question Buying a used Server

[Jnthn]

Hello,

 

i have found a (german) store were i could buy a server. So what i would love to do with the server is to have a Storage Server of it, will get more Drives over time to see how much i need. Currently i have a 3TB Nas, and i feel like i need an upgrade. Also i would like to run a Windows server, which wont get that much of a load. And using a OpenVpn and get rid of the Raspberry Pi which is doing the job. (So i need a Linux Server, which will handel my Homebridge (connecting my Non-Homekit Devices with my iPhone)). So 1 Windows Server and 1 maybe 2 (if the Storage will get shared on a diffrent server) linux server. What do u think i will need for a Software and can the Hardware handel the load? 

 

2x Intel Xeon X5550 Quad Core 2.66 GHz (8Mb SmartCache, Intel-VT, Hyper-Threading)

16 GB DDR3 Ram (4x4 GB)

2x 146 GB Hot Swap 2.5 10.000 rpm max 25x Drives

2x 1Gigabit Lan

2x Power

Price: 200€

Oh yeah befor i forget, the Server is a USED server, is that a good idea?

 

I will be happy about every answer i get! 

 

Greetings from Germany!

-Jonathan

 

Website: https://www.servershop24.de/server/hp/se-serie/hp-proliant-se326m1-storage-server-2x-xeon-x5550-quad-core-2-67-ghz-16-gb-ram-292-gb-sas/a-109565/

 

(the server)

(the specs of the German site)

[Crunchy Dragon]

Used servers are great, I've got one myself.

 

You'll probably want ECC memory if you don't have it already.

That looks like a really solid option for a NAS and VPN server.

 

For 200 Euro, that's a pretty good deal.

[Jnthn]

5 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

Used servers are great, I've got one myself.

 

You'll probably want ECC memory if you don't have it already.

That looks like a really solid option for a NAS and VPN server.

 

For 200 Euro, that's a pretty good deal.

@Crunchy Dragon, okay thanks, for 10€ i will get ECC memory, what are the advantages of ECC memory?

[Crunchy Dragon]

1 minute ago, Jnthn said:

@Crunchy Dragon, okay thanks, for 10€ i will get ECC memory, what are the advantages of ECC memory?

ECC has error correcting code, which is useful for server and workstation tasks where accuracy is needed.

 

It's especially useful for file servers and similar applications.

 

Some servers won't run properly with normal memory installed, so keep that in mind as well. HP and Dell servers usually use proprietary fan controllers that will ramp up the speed if ECC memory isn't present, and believe me when I say it's loud, I speak from personal experience.

[Jnthn]

24 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

ECC has error correcting code, which is useful for server and workstation tasks where accuracy is needed.

 

It's especially useful for file servers and similar applications.

 

Some servers won't run properly with normal memory installed, so keep that in mind as well. HP and Dell servers usually use proprietary fan controllers that will ramp up the speed if ECC memory isn't present, and believe me when I say it's loud, I speak from personal experience.

okay, thanks a lot! Heard of the error correcting befor but didnt knew that it was ECC memory. Knowing more every day.

[thething55]

Used servers are good but their are a couple of things you need to consider.

1) Running costs. Old servers are cheap but typically either perform poorly or consume excessive amounts of electricity. If you are planning on using this as a nas/file server then you will probably want to keep the server running 24/7 Dual X5550 are likely to have a TDP of 95W and then you need to consider power supply(s) drives, etc.

 

2) Raid card capabilities. RAID cards are not built equally and don't always support larger drives. If the server uses 2.5" drives then you will likely struggle to reach what ever size limit the raid card supports but it's still worth checking before buying. As well as physical drive support, it is also worth checking the maximum virtual disk size. Servers also have recommended/supported drives and unsupported drives. If you want offical drives then you need to be prepared to pay the premium price that HP charge. You could also try your luck with unsupported drives but their is no way of knowing if the drives will work.

 

3) Firmware/Drivers. HP are devils for restricting access to their firmware and will typical require you to pay for a subscription contract to access the latest drives and firmware on their site. You should be able to get the server to boot and run without theses however if you wanted to update your bios etc then you may struggle to get your hands on the  ofical firmware on their website.

 

4) Licencing. Truthfully, I don't expect you to fully licence your server if you want to go the Windows server route but if you do then you need to consider the costs of server licencing. Windows server 2016 essentials is available fairly cheaply but most end users still turn up their noise when they see the £300 price tag.

 

 

Their is a little more to consider but I think this will help to give you a basic idea on what to expect and what you need to consider as general advice for buying used servers.

I used to run a used server at home for  awhile until I decided to treat myself and buy a brand new T330 from Dell.

 

 

 

To give you a rough idea on power. My old R510 used to draw between about 150 and 250 watts while running slower then my T330 which draws around 70-80 watts give or take.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Get the 3.5 hdd version of the server. The 2.5 drives are more expensive and smaller.

 

This will be loud and suck a good amount of power, so be warned.

 

Put a hypervisor on it like proxmox and then run everything in avm.