What do you use your home server for?

This thread has really helped to provide me with a list of ideas that I can go ahead and attempt at some point down the line with my microserver. Like the OP, I'm really interested in the possibility of running several virtual machines for various purposes.

As it stands, my current machine is an HP Proliant N40L Microserver running Server 2012 on the 240GB hard drive that came with it. I threw in some additional RAM so it's now running 8GB to help speed things up. For space, I have three Western Digital 3TB Reds and I've just ordered my fourth so I'll be looking to hook up the OS drive into the tray above at some point over the weekend.

I'm currently using the machine for XBMC and have it set it up for torrents and some web hosting. I'll be looking into SFTP and see if I can get that configured at some point, and I'm also going to read more about Plex Server since I fancy the idea of being able to stream my music at work.
 
The only issue I've run into, which might bother you:

When running XBMC, I can't run ESXI with VM's on top: I can't pass my graphics card through to the XBMC VM. This means that I have to have a linux install as the base OS, running XBMC and any virtual servers. It doesn't seem like an ideal solution to me, but it's the only way I can get it to work.

Your mileage may vary with a different GPU. VMs on top of a linux install still work, but it's not baremetal anymore :(
 
How do you guys setup your data stores when using Exsi? Im thinking of creating 3 VM's one with server 2012, one with free nas and maybe one as a music server. Do you just have one data store with all the media and then create shares so it can be accessed from all the VM's?
 
liamcrane said:
How do you guys setup your data stores when using Exsi? Im thinking of creating 3 VM's one with server 2012, one with free nas and maybe one as a music server. Do you just have one data store with all the media and then create shares so it can be accessed from all the VM's?
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I have one drive for datastores with ESX booting from a USB stick. Then two more drives passed through to FreeNAS using RDMs
 
Hardware -
  • Microserver NL54 Running Windows 2008 Server R2 x64
  • 8Gb Ram,
  • 1x80Gb (OS), 1x2TB (Storage) 1x1TB (VM Storage) 2x250Gb (Bitlocker Drives sync'd for Documents)
  • 1xO/B 1Gb NIC, 1xIntel PCI-E 1Gb NIC

Used for -
  • FileServer for Main PC, Laptops and XBMC Media PC
  • Remote Access
  • Hyper-V Test Lab. Testing Software, scenarios, Current & Potential LANs/WANs for Clients. Full Domains with Exchange, SQL e.t.c. A mix of Windows and Linux.

Its on 24/7 in our dinning room on a shelf. The Microserver was an upgrade from a ML110 G5 which again was on 24/7 since 2007.
 
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Asus P5K Black Pearl Premium - Intel E8500 C2D - Xigmatec SH183 - 4x2 DDR2 800 Ram - 1GB 8600gt - 4 Port USB3 pcie card - I Cute Full ATX Full Mesh Server Case - 128 SSD OS (running Server 2008 R2) - 6x2TB WD Greens - 3 x 3.5 hot swap caddy bays.

Server is on 24/7 and main use is streaming films for everyone (direct & Servioo) shared drives for back up and general storage. Torrent duties are assigned and that's about it. Could do way more and probably will at some point. Everyone should a server. I couldn't function without mine.

Sits in spare room on top of wardrobe with its own little monitor & wireless keyboard & mouse. (normally just remote to it though)
 
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Subliminal Aura said:
:eek:

Your electricity bill ?
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Seriously.... ive measured it, it really isnt anything to worry about (also only 3 hdds are ever active at one time. Ive no idea what people think its pulling;) and i refuse to become one of the many annoying people who turn everything off because they fear the bill (not a way to live your life at all)
 
Sempron 190 x2
8GB ddr3 1333mhz
2x1tb + 120g
Pci Intel gigabit nic

Esxi host running freenas for file storage, sickbeard sabnzb and couch potato

Server 2008r2 and server 2012 for labbing

Next step will be a dell sas 6/ir and 8x1tb drives in a raidz2 array to replace the current 2x1tb zfs pool.
 
wellibob said:
Seriously.... ive measured it, it really isnt anything to worry about (also only 3 hdds are ever active at one time. Ive no idea what people think its pulling;) and i refuse to become one of the many annoying people who turn everything off because they fear the bill (not a way to live your life at all)
Click to expand...

Not worth getting unexpected bills that you can't pay because you leave things running. Not worth it at all!
 
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