Where to start with building my own server?

[andybeech]

Hi so i have been looking into servers and wanted to know where do I start with one? How do I build one? What do I need? Are they easy to maintain and expand? The reason I would like to build one is to store mass data so my YouTube and twitch videos and streams as well as any images such as thumbnails and photoshop files, being able to access them on both gaming and streaming pc as well as my laptop or other devices. Also is it possible to store other things and access them so could you store steam games on them or is this not possible with a data server. Thanks

[ProjectBox153]

You probably want something like a FreeNAS machine. Just put a computer together with the drives you need, and install FreeNAS on a USB drive. As far as the Steam games, I'm not too sure (as I don't game much). 

[tlink]

you want a NAS. technically you could probably run games off it but unless you have a thunderbolt cable attached to it its probably going to bottleneck pretty hard unless you have 10 gigabit infrastructure, and even than the latency would probably give you a bad time.

try researching freenas, you probably don't want a rackmount server since those things are loud as shit and racks are expensive and bulky. desktop format servers are pricey, all server hardware is. you could easily do it on a budget, if you have an old pc or even a laptop somewhere than you could install freenas onto a usb and try messing around with it to see if you like it.

[Nikolithebear]

*cough*

 

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProLiant-DL360e-G8-2-x-8-Core-E5-2450L-1-8GHz-32GB-8TB-6G-3-YR-WNTY-/292056001551?hash=item43ffe4ec0f:g:83YAAOxyhodRtO7A

 

*cough*

[andybeech]

10 minutes ago, Jamiec1130 said:

You probably want something like a FreeNAS machine. Just put a computer together with the drives you need, and install FreeNAS on a USB drive. As far as the Steam games, I'm not too sure (as I don't game much). 

Ok cheers I'll have a look was watching Linus video where he says about rockstor is that similar to freenas? Also would an old intel duo core pc work as got one them lying around. 

[tlink]

Just now, andybeech said:

Ok cheers I'll have a look was watching Linus video where he says about rockstor is that similar to freenas? Also would an old intel duo core pc work as got one them lying around. 

as long as its 64 bit freenas will run on it.
http://www.freenas.org/hardware-requirements/

[andybeech]

1 minute ago, Nikolithebear said:

*cough*

 

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProLiant-DL360e-G8-2-x-8-Core-E5-2450L-1-8GHz-32GB-8TB-6G-3-YR-WNTY-/292056001551?hash=item43ffe4ec0f:g:83YAAOxyhodRtO7A

 

*cough*

That's quite cool would need find one in the U.K. But ideal would I just need to install like freenas one Linux on to that to get it to work?

[andybeech]

2 minutes ago, tlink said:

as long as its 64 bit freenas will run on it.
http://www.freenas.org/hardware-requirements/

Might have issue with ram as it's ddr2 lol 

[ProjectBox153]

5 minutes ago, andybeech said:

Might have issue with ram as it's ddr2 lol 

You won't. My FreeNAS server has DDR2. There's nothing wrong with DDR2. 

[Nikolithebear]

12 minutes ago, andybeech said:

That's quite cool would need find one in the U.K. But ideal would I just need to install like freenas one Linux on to that to get it to work?

I beleive you could use freenas on it.  Setup those 4 2tb hdds in raid 1 on each, then in freenas run it in a raid 0 and in the end let the hard ware controller take care of the rest. Im not an expert on freeans but I have gotten freeneas to work and not complain when just passing through hardware controlled virtual disks. 

 

Edit: Plus it has ECC memory.  Which is important and good in a nas.  My NAS dosent have ecc.  But do as I say, not as I do.  

[domandric034]

40 minutes ago, andybeech said:

 How do I build one?

Just like a normal PC

41 minutes ago, andybeech said:

What do I need?

Careful and smart picks of components and smart choice for OS which will benefit your workload

42 minutes ago, andybeech said:

 Are they easy to maintain and expand? 

Depends on your knowledge about hardware and your knowledge of OS you installed on it (maintaince). They are expandble but be careful when picking MOBO, CASE and PSU.

44 minutes ago, andybeech said:

The reason I would like to build one is to store mass data so my YouTube and twitch videos and streams as well as any images such as thumbnails and photoshop files, being able to access them on both gaming and streaming pc as well as my laptop or other devices. Also is it possible to store other things and access them so could you store steam games on them or is this not possible with a data server.

For your workload FreeNAS is very very go to solution. You can put your backup of your steam library in case of hardware failure on your rigs. (I DO NOT RECOMMEND INSTALLING AND LOADING GAMES FROM NAS ONLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE 10 GBit).

25 minutes ago, andybeech said:

Might have issue with ram as it's ddr2 lol 

Everything upper than DDR will work without a problem.

32 minutes ago, Nikolithebear said:

*cough*

 

 http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-ProLiant-DL360e-G8-2-x-8-Core-E5-2450L-1-8GHz-32GB-8TB-6G-3-YR-WNTY-/292056001551?hash=item43ffe4ec0f:g:83YAAOxyhodRtO7A

 

*cough*

That server is just what he needs for his workload.

 

32 minutes ago, andybeech said:

Ok cheers I'll have a look was watching Linus video where he says about rockstor is that similar to freenas? Also would an old intel duo core pc work as got one them lying around. 

I will rather recommend picking up old server with 6-8 core Xeon and 16 GB RAM. For drives I would go WD Red's.

 

18 minutes ago, Nikolithebear said:

I beleive you could use freenas on it.  Setup those 4 2tb hdds in raid 1 on each, then in freenas run it in a raid 0 and in the end let the hard ware controller take care of the rest. Im not an expert on freeans but I have gotten freeneas to work and not complain when just passing through hardware controlled virtual disks. 

 

Wouldn't be better to use ZFS which FreeNAS offers ?

 

[andybeech]

1 hour ago, domandric034 said:

Just like a normal PC

Careful and smart picks of components and smart choice for OS which will benefit your workload

Depends on your knowledge about hardware and your knowledge of OS you installed on it (maintaince). They are expandble but be careful when picking MOBO, CASE and PSU.

For your workload FreeNAS is very very go to solution. You can put your backup of your steam library in case of hardware failure on your rigs. (I DO NOT RECOMMEND INSTALLING AND LOADING GAMES FROM NAS ONLY IF YOU DON'T HAVE 10 GBit).

Everything upper than DDR will work without a problem.

That server is just what he needs for his workload.

 

I will rather recommend picking up old server with 6-8 core Xeon and 16 GB RAM. For drives I would go WD Red's.

 

Wouldn't be better to use ZFS which FreeNAS offers ?

 

Great detail thanks https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112442497730 is this any good? Also in terms of gigabyte network are they expensive to get hold of?

[ProjectBox153]

37 minutes ago, andybeech said:

Great detail thanks https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112442497730 is this any good? Also in terms of gigabyte network are they expensive to get hold of?

That link goes nowhere. 

[domandric034]

5 hours ago, andybeech said:

Great detail thanks https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112442497730 is this any good? Also in terms of gigabyte network are they expensive to get hold of?

Listing is removed. Try to search for rack mounting with Xeon E5 and 8-16 GB RAM with 400W-750W PSU

[domandric034]

5 hours ago, andybeech said:

Also in terms of gigabyte network are they expensive to get hold of?

You'll need knowledge to perform some tweaks in Windows, gigabit router/switch and some cables. And gigabit network card in those computers.

[andybeech]

9 hours ago, Jamiec1130 said:

That link goes nowhere. 

How odd try https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112442497730 

Edit hmm some reason when I copy the link via the app it doesn't work how odd.

Edit

[domandric034]

1 minute ago, andybeech said:

How odd try https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/112442497730 

 

 

[andybeech]

1 minute ago, domandric034 said:

[domandric034]

Just now, andybeech said:

-snip-

This is server you should look for. Take it. Dual CPU quad core Xeons with 48 GB RAM is a very very good choice for server.

[ChalkChalkson]

Software wise unraid is a great point to start. Here is a guide to the software

As of hardware: anything x64 goes, but I would recommend getting either a used server, or buying a pentium G chip (particularly the kabylake one is great).. But if you have an old PC of any kind, it will work. 

If you want to host anything specific, and go with unraid, just contact me, I'll add it to the guide  

[andybeech]

1 hour ago, domandric034 said:

This is server you should look for. Take it. Dual CPU quad core Xeons with 48 GB RAM is a very very good choice for server.

ok thats good ill have to put it in my watch till i have the money  

40 minutes ago, ChalkChalkson said:

Software wise unraid is a great point to start. Here is a guide to the software

As of hardware: anything x64 goes, but I would recommend getting either a used server, or buying a pentium G chip (particularly the kabylake one is great).. But if you have an old PC of any kind, it will work. 

If you want to host anything specific, and go with unraid, just contact me, I'll add it to the guide  

Cheers ill have a look at the guide and I might look at my own pc see if it works for now then get a server like i found when got the spare cash, need get a new HDD for my gaming pc and a SSD for stream pc as using laptop HDD I had lying around for storage  cheers for the help guys so if I then in the future wanted to expand would it be as simple as buy another unit and add it to a rack? also in terms of linking everything to the network so if it has a quad network card in how do I link this to my hub?

[andybeech]

Another random question is an old laptop suitable for freenas or not its not as expandable but if to get used to the software would it be usable?

[domandric034]

13 minutes ago, andybeech said:

Another random question is an old laptop suitable for freenas or not its not as expandable but if to get used to the software would it be usable?

If it has 8 GB RAM then yes and large storage (Thats reason why u install FreeNAS).

[andybeech]

2 minutes ago, domandric034 said:

If it has 8 GB RAM then yes and large storage (Thats reason why u install FreeNAS).

ok cool thought might be worth an ask, also in terms of linking everything to the network so if it has a quad network card in how do I link this to my hub?

 

[ChalkChalkson]

4 hours ago, andybeech said:

ok thats good ill have to put it in my watch till i have the money  

If you already have like a spare laptop, or a PC with more cores than it needs, you can start right now for free... I started by running a server on my PC and then created a windows VM to continue using it as normal.

4 hours ago, andybeech said:

so if I then in the future wanted to expand would it be as simple as buy another unit and add it to a rack?

Depends... If you want to add another server (like a second website or another game server) then yes. But if you need more power for one of the existing servers, it doesn't work that way. In that case you need to upgrade the hardware.

4 hours ago, andybeech said:

also in terms of linking everything to the network so if it has a quad network card in how do I link this to my hub?

If you have only one or two clients that access the server at the same time (locally), I wouldn't recommend giving it multiple cables. And to profit from higher network speed (like 10/40/100 Gb/s) you pretty much need to upgrade your entire home network and possibly do some rewiring (needs to be cat6 or optical). So in 90% of the cases no, don't by a network card, 1Gb/s is a lot for most uses, especially if you consider, that all your outgoing connections will be limited to your upload, which is usually about 5-10 Mb/s. If the server you buy only has 100Mb/s networking I would at least consider buying a 1Gb/s card.