Project: SRS (Spare Room Server)

[zootfloot]

Terrible name, im sorry but i couldnt think of anything better


The time has eventually come for me to build my own file server of sorts, i looked at many many NAS systems and nothing seemed to quite fit the bill, i wanted a machine where i could easily add in extra hard drives whenever i wanted to.

Another thing that put me off a NAS was the costs involved for what i wanted, so basically i set about looking at what i already had lying around, and compiling a list of what i would need.

I already had a case that i could use, it was an EZ-Buddie by pcchips/ecs, granted not the best looking case in the world but it has a few things going for it:

1) Its aluminium, so will be easily modified
2) Its small, the last thing i wanted was a tower case
3) It already has a power supply (external 200w brick)

So down to specifics, i will be running Windows 7 Home Premium 32bit, i am using this because both my home PC and HTPC are running it too, i bought 3 copies when it was first released so the last copy has been knocking around doing nothing.

Motherboard: Zotac NM10-DTX Wifi (many thanks Kanifee in the MM) http://pden.zotac.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=210

RAM: 1Gb or Possibly 2 of Geil 6400 800Mhz

HDD: 3 x 1TB drives, soon to have a 2TB added

this new server will do nothing but hold all of my ripped media (Movies, Music, Photos) and make it available to either the Home PC, HTPC or wifes Laptop, for that reason i wanted to make it fairly inconspicuous so heres my plan.

1) Fill the entire front panel, paint it entirely white and just have a silver On/Off anti vandal switch with Green ring in the centre. possibly keep the rest of the chassis and side panels in original Aluminium...thoughts?

2) Remove some of the internal metalwork, trying to retain some strength in the chassis, but leaving enough room for a HDD cage to be fitted.

3) Fit a 4 or 5 bay HDD cage, riveted to the base

4) Somehow fit a 120mm Fan (slow speed) to the front, but keep it covered and have the air intake vents on the bottom and sides of the front panel (very similar to a Lian Li A05b)

5) Probably use 20Gb of one of the HDD's for the operating system rather than have a seperate HDD just for OS

Well this is what i am starting out with..... http://ixbtlabs.com/articles2/ecs-ez-buddie/

How it was

How it looks now

So there we have it, the beginnings of what is set to be my route into a centralised storage solution.

any ideas, criticisms and thoughts are more than welcome.

 

[Prophet]

Looks good

I'd have gone with the HP Micro Server that's on offer (£100 cash back) at the moment. Saves all the hassle and gives you a simliar solution.

 

[zootfloot]

Looks good

I'd have gone with the HP Micro Server that's on offer (£100 cash back) at the moment. Saves all the hassle and gives you a simliar solution.

I know exactly where you are coming from, but i think this gives me more versaility in the long run i think, and also that sense of doing something yourself.

I did look long and hard at other solutions but this appealed to me the most.

 

[zootfloot]

Ok, so just a small update and some advice/suggestions needed here....

First of all can this thread be moved into the Project Logs thread please, i know this isnt exactly high end amazing stuff but it is a project of sorts

Update 1: The facia has now been filled with Isopon 38, and i am going to start sanding down the filler, the idea is hopefully to have a completely smooth front, but with the Vandal on/off switch with Green LED ring being in the lower centre., making the switch the one and only feature.

Update 2: I have been forced to rethink my HDD mounting idea, which was to initially have a 4 bay HDD mount riveted to the bottom of the case, however i am really struggling to find a suitable cage, but i think i have solved the problem and it "should" give me some scope for expansion in future.

The idea is that i mount 2 Aluminium flat bars along the length of the case, these bars will have mounting holes for the HDD's, the only issue i can see is whether each HDD will be secure enough being attached by only 2 mounting holes....what do you think, i have shown below a couple of sketchup designs to help better describe what i am thinking about.

I am still thinking that a nice plain white facia will look the best, but am still undecided as to whether i should leave the rest of the panels in the original Brushed Aluminium silver.

 

[matthab]

Personally I can see a heat issue developing?

 

[Coldzero]

I think there will be to much vibration only securing the HDD's on one side, possibly run a bar down the other side as well?

 

[jake9891]

Maybe change orientation of the HDDs to horizontal, As matthab mentioned there is a heat problem in this design... unless there will be another fan on top of the HDDs.