HP DL380 G3/G4 for home use.

[RimBlock]

Hi,

Considering how cheaply these can be had 2nd hand, how feasible are they to use as either a NAS, download box (disregarding the space factor).

Fit a PCI-X sata raid card for additional storage maybe.

How easy is it to remove the SCSI hot swap bays and replace with something like an Icydock sata backplane unit ?

I appreciate it will not be a solution for everyone but I will potentially have the room, can remove one of the PSU's and some fans from the unit to make it a little less power hungry / noisy ?

RB

 

[RimBlock]

Yep, seen that one but have 5 drives for a main array, a PERC6 array controller and another 3 drives for other mountable areas. I have the room for a server and will be getting a server cabinet anyway.

I can get the following for around 300 quid
HP DL740
4 X 3.0GHz Intel Xeon Processors
8Gb RAM
2 X StorageWorks FCA2214 2Gbps 133MHz PCI-X to fiber channel host bus adapter
2 X NC7170 dual port Gigabit Ethernet network interface adapter board
10/100/1000Base-T
1 X Ultra320 SCSI adapter - 64-bit
Rack mounted server

Would like to know if I can rip out the FC controller and hot swap bays so I can convert to SATA.

or for 425 quid
HP DL 360 Generation 5, 1.6GHz

2 X 1.6GHz dual core Intel Xeon processor
2Gb Ram
2 X Power Supply
dvdrom
rack mount kit


or upgrade my current PC and use the parts I need for a PC NAS for about the same price as the G5..... Dont really need to upgrade my main PC though as it works fine with normal stuff and games.


RB

 

[RimBlock]

ok, ok.... Just a thought .

I have all the bits for a PC based NAS but need a new motherboard with either two PCI-e x16 slots or one and on-board video. Socket 775 boards are pretty hard to find here now especially with 2 PCI-e x16 slots .

Thanks guys
RB

 

[RimBlock]

I was seriously contemplating buying a DL380 G3, 12gb ram, 2 x cpu, 2 x 36 and 3 x 146 SCSI drives for my home virtualization server. For $500 CAD.

Unfortunately the noise will just be too much.

So tempting and surely you can replace the fans with low noise versions ?. It is not like the machine is going to be thrashed link in a business environment ?.

Overkill in a home environment and they make a hell of a racket. SCSI or fibre channel storage is way more expensive.

Yep hence the question concerning modifying the chassis to take something like the Icydock hot swap bay modules.

For a NAS PC you'd get away with a P4 or low end Core 2 system tbh. Why the need for 2 x PCIe slots?

Yes, so I thought. Unfotunalily mine is hanging with one of the disk lights constantly on. I have a Perc6 which I am waiting to use but the current motherboard has only a single PCI-e X16 slot and no onboard video hence needing a board with two PCI-e X8 or higher slots.

...
A) Way too noisy
B) Scared the life out of me when I plugged it an electricity meter (>400w)

The noise I would hope can be modified out of it but the power usage is relly not good for home. I got some WD Green drives to try and save power usage and they are causing no end of issues with the 4K advanced format.

so it got sold, better off buying parts from here and building a custom tower, you could build a 6-core system (AMD-V) with 4GB of RAM for around £300

Parts are not so cheap here. You can almost add half again for a relative price based on currency and average earnings. I am buying most of my stuff from the US or UK and importing it at the moment. Unfortunately I cannot do that with OCUK.

I will put up another thread about the home build PC NAS in networking as there are still a few issues for those who are interested or may be able to come up with some suggestions around the issues I am having.

Thanks guys.

RB

 

[RimBlock]

Yeah, as others have mentioned, that power will probably be a deal breaker.

Cheers
RB