spec me a WHS :)

hellarda

hellarda

hellarda

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Hello :)

my current server has just died on me :( and i need a new one ASAP cannot afford to be without backups for any length of time

Needs to be as cheap as possible

Will be running WHS v1 or v2 havent decided yet

will be used to store aroun 8tb of data

could be used by up to 8 users simultaneously

need gigabit NIC(s)

will be used as a file server, backup server, media server, downloads server and to host the whs website

im sure someone will suggest the microserver but i think that would be a bit underpowered for my needs?

cheers
 
If your going for WHSv2 remember folder size is limited to the hard drive size..

If your media folder is larger than the largest HDD, for example 2TB then your better going for WHSv1
 
hellarda said:
Hello :)

my current server has just died on me :( and i need a new one ASAP cannot afford to be without backups for any length of time

Needs to be as cheap as possible

Will be running WHS v1 or v2 havent decided yet

will be used to store aroun 8tb of data

could be used by up to 8 users simultaneously

need gigabit NIC(s)

will be used as a file server, backup server, media server, downloads server and to host the whs website

im sure someone will suggest the microserver but i think that would be a bit underpowered for my needs?

cheers
Click to expand...

I've just taken delivery of 2 Microservers, and am typing this on WHS V1 from one of them which is surprisingly peppy..

What It won't do is transcode 1080p HD Video on the fly.. but it will serve 8 people easily on a network as a file server (i.e. just serving 8 HD videos would be nothing), it can saturate the gigabit link if you RAID your disks correctly, and as a download box, it seems good, I can saturate my 16mbit link with SABnzbd and still copy a file at 60MB/s (single disk saturated limit) with less then 50% total CPU loading, so I think you'll be fine for even 8 users..

It only draws 28W on idle (add 4-5W per spun up HDD), so it's very cheap to run..

The dilema is, to go to the 'next' level up is expensive, if you wanted 1080p on the fly HD Media encoding, and be able to take advantage of aggregated gigibit links and wanted over 100MB/s transfer rates, you can count the Dual Core Atom's out (I believe these aren't that much quicker at best?), which means going to a more server/desktop orientated setup, and for that, expect the triple the power consumption as well as cost a damn site more..

I use mine for Serving all media for the entire house, downloading and also running backup services to the other microserver, it's been amazingly good so far..

HP Bill it as suitable for "Small IT environment with less than 10 clients".. I'd agree with that..

And quick 'n' dirty benchmarks show where it lies in the lower CPU realm.
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu_lookup.php?cpu=AMD+Athlon+II+Neo+N36L+Dual-Core

Not too bad for the power/price at all..
 
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My WHS blew up, So I went for the I3 with integrated graphics. The mATX board I have has 5 SATA and 1 eSATA, I ran a cable for the external into the inside to get a 6th internal drive in it. Luckily I already had the rest.
No need for any sort of dual channel ram, a single bog standard stick will do.

You could even look for a bargain on the MM or go LGA775 and the E series of processors.
Do you have PSU case or anything at all? And how much would you ideally spend?
 
If I hadn't gone with a microserver I would be very interested in the fusion platform for a homeserver they seen to offer just about everything that is required with a very low power draw.
 
thanks for the responses :)

i may want to transcode 1080p in the future, so thats the microserver out :( i wouldve gone for it otherwise as it seems brilliant for the price!

yes i was thinking going i3 or just getting a cheap core 2

preferably spending no less than £300?

i basically have nothing :/ as the PSU was a 150W dell crappy thing from 6 years ago and the cse is some silly thing only designed for 2 hardrives and BTX mobos :/

so yeh basically everything except HDD's and OS

cheers
 
Qu3 said:
If your going for WHSv2 remember folder size is limited to the hard drive size..

If your media folder is larger than the largest HDD, for example 2TB then your better going for WHSv1
Click to expand...

Are there any limits of storage on WHS v1? I tried WHS v2 RC and while it runs fine I am concerned with the storage problems. Pooled disk are likely to work better and I think v1 also makes 2 copies of files to help in case of a crash.

I'm currently running Amahi which sits on top of Fedora 14 and which does most of what WHS does, including experimental disk pooling, except the back facility - clients have to back up to the server rather than the server initiating the backup.
 
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