Is it worth setting up a home server for file storage ?

[Luno papi]

I was thinking of running my home security and maybe some shared home file storage through a server to free up space on main pc. I’ve got a spare pc of decent specs that could be used as a server so cost of pc isn’t involved.

Anyone do something similar?

 

[Janus67]

Yep, I've turned old computers into dedicated machines for various purposes. At this point I have a dedicated Plex+Minecraft server as well as a virtualization server which hosts my file server as well.

 

[JrClocker]

If you are going to setup file storage, you should look at doing RAID.

One universal constant about hard drives is that they fail. While RAID gives your data protection from drive failures, RAID should not be treated as a 100% backup solution...meaning, you should always backup your RAID array.


My opinion on a home security system is simple...if you are not going to have it monitored, then you are just fooling yourself that things are secure. Additionally, a properly installed and monitored home security system will give you a discount on your home owners insurance. If the same security system has the smoke detectors tied in and monitored, you get an additional discount.

In my opinion, if you are not willing to pay a monthly monitoring fee and want something that makes noise to "protect" your house, get a dog!

That being said, you can still have a monitored security system and do "smart house" stuff...check out the link in my signature!

 

[Automata]

Yes, quite a few of us run home servers in one fashion or another. Some of us even have server racks in the basement.

 

[Luno papi]

Yes, quite a few of us run home servers in one fashion or another. Some of us even have server racks in the basement.

Yep, I've turned old computers into dedicated machines for various purposes. At this point I have a dedicated Plex+Minecraft server as well as a virtualization server which hosts my file server as well.

Thanks for the reply guys, I’ve never really left a machine running 24/7 either which I will have to for this. I want to put it in a locked cabinet but will obviously have to figure out airflow for that too!

 

[EarthDog]

Worth is in the eye of the beholder... it depends on what you want to get out of it.

If it is just a file server, I'd consider a NAS on the network and pull from there instead of a whole PC serving.

 

[Luno papi]

Worth is in the eye of the beholder... it depends on what you want to get out of it.

If it is just a file server, I'd consider a NAS on the network and pull from there instead of a whole PC serving.

Yeah I think the only reason this route over NAS is I already have a pc that’s sitting there doing nothing. I mean I could sell it but at this point my return wouldn’t be worth selling I don’t think. I’d rather keep it as a server for now and absolute back up if needed.

Mainly larger video security storage and long term files that are not needed to be on main pc.

 

[EarthDog]

Mainly larger video security storage and long term files that are not needed to be on main pc.

Ahh yes... still easily handled by a NAS and 1GB LAN. But I understand if there is a box sitting there doing nothing.

 

[JrClocker]

Yeah I think the only reason this route over NAS is I already have a pc that’s sitting there doing nothing. I mean I could sell it but at this point my return wouldn’t be worth selling I don’t think. I’d rather keep it as a server for now and absolute back up if needed.

Mainly larger video security storage and long term files that are not needed to be on main pc.

The cost when you start going this route becomes mainly hard drives...but spinning hard drive prices per TB keep dropping.

If you are going to leave the PC on 24/7, you have to look at power draw. If it's an older PC, it will draw more power than it has to...a new modern NAS will draw less power. You can look at your electric rate and see what the pay back period is.

Either way, at least get 3 drives and do a RAID 5. In a RAID 5 array, 1 drive can fail and you still don't lose your data. (You have to then purchase a new drive and "rebuild" the array). The downside, is that you "lose" 1 drive worth of storage. (In other words, 3 x 4 TB of drives gives you 8 TB of storage, not 12 TB).


Personally, I run the following:
System 1:
--- Runs Plex server, a couple of VMs
--- 8 x 4 TB drives in RAID 6: Gives me 24 TB worth of storage, tolerates a 2 drive failure
------ Main bulk file storage
--- 4 x 5 TB drives in RAID 10: Gives me 10 TB worth of storage, can tolerate at least 1 drive failure
------ This is a "fast array" I use for "fast" stuff and not bulk storage

System 2:
--- This was my first NAS (System 1 is my second)
--- 4 x 8 TB drives in RAID 5: Gives me 24 TB worth of storage, tolerates 1 drive failure
------ this is the "backup" for the 8 x 4 TB array in system 1


Good luck - and feel free to ask any questions here. We have a lot of dedicated nerds/geeks in this community who practice what they preach!

 

[Luno papi]

The cost when you start going this route becomes mainly hard drives...but spinning hard drive prices per TB keep dropping.

If you are going to leave the PC on 24/7, you have to look at power draw. If it's an older PC, it will draw more power than it has to...a new modern NAS will draw less power. You can look at your electric rate and see what the pay back period is.

Either way, at least get 3 drives and do a RAID 5. In a RAID 5 array, 1 drive can fail and you still don't lose your data. (You have to then purchase a new drive and "rebuild" the array). The downside, is that you "lose" 1 drive worth of storage. (In other words, 3 x 4 TB of drives gives you 8 TB of storage, not 12 TB).


Personally, I run the following:
System 1:
--- Runs Plex server, a couple of VMs
--- 8 x 4 TB drives in RAID 6: Gives me 24 TB worth of storage, tolerates a 2 drive failure
------ Main bulk file storage
--- 4 x 5 TB drives in RAID 10: Gives me 10 TB worth of storage, can tolerate at least 1 drive failure
------ This is a "fast array" I use for "fast" stuff and not bulk storage

System 2:
--- This was my first NAS (System 1 is my second)
--- 4 x 8 TB drives in RAID 5: Gives me 24 TB worth of storage, tolerates 1 drive failure
------ this is the "backup" for the 8 x 4 TB array in system 1


Good luck - and feel free to ask any questions here. We have a lot of dedicated nerds/geeks in this community who practice what they preach!

Thank you very much mate that was actually really helpful. I’m waiting to pick up my new cpu (ryzen 5000). Finish new build and then swap this one over but I can definitely start by setting up the hard drives. I have really good solar system so electricity consumption is pretty low on my list of concerns. I’ll start doing it I think and will check back in for help thanks!

 

[habbajabba]

My bluray burner accepts 100gb discs which are essentially made just for for archival purposes. At about $20ea you just have to be sure of what you want saved, but 100gb discs are pretty perfect as a long term safe spot for data. With a nas, you can also turn them into their own AP. Qnap just came out with a wifi6/bt card but the bt part only works in winders otherwise I'd have snatched it up. I'm trying to run linux only now as much as possible and am considering the new pine phone too. It'll run debian (mobian) which is even better than the ubports from ubuntu offers.