Thinking of building another file server

[shadowhc]

Thinking of still using WHS 1 since its so easy to setup.  Any other recommendations?

[Mike Garcen]

well, if you’re building from scratch you might want to take a look at FreeNAS? or UnDrive is actually quite popular (but not free). Both have somewhat of a learning curve though, but i’ve read a lot of good things about undrive.

What are your main needs/demands for this? What system specs will it have?

[shadowhc]

I am going to use the it just to store some of my video files.  I have a Q9400 laying around somewhere and a compatible mb.  Only thing missing really is just the power supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139014. cosair 1200 watt

I have a few sata cards laying around should be enough to put in 11 hdds for now.  

I can use my old antec p80 case.

I am hoping to eventually get a new case. not sure what to get yet.  Might get norco rpc 4224 and a 4U rack.  Or maybe the Lian Li PC-343B.  

I am probably going to end up using WHS anyway, its easy to setup.

 

[Mike Garcen]

wowza, 12 hard drives? You suuuuuuure you wanna go WHS on that? Both of those other server platforms I mentioned would be much slicker with that many drives. But as you said, setting up WHS is a snap…but hey, you could always just try FreeNAS out for example and if you don’t like it, then go the WHS route (before you start copying stuff over and then can never go back)

[shadowhc]

Ill look into unraid,  seems like it might do what I want.  It’s only going to store files I dont want on my other whs server.  The other whs server already has 32tb of data(well 15tb of recordings in duplication).

[skirge01]

FWIW, I’m sticking with WHS and may not even go to v2, since they dropped the DE tech.  To date, I see no reason to upgrade to Vail.  However, I’m planning on implementing FlexRAID again, once the latest “live” version is released.  Supposedly, this should happen in a couple of weeks, but a one man show can always run into issues.

I thought I remembered reading that UNRAID had some performance issues, but I could be mistaken.  The only reason I bring it up is due to the amount of storage you’re talking about.  If there are performance issues, they’d surely be worse with 32TB.  🙂

Also, note that UNRAID is only free for up to 3 hard drives.  With 11+ drives, you’re looking at the PRO version, which goes for $119.

[shadowhc]

If i go whs:

Also contemplating getting a hardware raid 5/6 card and using that for my apps.  I dont like that sagetv folder is in a20gb drive.  

31 hdd system:if i use rppc 4224 it willbe 25 disk instead.

1 ssd for main drive

5 drives in hardware raid 5 for apps

(i think i can do symbolic links, not sure ill test it out to see if i install sagetv and put symobolic links will it break)

25 drives in pool:

DVD:FlexRaid

Music: FlexRaid

TV recordings backup: FlexRaid  – back up from other server moved during the night(need to figure out how to do this.. script maybe).  

Docs :whs duplication

Case:

http://www.xrackpro.com/v/vspfiles/V4_Backup/xrackpro4U.htm

with norco case.  only thing i am worried a bout it how hot it will get in the summer.

 

[skirge01]

For the record, I’ll be moving SageTV off of WHS at some point.  I want WHS to be just WHS.  Then, I’ll have SageTV on a regular Windows install and use WHS to back IT up.

[shadowhc]

I really like having the pool for my recordings so my sagetv will be in whs even if its not in the new server. Then again if i have it in its own windows7 box it will force me to delete stuff. hmm

[skirge01]

[quote=shadowhc]

I really like having the pool for my recordings so my sagetv will be in whs even if its not in the new server.

[/quote]

Say what?  You totally lost me there.    Your recordings for SageTV will be in WHS (via DE) even if [something] is not in the new server.

What’s [something]?

[shadowhc]

I am keeping my old whs up and running with sagetv.  The new one I am discussing here will only be for backups, dvds, etc.  My old whs will be sagetv exclusively.

I can’t think of a reason to move away from my current setup for sagetv.  

[skirge01]

Ahhh… got it.  My reason for moving it off is that I want to be able to backup my SageTV server and also run some other server-related things on it, without worrying about losing everything if something gets messed up.  Plus, if WHS is stock and the OS (or drive) dies, it’s much easier to get back up and running.  Right now, I backup individual folders on my WHS C: drive to the pool, but that’s still not backing up the OS and all the other things I’ve modified in it.

[shadowhc]

I am thinking of giving up on the idea of an ssd as primary drive.   The alignment issue is just too much of a hassle.  Not sure what drive to use for the primary drive.  any ideas?

[skirge01]

I’m not too worried about the alignment “issue”.  Given the speed boost from an SSD, I doubt the performance “hit” would even be noticed.  If you really want to, I believe you can simply format the SSD under Windows 7 and it will be properly aligned for an install by an earlier OS.

I definitely plan on using an SSD when I rebuild the server.

[flips]

As an unraid user, I would really reccomend it.  You mentioned that you only wanted pure file storage.  Unraid seems like a perfect fit for you.  It has parity backup so it a drive fails you can just replace it and it will rebuild it. 

One reccomendation would be to throw out those older drives.  You are still using a 20 gig drive?  That’s MEGA ancient. (That had to of been a typo..  200 maybe? still ancient though 🙂 )  Also, I think unraid only support SATA.  The way you are talking it doesn’t sound like cost is too much of an issue for you.  🙂

flips

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