New NAS project Microserver --> self build

[champ222]

Hi All

So i currently have an old HP Microserver, running an ancient version of Freenas V8.3!

I havent updated it because (as i think i understood it at the time, its been years) that any newer versions, dropped UFS and only ZFS was an option. At the time, everyone was banging on about how much RAM you needed per TB of ZFS storage... RAM was expensive, and moving to ZFS offered me personally, no advantage.

So i have 4 HDDs as 4 individual shares. I didnt want a "drive pool" as Kodi would happily work with mulitple sources anyway, and for backups i use USB drives. If i had one big pool, i'd need one big backup solution, which seems like a unnecessary faff. its just media and some family photos, the odd CV etc. nothing critical. I run the backups manually now and again, and ive never worried about redundancy or raid or anything.

Anyway, i need to update this thing, so i was thinking of getting the new one built along side this, then changing over once all was working. I can fit 5 drives in the HP, and i currently run the OS off a USB flash drive.

I did think about trying to make it passively cooled. The current position of the server is in the hallway high up under the stairs. This is where all the ethernet cables for the house all terminate on a rack panel. This was originally an understairs cupboard. but now its been opened up and its now above a tumble dryer! this is not ideal for numerous reasons, though to be fair, it hasnt missed a beat so temperature wise its not been an issue, but it hoards dust! I can move it anywhere, since the whole house is wired, but where it is, it doesnt matter if its a bit noisy. I suspect trying to go passive, it more hassle than its worth.

I quite like this case: or maybe the N2

https://www.overclockers.co.uk/jonsbo-n1-mini-itx-office-pc-nas-server-case-grey-ca-029-jb.html

and maybe an ITX board with integrated CPU, something like this from Asrock:

https://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/J5040-ITX/index.asp#Manual

Many of these types of boards have only 2 sata ports, but a few of them have 4. This would mean i'd need to run the OS off a USB drive, or find a way to add more Sata ports.

Proper ITX boards with a socket are pricey at the moment, and can you even buy really low power CPUS that fit in a socket?

Requirements are as follows:

• SMB shares that work with everything. Currently, the server is running as SBM v1, which might be why the Steam Deck cant connect to the server.
• NFS i currently use this for the HTPC running Kodi. There was a reason why this was preferred over SMB when i originally set this up, but i might not need it now.
• Plex server. I currently run a plex server, only because it serves as the DNLA server for music to the Wiim mini streamer. If it could also do a bit of transcoding then fine, but i wouldnt pay extra for hardware that is capable of more as its something i very rarely use.

In the specs for the Asrock board it states:

- Integrated Intel® UHD Graphics 605: 18 EUs inside (Up to 800MHz)
- DX12, OpenGL 4.4, OGL ES 3.1, OpenCL 1.2
- HW Acceleration Decode: HEVC (H.265) 8 bit, HEVC (H.265)10 bit, H.264 @ Lvl5.2 (AVC), JPEG/MJPEG, VP8, VP9 8bit, VP9 10 bit
- HW Acceleration Encode: HEVC (H.265) 8 bit, HEVC (H.265)10 bit, H.264 @ Lvl5.2 (AVC), JPEG/MJPEG, VP8, VP9 8bit
- Three graphics output options: D-Sub, DVI-D and HDMI
- Supports Triple Monitor
- Supports HDMI with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K (4096x2160) @ 60Hz
- Supports DVI-D with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @ 60Hz
- Supports D-Sub with max. resolution up to 2048x1536 @ 60Hz
- Supports Auto Lip Sync, xvYCC and HBR (High Bit Rate Audio) with HDMI Port (Compliant HDMI monitor is required)
- Supports HDCP 2.2 with DVI-D and HDMI Ports
- Supports Full HD 1080p Blu-ray (BD) playback with DVI-D and HDMI Ports

So not sure it this means it could do hardware transcoding in plex?

Other than that, quiet and reliable.

software wise, i have no preference, as long as its not too hard to get it up and running. if it can run from a usb flash drive, then thats a bonus.

i welcome any thoughts and suggestions.

Thanks

 

[champ222]

Thanks guys.

A bit more research suggests that motherboard should work well. Does plex transcoding quite well too apparently. I dont use that at the moment, but it might be handy when the kids get a bit older.

If i need more sata drives, there is an m.2 drive for the wifi, which i assume i cant use for sata ports, but ill check. It does have a pcie slot which i guess o could use?

I probably wouldnt raid, but i might look into using an ssd for cache.

If i could find an itx board with a similar cpu, a proper m.2 and dimm slots (i already have some ram) that would be ideal, but im not sure i will. There are some boards that are slightly cheaper, but only have 2 sata ports. Ill have a look at how many i can add via the pcie.

What did you do for power supply? Decent brand sfx psus are 500+ watta. seems a bit overkill

 

[champ222]

Thanks.

Another question. If i use unraid, will it want to create one big pool from all the drives. As handy as this might be, how could i then manage backups onto a bunch of usb drives? I guess id need one big backup drive?

 

[champ222]

You'll have an array from all of your drives, but still be able to manage each drive independently in terms of files/folders. On top you then have shares which you can control in terms of included/excluded drives, minimum free space and so on.

You wouldn't have any issue with backup, where you probably want to backup at a share level but could also manage it fairly manually at an individual drive level.

Thanks

Yeah i should be able to get it organised. Motherboard is on its way, just need to find a good deal on an SFX PSU or i could go with a node 304 that i could use the atx psu i already have... the jonsbo N1 woudl be easier to find a home though, its narrow enough to sit on a shelf.

 

[champ222]

Yeah ive gone for the Asrock J5040 board. It has 4 sata ports. It also has a wifi m.2 wifi slot, which us E key. Ive ordered an adapter to convert that to two more sata ports giving me 6. Which leaves the pcie port for a 2.5gbe network card should i want to in the future.

The microserver has 5 bays, including the optical bay. My media builds pretty slowly so i usually just switch out the smallest one with a much bigger one when the time comes. I have 4 drives at the moment. The smallest of which is 2tb, so when i start to run out of space, I'll replace that with 8tb or something.

The N1 would be easier if i wanted to put on a shelf in the "office" (box room thats full of junk). Just remembered that i wired a mains socket and an ethernet port in the cupboard, so i could put it in there. Its the cupboard above the stairs so its floor to ceiling. About a meter deep and 1.5 ish meters wide. The cupboard door is a good fit though, so i dont know if heat would build.

The cpu is a 10w tdp. 5 hdd all writing at once, is 30w ish so maybe 50 watts of power. Psus arent so efficient down there, so maybe 60w of heat worst case. I could try it. The node case is back in the race if i did that, though it would take up more cupboard space.

 

[champ222]

If you use Unraid (I do and it’s awesome) then bear in mind while you can mix and match drives of different capacities none can be larger than your parity drive. Something to consider if you will think you’ll increase array capacity at a later date. Of course you can run without a parity drive to remove this constraint but it’s sort of the point of UnRaid.

Yeah ive read this. I was thinking of running without the parity drive. I get that its the point of unraid, but if the OS works well and is easy to setup and maintain. Its still worth its modest fee. Gives me the option of adding one later at least.

Hdds seem really expensive at the moment, and as i typically buy a nas drive and the corresponding usb backup drive together, it costs twice as much. Though a parity drive doesnt add storage, so i wouldnt need a backup drive to go with it.

Im running low ish on space, so ill need to think about it again at some point. I can probably wait until the end of the year though, maybe ill find a sale on or something