Home Server/NAS solution

[Preest]

Hi, need a bit of advice, please. I need to get some effective server/NAS/backup for my small home network. This consists of 3 desktops and one laptop that always stays with me. I have currently use a docking station, with 3 HD’s in weekly rotation, one always off-site.

I have been looking at the HP Proliant Microserver, love the 4 bays, and low purchase and running costs, but really want more security than RAID 0/1. I’m on a budget, so RAID5, at least, seems a sensible and affordable compromise.

Thing is, because of the way I move around at work, it would also really help to have the capability of a decent affordable, idiot proof NAS (say, the Synology Diskstations) to allow me to access the server away from home. Things like ITunes are not so important, tbh….

I suspect my ideal solution might be something like the Synology Diskstation DS411J, but I just can’t afford it. Plus, I want to try building something myself….. I can build standard PCs, but have never touched a server build.

I know nothing about, say, good, cheap RAID controllers, if they exist, or whether I need to find a copy of something like WServer 2008, or can use Free-NAS (that is slow, right?). I also need advice about power usage.

What I already have is 3 x new Samsung F4 2tb, (current firmware), 2 old PCs (1 x AMD 2000, almost as new, and one lightly used AMD 4400 in a great aluminium case) and various PSU’s, 300-600w. They are 5yrs+ old, I suspect they are too big, and I would happily buy a new one.

I’m finding it hard to make a choice without going bankrupt, so any help appreciated. Cheers!

 

[hellarda]

do you have any sorta budget we can work with?

 

[mraerosmith1981]

U can use software raid 5 with the microserver if u populate all 4 bays, and boot of a usb stick

 

[Preest]

Thanks for the quick replies

Bearing in mind I have the 3 x 2tb disks and available cases, CPUs, m'boards etc, I am hoping to spend not a lot more, but £200 max, tbh.

There seems to be a lot of people who love software RAID, and a lot who won't touch it. Hell, if it works, and it's cheaper...

 

[hellarda]

Thanks for the quick replies

Bearing in mind I have the 3 x 2tb disks and available cases, CPUs, m'boards etc, I am hoping to spend not a lot more, but £200 max, tbh.

There seems to be a lot of people who love software RAID, and a lot who won't touch it. Hell, if it works, and it's cheaper...

personally i don't like software raid, i prefer hardware raid, no idea why just feels safer :L

for raid 5 you will need at least 4 disks, so you will need to get another one of the 2tb disks

I would get WHS 2011, for the OS seeing as you are using raid you dont need pooling, this would enable you to access files anywhere in the world

not sure on prices of raid cards but 4 port sata card shouldnt be too much

and for the rest of the PC just stick some old hardware in and 4gb of ram and away you go

 

[mraerosmith1981]

Software raid has taken its share of stick, but it does have 1 advantage, if your HW controller dies when your using raid, you have to go and get exactly the same model or it won't work, at least thats been my experience, SW raid however dosen't have this limitation

 

[PaulB]

personally i don't like software raid, i prefer hardware raid, no idea why just feels safer :L

for raid 5 you will need at least 4 disks, so you will need to get another one of the 2tb disks

I would get WHS 2011, for the OS seeing as you are using raid you dont need pooling, this would enable you to access files anywhere in the world

not sure on prices of raid cards but 4 port sata card shouldnt be too much

and for the rest of the PC just stick some old hardware in and 4gb of ram and away you go

Only need 3 disks fof RAID 5

 

[kae2]

HP Microserver, WHS 2011 = simple, fairly idiot proof, reliable.

I have a Microserver running WHS V1 and it's been fantastic. The only issues I've had have all been at the expense of my own stupidity and running through every possible hardware/software failure, I just can't beat it.

 

[RimBlock]

Hi, need a bit of advice, please. I need to get some effective server/NAS/backup for my small home network. This consists of 3 desktops and one laptop that always stays with me. I have currently use a docking station, with 3 HD’s in weekly rotation, one always off-site.

Ever considered cloud storage as an offsite backup alternative (depending on volume).

What sort of things are you backing up and how often do they realistically change ?. I take it you are not backing up your massive movie collection weekly for example ?.

I have been looking at the HP Proliant Microserver, love the 4 bays, and low purchase and running costs, but really want more security than RAID 0/1. I’m on a budget, so RAID5, at least, seems a sensible and affordable compromise.

Bit confused here. More security than raid 0 I can understand but more security than raid 1 ?. Raid 1 is mirroring so you have essentially 2 copies of all your data, one copy on each separate hard drive. Cant get much more secure than that but you do loose half your possible storage.

People seem to love the HP mini server but as I understood it, it does not offer the hotswap ability so how are you going to maintain the off-site backup ?.

Thing is, because of the way I move around at work, it would also really help to have the capability of a decent affordable, idiot proof NAS (say, the Synology Diskstations) to allow me to access the server away from home. Things like ITunes are not so important, tbh….

I suspect my ideal solution might be something like the Synology Diskstation DS411J, but I just can’t afford it. Plus, I want to try building something myself….. I can build standard PCs, but have never touched a server build.

I know nothing about, say, good, cheap RAID controllers, if they exist, or whether I need to find a copy of something like WServer 2008, or can use Free-NAS (that is slow, right?). I also need advice about power usage.

What I already have is 3 x new Samsung F4 2tb, (current firmware), 2 old PCs (1 x AMD 2000, almost as new, and one lightly used AMD 4400 in a great aluminium case) and various PSU’s, 300-600w. They are 5yrs+ old, I suspect they are too big, and I would happily buy a new one.

I’m finding it hard to make a choice without going bankrupt, so any help appreciated. Cheers!

If you want to build a server yourself then check out the builds people have been doing for unraid including parts lists here. Unraid is also reported to be a great NAS software system. Lots of your 'build it yourself' questions are answered there.

RB

 

[hellarda]

Only need 3 disks fof RAID 5

yep sorry was thinking of RAID 6 :S

 

[nickcardwell]

Look into unraid [1] (google it)

its free for 3 disks,
Its like RAID 4, 1 disk parity, the rest storage. If it all went t*ts up, the data on each drive is intact /can be read by linux.

[1]Have mentioned unraid a number of times, im just a happy customer using it!

 

[colskinet]

I'm running 4 x 2Tb Samsung F4's in a HP Microserver with FreeNAS 8 running from the internal USB stick.

They are running in a RaidZ configuration, which means one disc can fail whilst my data is still accessible (pulled a drive out, and it did indeed still work!)

Fairly low power consumption too (57w IIRC), and it's on 24x7.

Does the job nicely without being too complicated.

 

[RimBlock]

I'm running 4 x 2Tb Samsung F4's in a HP Microserver with FreeNAS 8 running from the internal USB stick.

They are running in a RaidZ configuration, which means one disc can fail whilst my data is still accessible (pulled a drive out, and it did indeed still work!)

Fairly low power consumption too (57w IIRC), and it's on 24x7.

Does the job nicely without being too complicated.

Were you able to put a new drive in and it rebuilt without turning off the server ?

SmallNetBuilder has a "how to build a fiber SAN for under US$1000" article here and here (2 parter) which is pretty interesting. Not sure what the power consumption would be like though.

RB

RB

 

[paradigm]

I'd rather run Openfiler than FreeNAS (assuming you don't need Persistent Reservations for Hyper-V, or don't mind running beta releases in order to get Persistent Reservations).

Ran our production environment on a homebuilt Openfiler for over 2 years whilst re-arranging budgets to buy in some FC SANs.

 

[colskinet]

Were you able to put a new drive in and it rebuilt without turning off the server ?

SmallNetBuilder has a "how to build a fiber SAN for under US$1000" article here and here (2 parter) which is pretty interesting. Not sure what the power consumption would be like though.

RB

RB

I only tried it by powering the server off, then back on to see what happened. I have heard conflicting views of whether the drives are hot swappable in the Microserver or not.. I chose not to find out whilst it was powered up!

I'd rather run Openfiler than FreeNAS (assuming you don't need Persistent Reservations for Hyper-V, or don't mind running beta releases in order to get Persistent Reservations).

Ran our production environment on a homebuilt Openfiler for over 2 years whilst re-arranging budgets to buy in some FC SANs.

I'm using FreeNAS due to its ZFS integration, something Openfiler can't do last time I looked. Have used Openfiler in the past and it did work and meet my needs at the time. I'm now used to FreeNAS and like the new WebUI, very slick.

 

[Darryn]

Im currently setting up 2x Microservers, just triailing things at the moment, ive got FreeNAS 8 running on one off a USB stick, thinking about WHS on the other so i can run Sabnzb.

Im first going to try some other flavour of Linux, to see if i can get Sabnzb running under that before spending £70 on a license.

 

[Scream]

I ended up ordering one myself today. Now I can't decide what to put on it.

 

[Preest]

"I would get WHS 2011, for the OS seeing as you are using raid you dont need pooling, this would enable you to access files anywhere in the world

not sure on prices of raid cards but 4 port sata card shouldnt be too much"

Not sure what pooling is, but I have found a 4 port sata card for under £100

 

[Preest]

Software raid has taken its share of stick, but it does have 1 advantage, if your HW controller dies when your using raid, you have to go and get exactly the same model or it won't work, at least thats been my experience, SW raid however dosen't have this limitation

Thanks. It seems that both HW and SW raids have there strengths.

 

[Preest]

Only need 3 disks fof RAID 5

Understood