Building NAS/Plex server

[Dyelon21]

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/9VNLhM

I'm going to build a NAS that i can use plex through, I don't want to do a proprietary device because I could use it for other stuff later on if I feel like it. I'm more than anything just wondering if this will be enough to stream and transcode 1080p videos to at least 1 device (preferably 2-3 at a time). Also any tips on things I should change or remove?

[obsidian1200]

What OS is going to be on the NAS?

 

I'd recommend using NAS drives instead of the WD blues. Something like WD Reds, Seagate NAS, or the HGST NAS drives would be better suited for that use.

 

Also, depending on what devices you're using and the source files, the NAS may be able to utilize plex's direct stream feature, which entails zero transcoding during the stream process. You can tell the Plex app on android to force direct streams, though idk about other platforms.

[79wjd]

I'd go with a cheaper motherboard and WD Red drives (maybe even the 4tb versions instead since they're cheaper than two 2tb drives), and maybe go ECC depending on if you're going to be storing anything important in the future (bitrot isn't really a concern with video).

 

I would also think twice about the R4, it's a great choice and part of me would love to move my server into an R4, but considering it's hidden away (if yours isn't hidden, then just ignore this) I just can't see the value in spending almost three times as much on what basically ends up being aesthetics. 

[tt2468]

For a beginner nas build, your parts are pretty good. The only thing that I recommend you change before you order is the psu. In any server/nas, you want the best psu you can get for the price, as it will most likely be running 24/7. If you want better reliability, go with nas drives. But the drives you have right now suit you well. My first nas had 5 wd green 2tb drives and was running for 1+ years without any issues.

[Mighty_Miro_WD]

Hi @Dyelon21!

 

The build looks pretty good, but the only change I would suggest is to change the drives, like the others wrote. For instance, such drive from WD is WD Red.

 

The reason why is because of the firmware NAS drives have. They are optimized to use less power, cause less vibration and have AAM (which stands for Automatic Acoustic Management and with it you can set priority to quiet seeks or faster seeks but more noise) set to high levels, which multiplies rotational latency. 

 

Also, NAS drives have a specific build-in feature called TLER, which stops the hard drive from entering into a deep recovery cycle. For instance, a desktop drive will try, try and try again to get your data back if a sector's not reading properly and this will result in timeouts, etc. A NAS not be dropped from a RAID array since it will enter in deep recovery cycle to attempt to repair the error, recover the data from the problematic area, and then reallocate a dedicated area to replace the problematic area.

 

Hope this helps and feel free to ask any questions you may have.

 

Cheers!