Build’s Name: Storage Spaces
Operating System/ Storage Platform: Server 2019 or ESXi 6.7u1 + Server 2019
CPU: Xeon Silver 4110 (approx $460)
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-xeon-silver-4110-linux-benchmarks-and-review/
Motherboard: Supermicro X11SPH-nCTF (approx $600)
https://www.servethehome.com/supermicro-x11sph-nctf-atx-storage-motherboard-review/
Chassis: Supermicro SC743AC-668B (approx $450.00)
Drives: 7x 10TB WD Easystore's (@$170.00, already purchased)
RAM: Probably 2x 16GB 2666, @ around $150/ea.
Add-in Cards: none at this time
Power Supply: included with case
Other Bits: CPU fan, Oculink cables, SAS cables, etc.
Usage Profile: Plan to use for Server 2019 storage spaces (not direct) and using "mirror accelerated double parity". If that doesn't go well, FreeNAS.
Other information:
- Plan to upgrade my old QNAP 1079 Pro w/9x 3TB REDs to backup this server. CPU, RAM, 10Gig NIC, etc.
- Looking at this 10Gig switch - TRENDnet 8-Port 10G EdgeSmart
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BV2VYVF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=A1AQ06IHQGN1E5&psc=1
- I have an APC double conversion UPS, and my house is getting Telsa Powerwall 2's soon
- So, following the 3-2-1 rule, next will be figuring out a cloud or off-site option, maybe Backblaze
Hello all, I am putting together a server to utilize storage that features data integrity for long term storage. Mostly videos and pictures of my wife and kids. I shoot allot of high-band video, even my wedding was 1080p back in 2003, I rented the same camera they used for Star Wars E1 (it was years before I could even watch it). Today I am shooting 4K, HDR, and 360-degree/VR stuff. I also have about 12 other computers in the house that I will probably backup to this server.
Yes of course this is wicked overkill, I am an IT guy so I want something nice that will be fun to build and have. I also want to try out some of the great things I read about on this site. Right now I have the QNAP, and I back that up to a cobbled-together machine with 20-odd various drives, and it takes about a week if I do a full backup (such as when upgrading firmware). So I want to get to 10Gig which should be able to do it in a day or less maybe.
Here are some of my goals:
- High reliability: ECC RAM, high quality parts, etc.
- Medium price: Trying to keep things around $2,000 if I can, or as close as I can
- Future proofing / versatility: Lots of potential for future upgrades and applications
- Noise: This will be in the basement, I don't want a screamer but quiet is a plus
Here is some reasoning on some of my choices:
- Motherboard: Read the STH review above, I just think this board is amazing. Save money by getting the SAS controller and 10Gig on the motherboard. I considered socket 2011/1151 as well as XeonD options, but hard to get as much good stuff on one motherboard with those.
- CPU: Seems to be a good balance of price and performance for the Skylake series. In a few years I could upgrade substantially when these series of CPUs starts getting old. I looked at the ES one's on e-bay, is that a bad idea? Looks like it might be....
- Chassis: Nice because I can get 8x SAS3 drives, room for 5 more in open drive bays with a 5-in-3
- Why Server 2019 Storage Spaces: Largely because I want to try it. I am primarily a Windows admin at work, then I do allot of VMware. There are not many choices for storage with data integrity. I can deal with FreeNAS, but I have less experience and comfort with Linux/Unix OS's, and it looks like ZFS has some hassles, but is certainly more mature.
Here is where I need some help and advice:
- Enterprise SSDs: Need to get a pair of eSSD's, preferably NVMe, the main thing I need is power protection so that Server 2019 will enable their use for write caching, otherwise performance will be horrible with a parity array. I will likely have more than one volume, one that is a mirror that is also "RAID6" but fast, and then the "cold storage" one using parity. But, there are so many choices. These one's I found here on NewEgg seem like they would meet my requirements, and the price is good:
Intel Fultondale 3 DC P3600 2.5" 1.2TB PCI-Express 3.0 x4 MLC Solid State Drive - Newegg.com
But, am I missing something on these? Is there a better way to go? Then just need to figure out cabling to plug these into the Oculink ports on the MB.
- RAM: I don't need allot to start with. Debating if I should just pick up some cheap 8GB or even 4GB 2400 RAM and get 6x of them in order to populate all the channels. Or, just get a pair of 16GB 2666 modules so I can just add as my needs grow.
- Chassis: I really like that chassis because it has a "right size" power-supply for what I am doing with it so I actually get some good efficiency, and it has a SAS3 backplane. But admittedly these are hard to find. I am wondering if it is feasible to get one of the one's with a SAS2 backplane, and just upgrade it in the future? Then I could get one for even less money and just upgrade later since I don't need SAS3 right away.
Side question: If you have the "TQ" style or "A" style backplanes (e.g. no expander), and you use it with two different controllers, what would happen to the SES3/SGPIO? Would it get pissed off if say, 4 drives are on one controller and the other 4 drives were on another? Or just not work?
Purchasing: Finally, it would be nice to purchase all this from one place, even if I had to pay a little bit more for some parts, I tend to buy things with 1-2 year 0% financing if I can. I know I can't get everything, but I think NewEgg actually has most of the main items I need. I might even be able to have them order some that I don't. But if anyone has any advice on purchasing anything here, or better deals or anything, please let me know, it would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I should look at some of the custom white-box server vendors? I could do lease-to-own....
Thanks much
-JCL
Operating System/ Storage Platform: Server 2019 or ESXi 6.7u1 + Server 2019
CPU: Xeon Silver 4110 (approx $460)
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-xeon-silver-4110-linux-benchmarks-and-review/
Motherboard: Supermicro X11SPH-nCTF (approx $600)
https://www.servethehome.com/supermicro-x11sph-nctf-atx-storage-motherboard-review/
Chassis: Supermicro SC743AC-668B (approx $450.00)
Drives: 7x 10TB WD Easystore's (@$170.00, already purchased)
RAM: Probably 2x 16GB 2666, @ around $150/ea.
Add-in Cards: none at this time
Power Supply: included with case
Other Bits: CPU fan, Oculink cables, SAS cables, etc.
Usage Profile: Plan to use for Server 2019 storage spaces (not direct) and using "mirror accelerated double parity". If that doesn't go well, FreeNAS.
Other information:
- Plan to upgrade my old QNAP 1079 Pro w/9x 3TB REDs to backup this server. CPU, RAM, 10Gig NIC, etc.
- Looking at this 10Gig switch - TRENDnet 8-Port 10G EdgeSmart
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BV2VYVF/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=A1AQ06IHQGN1E5&psc=1
- I have an APC double conversion UPS, and my house is getting Telsa Powerwall 2's soon
- So, following the 3-2-1 rule, next will be figuring out a cloud or off-site option, maybe Backblaze
Hello all, I am putting together a server to utilize storage that features data integrity for long term storage. Mostly videos and pictures of my wife and kids. I shoot allot of high-band video, even my wedding was 1080p back in 2003, I rented the same camera they used for Star Wars E1 (it was years before I could even watch it). Today I am shooting 4K, HDR, and 360-degree/VR stuff. I also have about 12 other computers in the house that I will probably backup to this server.
Yes of course this is wicked overkill, I am an IT guy so I want something nice that will be fun to build and have. I also want to try out some of the great things I read about on this site. Right now I have the QNAP, and I back that up to a cobbled-together machine with 20-odd various drives, and it takes about a week if I do a full backup (such as when upgrading firmware). So I want to get to 10Gig which should be able to do it in a day or less maybe.
Here are some of my goals:
- High reliability: ECC RAM, high quality parts, etc.
- Medium price: Trying to keep things around $2,000 if I can, or as close as I can
- Future proofing / versatility: Lots of potential for future upgrades and applications
- Noise: This will be in the basement, I don't want a screamer but quiet is a plus
Here is some reasoning on some of my choices:
- Motherboard: Read the STH review above, I just think this board is amazing. Save money by getting the SAS controller and 10Gig on the motherboard. I considered socket 2011/1151 as well as XeonD options, but hard to get as much good stuff on one motherboard with those.
- CPU: Seems to be a good balance of price and performance for the Skylake series. In a few years I could upgrade substantially when these series of CPUs starts getting old. I looked at the ES one's on e-bay, is that a bad idea? Looks like it might be....
- Chassis: Nice because I can get 8x SAS3 drives, room for 5 more in open drive bays with a 5-in-3
- Why Server 2019 Storage Spaces: Largely because I want to try it. I am primarily a Windows admin at work, then I do allot of VMware. There are not many choices for storage with data integrity. I can deal with FreeNAS, but I have less experience and comfort with Linux/Unix OS's, and it looks like ZFS has some hassles, but is certainly more mature.
Here is where I need some help and advice:
- Enterprise SSDs: Need to get a pair of eSSD's, preferably NVMe, the main thing I need is power protection so that Server 2019 will enable their use for write caching, otherwise performance will be horrible with a parity array. I will likely have more than one volume, one that is a mirror that is also "RAID6" but fast, and then the "cold storage" one using parity. But, there are so many choices. These one's I found here on NewEgg seem like they would meet my requirements, and the price is good:
Intel Fultondale 3 DC P3600 2.5" 1.2TB PCI-Express 3.0 x4 MLC Solid State Drive - Newegg.com
But, am I missing something on these? Is there a better way to go? Then just need to figure out cabling to plug these into the Oculink ports on the MB.
- RAM: I don't need allot to start with. Debating if I should just pick up some cheap 8GB or even 4GB 2400 RAM and get 6x of them in order to populate all the channels. Or, just get a pair of 16GB 2666 modules so I can just add as my needs grow.
- Chassis: I really like that chassis because it has a "right size" power-supply for what I am doing with it so I actually get some good efficiency, and it has a SAS3 backplane. But admittedly these are hard to find. I am wondering if it is feasible to get one of the one's with a SAS2 backplane, and just upgrade it in the future? Then I could get one for even less money and just upgrade later since I don't need SAS3 right away.
Side question: If you have the "TQ" style or "A" style backplanes (e.g. no expander), and you use it with two different controllers, what would happen to the SES3/SGPIO? Would it get pissed off if say, 4 drives are on one controller and the other 4 drives were on another? Or just not work?
Purchasing: Finally, it would be nice to purchase all this from one place, even if I had to pay a little bit more for some parts, I tend to buy things with 1-2 year 0% financing if I can. I know I can't get everything, but I think NewEgg actually has most of the main items I need. I might even be able to have them order some that I don't. But if anyone has any advice on purchasing anything here, or better deals or anything, please let me know, it would be greatly appreciated. Maybe I should look at some of the custom white-box server vendors? I could do lease-to-own....
Thanks much
-JCL