Home server building help

[Jupakazoid]

So I'm looking for a new solution for backup and streaming media. I was debating between a NAS, or building an ultra-low powered home server. I'm leaning more towards the home server side. The thing is, I don't even know what to look for in building a home server. It's going to be used to back up the 3-5 computers that are currently/are going to be in the house, and I want to get it to run as low powered as possible so it's basically invisible on the power bill. Other than a backup, it's mostly going to be used to stream media over the network. So a few questions,

 

• Do I need a highly expensive raid card for a very basic raid 5 to be functional? Looking for something like 3 or 4 4TB WD reds or greens.
• Ultra low powered, Haswell 4130T?
• What specs should I be concerned about in a home server? Does it need to be powerful, or is it fine with ~2-4GB of ram and an undervolted dual core?

Thanks in advance for any help, I've build plenty of desktop gaming PCs and things of that, but I've never really gotten into the server side of things.

[CoolBeans]

1. No, but it wouldn't hurt

2. Pentium should work

3. Pentium 4GB of RAM but spend most of the money on the RAID card

[Jupakazoid]

1. No, but it wouldn't hurt

2. Pentium should work

3. Pentium 4GB of RAM but spend most of the money on the RAID card

Well then, what kind of raid card should I be looking at? I'm not looking to spend TOO much, under $1000 altogether would be nice, but if I could manage to make it even cheaper that would be fantastic. Assuming a cheap board, and basically the lowest cost Haswell pentium part there is.

[CoolBeans]

Well then, what kind of raid card should I be looking at? I'm not looking to spend TOO much, under $1000 altogether would be nice, but if I could manage to make it even cheaper that would be fantastic. Assuming a cheap board, and basically the lowest cost Haswell pentium part there is.

Anything from LSI that fits into your budget

[JamesDwho]

I recently built a home server to do the same purpose, I'm running a RAID 6 configuration with 4x WD 2TB RED drives using a HighPoint RocketRAID 2720SGL RAID Card. Performs very well, more than saturates the Gigabit connection of the motherboard, costs around $150-$200.

 

As for drives I wouldn't recommend getting WD Greens or any other regular consumer grade drive for a RAID config, either Seagate's NAS drives or WD Reds would be the best option.

 

As for specifications, I'm running an Ivy Bridge Pentium G2120 3.1Ghz Dual Core with 4GB of Ram I had lying around from a RAM upgrade. You could get away with 2GB, just sitting on the Windows Home Server server desktop the server is using 1.66GB of Ram, but 4GB would be a much better option.

 

As for CPU power if all you're doing is backups and some light media file streaming (no heavy media transcoding to multiple devices at a time) you really don't need much in the terms of performance, with my G2120 it sits a 0% CPU utilization most of time. Another thing you could consider if you want it to be very power efficient is buying an 80+ Gold PSU, Seasonic has a 360W 80+ Gold unit which I'm using in my home server.

[tycheleto]

I recently built a home server to do the same purpose, I'm running a RAID 6 configuration with 4x WD 2TB RED drives using a HighPoint RocketRAID 2720SGL RAID Card. Performs very well, more than saturates the Gigabit connection of the motherboard, costs around $150-$200.

As for drives I wouldn't recommend getting WD Greens or any other regular consumer grade drive for a RAID config, either Seagate's NAS drives or WD Reds would be the best option.

As for specifications, I'm running an Ivy Bridge Pentium G2120 3.1Ghz Dual Core with 4GB of Ram I had lying around from a RAM upgrade. You could get away with 2GB, just sitting on the Windows Home Server server desktop the server is using 1.66GB of Ram, but 4GB would be a much better option.

As for CPU power if all you're doing is backups and some light media file streaming (no heavy media transcoding to multiple devices at a time) you really don't need much in the terms of performance, with my G2120 it sits a 0% CPU utilization most of time. Another thing you could consider if you want it to be very power efficient is buying an 80+ Gold PSU, Seasonic has a 360W 80+ Gold unit which I'm using in my home server.

I'm also using the Seasonic 360W 80+ Gold power supply, and have been noticing a buzzing noise. Have you experienced anything similar?

As for OP's question about the home server, you might also want to consider software raid such as flexraid. Performance is not as good as high end raid cards, but you do get more flexibility in terms of hardware options and upgrades. Also, it's much cheaper than the raid cards for 6-8 drives if you already have the hardware to run it.

[JamesDwho]

I'm also using the Seasonic 360W 80+ Gold power supply, and have been noticing a buzzing noise. Have you experienced anything similar?

.......

 

No, not had any issues with it thus far, I have my server in a Fractal Design Define Mini so I can barely hear it. 

[tycheleto]

No, not had any issues with it thus far, I have my server in a Fractal Design Define Mini so I can barely hear it.

Wow I also have mine in a fractal design define mini, but it's really noticeable when I'm within 2 feet of the server. If I'm the only one with this problem then I'll try to RMA it if I can find the time.

[alpenwasser]

What OS do you intend to run?

Because if you can go with ZFS as your file system you can avoid the RAID card.

In that case I would recommend a low power Xeon to run ECC memory though, but

that is still way cheaper than any decent RAID card.

Just a thought.

[Taipeek]

I think building a brand new low-powered home server with RAID card just to run 4 drives is a bit overkill or is there some particular reason that you want it? You can go way cheaper with 4-bay NAS and you would be fine... 

 

I would recomend you any Synology 4-bay NAS... I personaly own their DS213j 2-bay with two WD REDs in RAID 1 and I am getting maximum from those drives and the power consumption is incredibly low.

 

And if you are afraid about the firmware.. I would argue that synology has the best NAS firmware solution out there... the web interface is basically windowed OS with apps which allowes you to set up anything.

 

DIY homeserver requies a lot of tinkering with the OS but this is 100% functional right after you plug it into the wall... Check that out because maybe its the solution you are looking for.

[tycheleto]

 

Network Attached Storage and Home Servers

 

NOTE: Sorry guys, for some reason the spacing is messed up. It doesn't appear that way when I'm typing it out.

 

If you're reading this, you've seen Linus' videos and might be curious about having a centralized storage location in the form of a NAS or a home server, so let's talk about that.

 

There are many benefits to having a home server or a NAS, the most prominent of which is a single location to store data and to back up computers to, keeping your data safe. Other aspects might involve additional services that your centralized storage location can provide, including shared printers, media streaming, and e-mail services.

 

There are plenty of existing systems out there, such as those made by Synology, Qnap, and Netgear. There are also small business units available, such as the WD Sentinel. All of these come either pre-filled with drives or empty (in which case you'll need to buy drives). They tend to have a web-based interface as well as a Windows folder interface, which allows you to access your data from both inside and outside your home network.

 

The advantages of pre-built systems are:

 

• Easy to set up
• (Relatively) inexpensive
• Come pre-loaded with features
• Come with warranties
• Have built-in RAID
• Can have "special features" like being fireproof/waterproof/shockproof, such as the IOSafe N2

However, they also have their disadvantages:

• Performance can be lacking sometimes, especially when running in RAID 5
• Unless you buy an expandable unit, you are limited to the number of drives the NAS can hold

You also have the option to build your own, which allows you to build any number of configurations from the very simple to a system rivaling those found in the LTT 10TB+ Storage Topic.

 

The advantages of custom-made systems are:

 

• You can reuse existing hardware if it's just lying around.
• Custom RAID setup (hardware, software, ZFS, etc)
• Custom networking equipment (4-port gigabit NIC or even a 10G NIC)
• Custom CPU (or multiple CPUs), RAM, GPU (if you want)
• Custom software (Windows Server/Home Server, FreeNAS/ZFS, unRAID, etc)
• Custom storage configuration (up to 96 TB with a 24-drive rackmount case and 4TB drives)
• Customize services (Media sharing, e-mail server, CIFS shares, VPN server, and tons of others)

And the downsides:

 

• You have to build it (although this might be a fun project)
• You have to maintain it
• There is a learning curve to software for servers which you will have to climb

I personally think building your own is a really cool project, but if maintenance of server hardware doesn't sound like fun then maybe you'll want to go with a regular NAS.

 

 

 

Another thing to note: If you do hardware RAID with a dedicated RAID card, it is definitely more expensive than a NAS. However, if doing software RAID(because the hardware on the server is only meant for running RAID + a few programs anyway), it really isn't much more expensive than a 4 bay NAS. I personally was considering getting a NAS but the price was so close to having dedicated hardware that once you can reuse one or two old parts it pays itself off.

 

Also, software RAID can have a bit more flexibility with mixing and matching drives of different capacities and brands. Kind of useful when expanding the server, as you can then swap drives between all the computers in your home according to needs.

 

Look at what your current needs are, and what needs will likely be in the next few years. Determine how much you're willing to spend, how much time you have to troubleshoot, and how much upgradeability you might need. NAS is great for many situations but a custom server is often better in the long run.

[Jupakazoid]

I recently built a home server to do the same purpose, I'm running a RAID 6 configuration with 4x WD 2TB RED drives using a HighPoint RocketRAID 2720SGL RAID Card. Performs very well, more than saturates the Gigabit connection of the motherboard, costs around $150-$200.

 

As for drives I wouldn't recommend getting WD Greens or any other regular consumer grade drive for a RAID config, either Seagate's NAS drives or WD Reds would be the best option.

 

As for specifications, I'm running an Ivy Bridge Pentium G2120 3.1Ghz Dual Core with 4GB of Ram I had lying around from a RAM upgrade. You could get away with 2GB, just sitting on the Windows Home Server server desktop the server is using 1.66GB of Ram, but 4GB would be a much better option.

 

As for CPU power if all you're doing is backups and some light media file streaming (no heavy media transcoding to multiple devices at a time) you really don't need much in the terms of performance, with my G2120 it sits a 0% CPU utilization most of time. Another thing you could consider if you want it to be very power efficient is buying an 80+ Gold PSU, Seasonic has a 360W 80+ Gold unit which I'm using in my home server.

Yeah I was definitely considering the reds, I can't imagine the power consumption of the drives would be THAT big of a difference, and this is what the reds are intended for.

 

I think building a brand new low-powered home server with RAID card just to run 4 drives is a bit overkill or is there some particular reason that you want it? You can go way cheaper with 4-bay NAS and you would be fine... 

 

I would recomend you any Synology 4-bay NAS... I personaly own their DS213j 2-bay with two WD REDs in RAID 1 and I am getting maximum from those drives and the power consumption is incredibly low.

 

And if you are afraid about the firmware.. I would argue that synology has the best NAS firmware solution out there... the web interface is basically windowed OS with apps which allowes you to set up anything.

 

DIY homeserver requies a lot of tinkering with the OS but this is 100% functional right after you plug it into the wall... Check that out because maybe its the solution you are looking for.

I enjoy the tinkering, and the building, but I was also considering a NAS I just don't know much about them.

 

Another thing to note: If you do hardware RAID with a dedicated RAID card, it is definitely more expensive than a NAS. However, if doing software RAID(because the hardware on the server is only meant for running RAID + a few programs anyway), it really isn't much more expensive than a 4 bay NAS. I personally was considering getting a NAS but the price was so close to having dedicated hardware that once you can reuse one or two old parts it pays itself off.

 

Also, software RAID can have a bit more flexibility with mixing and matching drives of different capacities and brands. Kind of useful when expanding the server, as you can then swap drives between all the computers in your home according to needs.

 

Look at what your current needs are, and what needs will likely be in the next few years. Determine how much you're willing to spend, how much time you have to troubleshoot, and how much upgradeability you might need. NAS is great for many situations but a custom server is often better in the long run.

I'd definitely go for a RAID card if I am going the home server route, I'm just not necessarily certain what I'm doing right yet.

 

Thanks everyone for the help, I've been quite busy the past few days so I haven't had time to reply. It's going to be a bit of time before I have the funds and have to make the decision anyhow. A NAS would probably be simpler to deal with, but I think the home server would be a bit more fun  Either way they would both do what I need them to do.

 

As far as an OS is concerned I was considering something free, probably Linux based (I always end up typing Linus when I try to type Linux...) but I might go WHS if I can find it for cheap.