Home Server Build

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 14:34

Having never built a server I am very interested in building one for my home for test/play purposes. Also I've currently began studying for an MCSE so would like to make it as easy as possible. (Can't exactly tinker to my hearts content where I work

)

Can you beat this build. Not bothered what it is aslong as it has at least 2TB storage.

rick827 · 26 Jun 2008 at 14:57

Won't you bottleneck when running 4x disks on a 32bit PCI card?

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:01

rick827 said:
Won't you bottleneck when running 4x disks on a 32bit PCI card?

No idea?

What's the alternatives?

rick827 · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:06

peterattheboro said:
No idea?

What's the alternatives?

PCI express?

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:12

rick827 said:
PCI express?

Is there a PCI Express RAID controller with 4x ports out there?

Found one... £220! Eeeeep!

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:24

So how come OCuK aren't selling PCI Express RAID controllers?

A lot of competitors are?

rick827 · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:29

here...

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...PCI-Express x4 4-Port SATA-II RAID Controller

However, whats wrong with onboard?
And why the SODIMM?

And the graphics card?

Look at the Gigabyte GA-G33M-DS2R, 8x sata ports & onboard gfx - add a 2180 C2D and 2GB of budget RAM

also... what sort of array do you plan for the disks? JBOD isnt so hot

Snow-Munki · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:30

don't really need too beefy a machine for home server.

I'm using quite an old PC here ( AMD Opteron 2ghz ) and just use vmware. Just need loads of ram.

pingwing · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:37

lol sodimm's a great in laptops..... id love to see them fit on a desktop board though

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:40

pingwing said:
lol sodimm's a great in laptops..... id love to see them fit on a desktop board though

lol my mistake. You know what I mean though and it's about the same price

rick827 said:
here...

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showp...PCI-Express x4 4-Port SATA-II RAID Controller

However, whats wrong with onboard?
And why the SODIMM?
And the graphics card?

Look at the Gigabyte GA-G33M-DS2R, 8x sata ports & onboard gfx - add a 2180 C2D and 2GB of budget RAM

also... what sort of array do you plan for the disks? JBOD isnt so hot

Good find. I searched "RAID Controller" and just PCI ones came up.

GFX card = cheap and didn't fancy a "Ratatouille version" GFX card which was the next cheapest.

I'll draw another spec up.

And I want to use RAID 5.

rick827 · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:43

Ok, if you want 2GB storage you will need 5 disks, as you will lose 1 to RAID5 parity.

Onboard graphics is fine for a server.

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 15:50

rick827 said:
Ok, if you want 2GB storage you will need 5 disks, as you will lose 1 to RAID5 parity.

Onboard graphics is fine for a server.

2TB

Can I include a drive which is plugged into the motherboard into the RAID setup? Or only the disks which are plugged into the controller card?

rick827 · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:03

peterattheboro said:
2TB

Can I include a drive which is plugged into the motherboard into the RAID setup? Or only the disks which are plugged into the controller card?

Sorry 2TB

For hardware RAID 5, all disks need to be plugged into the same controller card

Edit: that card isnt a RAID 5 card btw; they usually cost more

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:05

rick827 said:
Sorry 2TB

For hardware RAID 5, all disks need to be plugged into the same controller card

D'oh.

So RAID 0 is the answer then.

rick827 · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:11

peterattheboro said:
D'oh.

So RAID 0 is the answer then.

I'd suggest going back to your requirements and working from there

Do you really require 2TB? Can you withstand data loss? (raid 0 etc)
Does performance matter? Can you afford it?

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:21

rick827 said:
I'd suggest going back to your requirements and working from there

Do you really require 2TB? Can you withstand data loss? (raid 0 etc)
Does performance matter? Can you afford it?

I can justify the cost as I'll learn LOADS for the qualification.

Yeah i want 2TB as the PC downstairs at the moment is used as a HTPC

I want that PC as small and as quiet as possible.

Also I understand that to run RAID 5 the minimum requirement is 3 disks?

rick827 · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:26

peterattheboro said:
I can justify the cost as I'll learn LOADS for the qualification.

Yeah i want 2TB as the PC downstairs at the moment is used as a HTPC I want that PC as small and as quiet as possible.

Also I understand that to run RAID 5 the minimum requirement is 3 disks?

Sorry i meant the cost of the disk configuration, a RAID 5 card could be £150 and then 4x 750GB disks ~£270+ giving you just over 2TB

Alternatively 4x 1TB in RAID10 (2TB) would be ~£400, using onboard controllers

Ethics · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:27

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redundant_array_of_independent_disks

As i understand it, minimum is 3 because you have your 2 disks and then the third for parity

Ev0 · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:31

peterattheboro said:
I can justify the cost as I'll learn LOADS for the qualification.

lol makes you sound like one of those "take our IT course and jump into a 35k a year job" adverts

Yup RAID 5 means you have an 'extra' disc in the array.

peterattheboro · 26 Jun 2008 at 16:41

Ev0 said:
lol makes you sound like one of those "take our IT course and jump into a 35k a year job" adverts

Yup RAID 5 means you have an 'extra' disc in the array.

Well i'm already in the job (not 35k

) But I can't play and knacker up the servers here as i'll get my arse whipped. They are also paying for my course.

I just want to make it as easy as possible