIMMS). It has 4 PCIE 8x slots available and can have 8x 2.5in SAS/SATA drives.

I managed to buy 2x Xeon X5570's for $19 each and 16x4GB DDR3 ECC HP branded and heat-shielded sticks for $108. I then had to buy new 95w heatsinks that had 2 copper heat pipes for the higher end CPUs. I managed to get 2x of them for just under $23. So far I have only spent $169 and I have a 64GB DDR3 ECC 16 core system. It looks like I may have to get a few 4 port SATA controllers as the IBM SAS controller and hotswap backplane may limit my drive capacity to 600GB drives. I managed to get a 4-port PCIe controller from the e-waste bin at work. Not sure if it will be any better than the IBM one that came with the system. I am still waiting on the heatsinks to show up at my door so I can power this thing on. I will probably need to buy a few 4-port controllers so I can support 2TB drives. My current HPz400 has 9TB of storage, so at the minimum I would like to have 4x2TB 2.5in drives in this server.

Im pretty happy with what I have been able to find so far for so little. Once I have everything, this will be a great upgrade and I will be able to run quite a few more VMs, not to mention setup LACP between my switch and unRAID server finally. Any recommendations on what way to go for controller cards and what would be the best one to go for would be much appreciated.