Storage Server Build -- Long term

[ps2cho]

Hi guys,

I am currently running an AMD BE-2300 (low voltage x2 series cpu) for my server right now. I've had this processor since 2007 and its worked hard.

Recently though I'm having constant problems. Freezes, random reboots, slowness. I can't figure it out, so I am considering calling it time up and doing a full rebuild. Its not going to be cost effective to start replacing out of date, old architecture components.

This time around, I want it to LAST. No issues, high quality components. It will continue to be run 24x7, mostly at idle. I use it for storage and WAN access into my network. I might want to toy with VM too, although I haven't figure out what real use I'd have with them lol.

Should I considering going the actual server route with a Xeon E3 processor and a Supermicro server motherboard?

Any advice or tips? I've never owned server-grade cpu/mobo before, so any advice on specifically?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Honestly, I would grab AMD for this.
Most AM3/AM3+ boards from Gigabyte can use ECC RAM, which is the biggest plus to server components.

My server runs 24/7 for storage, TeamSpeak, 4x Minecraft worlds, and a TF2 bot server.
Both the current config and the old config were running ~20day uptimes with reboots only for updates.

 

[Automata]

Before you commit on hardware, you will need to figure out what you are going to use it for, specifically. Speaking in general terms and from personal experience, I would highly suggest going with server grade hardware and "building it right". Servers built with desktop grade components can work, but they are prone to problems and really weird issues. While buying server grade doesn't guarantee that it will run perfect, your chances of it working are a lot higher. It also opens the possibility of expansion.

Since this is primarily a storage server, you need to figure out how much storage you need now and how quickly it expands. This is going to give you a plan for what type of case you need and what disks you should buy.

You also need to figure out how important the data is. And by this, I don't mean "well all of it is sort of important". You should be placing some sort of value (dollar, priority, whatever) on the different types of data you have. For example, your media (video, movies, music) is going to be worth less than your documents. You can re-create the media, but you can't re-create your documents if you lose them.

Up time is also a factor. If you need your server to be usable, even in the event of a disk failure, that could change what software you use and it will certainly change what hardware you use (number of disks, etc).

----

Virtual machines also change this up a lot. While you could run a home server off of a small low-powered box just used for storage, virtual machines are going to absolutely cripple it, if it even runs them. It also opens up other options. For example, my file server is actually a virtual machine running on one of my servers and I run many other VMs right next to it. Prior to that, the file server was the host and it ran virtual machines under it.

There is a lot more to it than this, but that is all I have time for at the moment.

 

[ps2cho]

I currently have 2x2TB Raid1 and 2x500gb RAID1 and a 1.5TB by itself. All are in JBOD windows software raid.

I use the 2TB drives (which are almost full now and I want to add a few 4TB drives) for my video data and the 2x500GB drives for the actual document/pdf storage such as paystubs etc...
The movies drive I obviously wouldn't want to lose, but losing the document drive would be pretty bad.

For the document drive, every 6 months I zip the entire drive and store it on an external hard drive since I know there is never enough redundancy and RAID certainly isn't fullproof.

Not sure if that helps with my current data setup and goals. I kinda have a mismatch of drive sizes in multiple jbod raids.

 

[ps2cho]

Is there any downside of going Opteron instead of Xeon to save some cash?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Is there any downside of going Opteron instead of Xeon to save some cash?

For a storage server? Not at all.
You don't need the highest frequency or the most cores for this by any means.

I would even consider something like a Gigabyte AM3+ board with an FX-4300 and some DDR3 ECC.
What I have in my sig for the server is even overkill for what you're doing.

 

[ps2cho]

Now that I think about it too...I could transfer my website to the server and that would save me $10/mo that I currently pay for hosting.

Does AMD not offer many server boards? Newegg has like...one.

 

[Automata]

Hosting a server from home isn't a very good idea. Not only does it likely go against the TOS of your ISP, it would run slow for anyone accessing it so it wouldn't be very useful. In addition to that, you are also adding a security risk if you don't know what you are doing.

I see 13 AMD server boards on NewEgg.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Now that I think about it too...I could transfer my website to the server and that would save me $10/mo that I currently pay for hosting.

Does AMD not offer many server boards? Newegg has like...one.

What does the server board do that an AM3+ Gigabyte won't?

 

[Automata]

Better compatibility, more stability, etc. I wouldn't touch desktop components for a server, no matter how good the brand is. I've had so many issues that came down to compatibility problems and the company tells me to get lost when I tell them what board I'm running. Not worth the headache.

To give a specific example, desktop boards may not like the BIOS injection of RAID cards or may not implement/execute it properly. I've seen that first hand multiple times.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Better compatibility, more stability, etc. I wouldn't touch desktop components for a server, no matter how good the brand is. I've had so many issues that came down to compatibility problems and the company tells me to get lost when I tell them what board I'm running. Not worth the headache.

To give a specific example, desktop boards may not like the BIOS injection of RAID cards or may not implement/execute it properly. I've seen that first hand multiple times.

Didn't think of that, my mind was going toward stability/architecture/ECC RAM.

 

[kyij]

OP, are you planning only keeping the 4? drives? Or with this upgrade are you planning on buying more/larger drives?

I went the E3 route since I wanted stability, but more so because my motherboard only would support ECC with the E3 chips. And I wanted ECC since I was hosting ZFS data pool.

Really anything that is released today will be stable on stock. The biggest problem is OS imo in stability. That is why I went with linux (debian as it's user friendly with GUI).

EDIT: I forgot to add some things about calling it a server. ISPs typically only care when it is business related. I.e you rent your connection as a VPS. (hence google redefining their terms of a server, as people sign up with them as they had home "servers."). Also, streaming will all depend on your upload. I have 5mbps up and can host 2-3 people videos simultaneously - given they are lower res videos (mkv's). If I stream a 1gb 1hr long movie, that may be the only thing that can actually run.

 

[ps2cho]

In the short term, yes.

Basically this is what I want -- A server that will LAST. I don't want to keep replacing parts and doing socket changes because something doesn't work out of the box. I've had this one for 7 years, but 3 years ago it started acting up and its gotten progressively worse. I just want something for 10 years that I can keep adding drives too and not worry about it since performance and stability will be good.

You are right, AMD shows 13 boards, but those 13 boards are between like 5 different socket types so my choice is kinda limited still.

 

[Adragontattoo]

To repeat some of the points above.

What is your budget?

Enterprise or Consumer Grade HW?
New or Used?
Built from scratch or prebuilt?

​

What do you want the server to do NOW?

What OS?
​

What would you LIKE the server to do?

How are you handling data storage?

Do you intend to move all data storage to the server?

HW or SW RAID?
​

How much space do you need currently?

What if any level of redundancy?

RAID 1,5,6,10,JBOD,ZFS,etc
​

Desktop or Enterprise grade storage?

​

How much do you expect the storage to grow?
​

What if any redundancy do you want?

Dual PSU
Multiple NICs
RAID1 for OS

​

 

[ps2cho]

To repeat some of the points above.

What is your budget? Id like $500 but who knows (CPU/Mobo/RAM)

Enterprise or Consumer Grade HW? Undecided
New or Used? New/used processor, NEW motherboard
Built from scratch or prebuilt? Scratch

​

What do you want the server to do NOW? Storage, Server 2012 and virtual machines and a counter-strike server

What OS?
​

What would you LIKE the server to do?

How are you handling data storage?

Do you intend to move all data storage to the server? Yes

HW or SW RAID? SW to start, HW in the future when I can afford a real raid controller
​

How much space do you need currently? HDD space is currently fine

What if any level of redundancy? Currently all under raid1 windows softraid

RAID 1,5,6,10,JBOD,ZFS,etc
​

Desktop or Enterprise grade storage?

​

How much do you expect the storage to grow?
​

What if any redundancy do you want? 2 or 5

Dual PSU
Multiple NICs
RAID1 for OS

​

above if that helps