Replacing Whitebox that Runs the Entire Home

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted User 298457
  • Start date Start date

Deleted User 298457

Deleted User 298457

Hi folks,

A while back, I built an Intel E3 1230 (3.2Ghz), 16GB RAM, many TB ESXi Whitebox to play about with. About 7 years (just ran SysInfo, it was installed 27/12/2012!) have flown by, and I think its time to consider retire/replacement. Mostly because, I have lost all memory of how it was installed and how to remotely fix it in case anything (and it did occasionally) go wrong with the RAIDZ implementation. I also live 100 miles away from the box now, too. The only occupant on site is my 72 year old mother!

It has 3 VMs: OpenIndiana, pfSense and Server 2ksomething (the first with Tiles/Win 8 based).

I plan to get a decent Router to decommission PfSense, and swap provider from Sky (that will be fun to try and do, it is still in my late fathers name; 10 years on) as it is getting quite expensive.

The OpenIndiana install is a mishmash of 1TB drives; one failed years ago so it's been running 'red' ever since - I did try and hotswap but the new disc had a different sector size IIRC, so has sat there unused ever since. It is all backed up to a 3TB WD RED drive. Nothing of huge value resides on it...

The Server 2KSomething runs BluePrism for the IP Cameras, Plex ... and that's it.

------
The Q - what to replace this with?

I'm out of the loop on consumer NAS, but I think a Synology of some description would allow me to run some DVR software for IP Cams? The Windows Server is useful as it allowed me to remote in to a "non-work" computer and do "non work stuff" (non-pr0n, but daft things like testing websites/software, giving me extra chances at Glastonbury tickets etc); it was also close to storage as I am OCD with file naming/locations etc. and it made things 'fast'.

Any other ideas? I am running ESX 4 (pre-Web UI one?) and I imagine it has no power saving features which may be contributing to our huge electricity bill.

Thanks

Edit: I think all the hardware is good bar the discs?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I did some research yesterday on Synology pricing and you're probably right - I could re-use the board (an Intel one), CPU, Memory and focus on replacing the discs (which themselves were scavenged) and reinstalling ESXi. 8 years ago I had MSDN access though, so things are a bit trickier this time around :p

Unraid seems simpler than Napp-it and Solaris, too!

This totally relies on me being local though... so maybe I'll get the order list prepared and pull the plug when things settle.
 
Back
Top Bottom