Entry server, updated

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Hi, 

 

I posted earlier last week about a build for an entry level server. I was going to go with scalable processors and C621 but due to budgetary constraints, $1300 turned into $700.

 

Use case is still the same, namely:

 

1. Budget & Location

Approximately $700ish. In US-West.

 

2. Aim

Will be a on 24/7 running a few web servers, a few databases, running an always on DVR (w/ transcoding on the fly + transcoding recordings and running post scripts such as commercial skipping), running a NAS, running pfSense, running a couple of minecraft servers, and sometimes number crunching if work clusters are all tied up (imagine F@H, AVX-512 would be super nice). Under a Proxmox LXC container and KVM VM (for pfSense and Windows, unfortunately Matlab/Simulink only runs on windows). Generally server stuff, no GPU.

 

3. Monitors

0, output via VNC/console only

 

4. Peripherals

Aforementioned PCIe TV tuner for the DVR.

 

5. Why are you upgrading?

I have a 9 year old Dell R710, it's loud and hot and power hungry.

 

I was wondering if the Sandy Bridge platform is still a sweet spot. Is the lack of upgradability to more than 24 cores/2 sockets worth the cheap processors and RAM to come for the next couple of years (when Ivy Bridge goes EOL), is the motherboard worth $300, or is it a good idea to get a super cheap Haswell setup and sacrifice some power now for upgradability later ($370 motherboard and a $200 E3-2603v3, which is atom-level performance, and i wont be able to get much DDR4 ram due to price).

 

My current thought for Sandy Bridge is:

CPU: 2xE5-2650 ($100, best power/price ratio for now, can upgrade later)

Mobo: Asrock EP2C602-4L/D16 ($300)

RAM: 4x4GB PC3-10600R ($30, super cheap on eBay, about $2/GB, can upgrade later)

Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ($100)

PSU: EVGA 650 GQ (2xESP, $80)

Heatsinks: 2xHyper 212 Evo ($70)

Drives: Ebay 32GB SSD ($30) + my current array

Total: $710

 

For Haswell, I'd get a $370 mobo and a $200 E5-2603v3 and take a 16GB stick from my gaming setup for a total of $890 for about 1/4 of the CPU power as the Sandy Bridge setup, however 5 years from now, I wouldn't need to buy a new Haswell motherboard when the CPUs and DDR4 come down in price.

 

Any thoughts?