Spec me / check my spec please - Home server

Mike1983

Mike1983

Mike1983

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Joined
16 Nov 2007
Posts
811
Hello All

I haven't built a computer for approx 10 years or so but I wish to build a home server. I could go and buy something off the shelf but I want to build myself to learn a little more and hopefully develop confidence to build more PCs for friends and family. Given this, I'd appreciate some experienced help in checking my proposed parts and identifying any improvements that could be made. I'm wary about things like I've selected incompatible components so please check assuming I know nothing, I won't be offended! I'm wary that some components are overspecced as elaborated on in detail below.

My proposed server is to be used for the following purposes

1) Media streaming - Music and videos to Sonos, Popcorn Hours, other PCs etc.
2) General data storage - Backups, storage away from main PCs etc
3) Recording IP CCTV cam footage
4) FTP access
5) Storage of friends and families data.

I'm currently doing all of the above using a Thecus N3200 PRO NAS drive. I get data transfer rates of approx 30 MB/s.

I wish to replace the above NAS with the home server I plan to build. It will be connected to an HP Procurve Gigabit rated switch via Cat 5E (as is the rest of the network).

The main aim of the server is to saturate (or come close to) the Gigabit connection and give me data transfer rates of 100 MB/s+

I wish to configure the server HDDs in RAID 10 for speed and integrity.

My proposed spec is pasted below

YOUR BASKET
1 x Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard £173.99
4 x Western Digital Caviar Red 3TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache WD30EFRX - OEM £122.39 (£489.56)
1 x Intel Core i3-3220 3.30GHz (Ivybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor (77W) - Retail £89.99
1 x GeIL Enhance Corsa 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Quad Channel Kit (GEC316GB1600C9QC) £79.99
1 x Cooler Master Silencio 550 Silent Tower Case - Black £69.98
1 x Corsair Builder Series CX 600W V2 '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply (CP-9020048-UK) £56.99
1 x Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 6Gb/s 16MB Cache - OEM (WD5000AAKX) £46.99
1 x Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 64Bit (1 Server & 10 Client Licenses) - OEM (CCQ-00128) £39.98
1 x Xigmatek Loki SD963 CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775/1155/1156/1366/AM2/AM2+/AM3/FM1) £14.99
Total : £1,062.46 (includes shipping : FREE).




I'll try and explain my reasoning along with my own additional queries below

CPU - Is this overspecced? I went for a current model dual core but couldn't find anything slower.

RAM - Could / should I reduce this to 8 gig? I've assumed it is beneficial to fill all slots to make use of multi-channel.

HDDs - I need 4 large discs for RAID 10, the other smaller one is for the system drive

MOBO - I've gone for a mobo that gives at least 5x 6Gb/s SATA connections for the HDDs. Is this necessary or could savings be made here? Please note my main criteria though of saturating a Gigabit connection. I presume that this 6 Gb/s throughput though is only important for "local" data transfers as opposed to remote connections? I'd love to make a saving on this as I won't be using many of the features it is designed to do.

Thank you very much for your time, any advice is appreciated.

Mike
 
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right off the bat for a media server that CPU is too much, something like this is more beneficial

YOUR BASKET
1 x Intel Pentium G840 2.80GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail £55.99
Total : £59.90 (includes shipping : £3.26).



Ram even 8GIG is too much, 4GIG would be enough.

Case you could get a cheaper one if you need to bring cost down.

I don't think you would ever fully use the RAID speed over a network.

Would it not be better to use a NAS ?
 
Thanks for your input.

I've taken your advice on board and done some extra thinking. I've come to the conclusion that I don't need 5x 6 Gbps SATA connections, the 3 Gbps wouldn't be a bottleneck for remote data transfer speed therefore I can reduce the spec of the motherboard.

RAM has been reduced and CPU reduced.

YOUR BASKET
4 x Western Digital Caviar Red 3TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache WD30EFRX - OEM £122.39 (£489.56)
1 x Gigabyte Z77-DS3H Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard £75.98
1 x Cooler Master Silencio 550 Silent Tower Case - Black £69.98
1 x Intel Pentium G860 3.00GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail £59.99
1 x Corsair Builder Series CX 600W V2 '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply (CP-9020048-UK) £56.99
1 x Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 6Gb/s 16MB Cache - OEM (WD5000AAKX) £46.99
1 x Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 64Bit (1 Server & 10 Client Licenses) - OEM (CCQ-00128) £39.98
1 x GeIL Black Dragon 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 1333MHz Dual Channel Kit (GD38GB1333C9DC) £35.99
1 x Xigmatek Loki SD963 CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775/1155/1156/1366/AM2/AM2+/AM3/FM1) £14.99
Total : £890.45 (includes shipping : FREE).



How does the above look then?

Will it all fit together? Will it enable 100 MB/s+ data transfer over a Gigabit wired connection?

Thanks
 
About to pull the trigger on this as pasted below, decided to upgrade PSU. Final question as I'm inexperienced... Can someone please definitively confirm that all this will fit together?

Thanks

YOUR BASKET
4 x Western Digital Caviar Red 3TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache WD30EFRX - OEM £122.39 (£489.56)
1 x Gigabyte Z77X-D3H Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) DDR3 Motherboard £105.98
1 x Seasonic G series 550w '80 Plus Gold' Modular Power Supply £76.99
1 x Cooler Master Silencio 550 Silent Tower Case - Black £69.98
1 x Intel Pentium G860 3.00GHz (Sandybridge) Socket LGA1155 Processor - Retail £59.99
1 x Western Digital Caviar Blue 500GB SATA 6Gb/s 16MB Cache - OEM (WD5000AAKX) £46.99
1 x Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 64Bit (1 Server & 10 Client Licenses) - OEM (CCQ-00128) £39.98
1 x GeIL Black Dragon 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 1333MHz Dual Channel Kit (GD38GB1333C9DC) £35.99
1 x Xigmatek Loki SD963 CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775/1155/1156/1366/AM2/AM2+/AM3/FM1) £14.99
Total : £940.45 (includes shipping : FREE).

 
quote"Can someone please definitively confirm that all this will fit together?" end quote

for me yes ( apart from memory etc as i read the limit for home server 64bit is 8gb max), but i would have stayed with the cpu you first had, as depending on how many pc's are in the network accessing this at one time, and streaming etc, you cpu may not do the load, i'd have gone for more power myself, but im sure others know better.

but the i3 is better than the g860

h88p://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/319936-10-intel-core-pentium-g860

sorry

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=FS-049-OP&groupid=43&catid=2385&subcat=1798

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=43&catid=2385&subid=1798

for me i wouldn't go lower than a i3, even OC dont
 
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An ssd will make no difference to a server and will just give you issues when installing the WHS 2011 OS. Stick with an HDD over 160GB. Unless of course you plan to restart your server every 20 minutes.... which of course you shouldnt. i just keep mine on 24/7. HDD is fine.

You dont really need the i3, i have an 840 in my server and i got a few machines connected. Not any issues at all.

Good luck, hope it all goes well for you :)
 
Thank you all for your input, I may make a few minor alterations, just needed the compatibility sense check for the time being.

Roverno - Could I ask what HDDs you have in your system, how it's connected to the network and the typical data transfer rate you are achieving?

Thanks
 
I have a 3tb hitachi deskstar, 2TB barracuda, 1TB WD Black, and a 2.5" Laptop drive :D

lol, i have them in a software RAID WHS add-in.

Connected by standard ethernet by onboard NIC to my router then out via the same to PCs. My speeds are limited due to my awful 10/100 router im afraid so im getting about 11MB/s which sucks and i need a new router :)
 
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