Another Home Server Build (ITX, NAS Hot Swap)

Spooter · 14 Nov 2010 at 16:33

Right all thought I would do a little build log of my new server build. I already had a ITX build which I used as a file, streaming and print server but as it doesnt have raid I decided to build a new one with some resilience.

Just had the parts delivered so heres some pictures. Sorry about the poor picture quality it doesn't do the case any justice, they were taken on my iPhone. Much better quality than my Lian Li PCQ7 ITX case.

Case

CFI A9849 Mini-ITX NAS/Server Case - 2 Hot Swap Bays

Motherboard

Gigabyte GA-D525TUD, Intel NM10,

This seems a really nice board for the money. Low power consumption but fairly decent power with the 1.8GHz Dual Core Atom. Cost less than £70 for DDR3 and Raid support for upto 4 Sata drives.

Memory

2 x 2GB Hypertec DDR3 PC3-10666 (1333)

Hard Disks

2 x Samsung SpinPoint F2 EcoGreen 1.5TB

The case takes 2 3.5inch hot swap drives and space for one fixed 3.5inch drive inside the case.

The Plan

I plan to Raid 1 the Hot Swaps drives for storage and install Amahi Home Server on the internal drive. I have thought about using Windows Home Server or Ubuntu Server again but Amahi has pretty much the same features as Windows Home Server but free.

Purpose

DNS\DHCP - Amahi recommended
File Sharing
Steaming Media to PS3 (Amahi DLNA Server)
Adminer (To manage My SQL databases on server if necessary)
Web Keypass (To manage passwords across PCs)
Transmission (For downloads)
Maybe put Virtual box on there so I can virtualize Ubuntu server to mess around with.
Webmin (Maybe)
Print Sharing

I will post some better quality pictures when I start building it.

Spooter · 14 Nov 2010 at 16:34

Reserved for build pictures

Spooter · 21 Nov 2010 at 20:52

Yes Amahi does look good. Still not sure what im going to use yet, its between Windows Server 2008, Ubuntu Server and Amahi.

Ordered the extra 1.5tb hard disk I needed. So I should have this build finished later in the week.

Spooter · 22 Nov 2010 at 09:05

£69 pound with a 250watt PSU.

I can take some better pictures tonight if you want. They have a 4 bay version as well.

Spooter · 22 Nov 2010 at 22:43

Nice case!

How powerful is the Atom 1.8GHz, been thinking of a NZB Download box and streaming to my iPad using AirVideo. I have a 50MB Virgin connection not sure if the Atom would be powerful enough.

Not sure about performance but I wouldn’t expect the atom processor to affect the virgin connection speed. Isn’t that mainly down to the nic card and router? This board has a 10/100/1000 card.

Any tests I can perform for you once built?

Got my last two disks now so I can start building soon!!

Ill get some better case pictures then.