mini power home NAS xeon-d

[yvess]

Build’s Name: mini power home NAS xeon-d
Operating System: Linux Ubuntu 16.04 (ZFS included as default Yeah!)
CPU: Xeon-D 1518
Motherboard: Supermicro X10SDV-4C-TLN4F
Chassis: Streacom F7C Alpha
Drives: 4x Samsung Spinpoint M10T 4TB 2.5" (only available in P3 4TB at the moment)
SSD: 1x M.2 Samsung SM951 NVMe 512GB
RAM: 32 GB 2x16GB Sasmung ECC RDIMM
Power Supply: Streacom nano160 PSU
Fan: NOCTUA NF-A9 PWM 92mm

Build Goals
- as small as possible but still powerful (mITX)
- should be placable in a sideboard (holes on the back)
- almost silent
- not too much power usage
- a bit future proof
- 5 to 10 years lifespan planed
- good looking WAF

Usage Profile
I want to use it mainly as backup solution with ZFS, for my main laptop and some web servers.
In the future it could also be used for white box switching with the integrated 2x10Gbe, and 2x1Gbe network ports. Perhaps I also will use it as docker image builder and general server testing system. So the system will only have some load spikes, but don't will be hammered all the time.

Future
My next laptop will hopefully have ECC Ram for ZFS and a wireless network connection in the 5Gb to 10Gb range (802.11ad, Li-fi, ...). For that reason I want later to put in a fast wireless pcie card, depending what my next laptop or at least the one after that has. This is also one of the reasons I want to have 10Gbe on the mainboard. TB3 10Gbe adapters a already available but pricy and clunky.

Questions
The chassis fan is on the left side, instead on the front, viewed from the back I/O. This is not optimal and
could be problematic because the DIMMs are in the way of the airflow to the passive cpu cooler and the cooler lamellas don't have the optimal orientation for the air flow.

- is one 92mm chassis fan enough (NOCTUA NF-A9 PWM)?
- can the passive cooler be rotated by 90 degree?
- is it better to install a CPU cooler?

I don't have done a build for years, with my macbook pro as my main laptop and rented linux server! What a fun
I also thought about a fanless solution with a streacom FC8 cases but, the mainboard doesn't have the holes for mounting the heat pipes.

I also posted my main Questions at Supermicro X10SDV-4C-TLN4F Review - Xeon D-1518 mITX but I think the forum is a better place for this.

thanks for any input, suggestions

yves

 

[Kal G]

Build’s Name: mini power home NAS xeon-d
Drives: 4x Samsung Spinpoint M10T 4TB 2.5" (only available in P3 4TB at the moment)

Looks like a fun build.

You're aware that the M10T achieves it's platter density by using SMR, and that this has implications for your write throughput?

 

[yvess]

You're aware that the M10T achieves it's platter density by using SMR, and that this has implications for your write throughput?

No, but good point. I already have one external Samsung P3 4TB drive. I will run some tests to see if the performance is acceptable for me.
I also want to test if on half of the M.2 drive as ZIL will make the backup faster.

 

[Evan]

Looks like a great build !
Nice case, if it works with the 1 fan then it seems really a perfect small case.

 

[yvess]

Nice case, if it works with the 1 fan then it seems really a perfect small case.

If I get away with just one fan is my main concern with the build. It would be great for low noise.
Does anybody know if a 92mm case fan is enough for a 35W TDP passive cooled CPU/SOC? The case has an external PSU so no heat from that.

Great that you like the case! To find the right case was the biggest challenge. I looked also at the IN Win BP691 and Silverstone ML06-E.
The full aluminum minimal look (and no HTPC optical slot!) of the streacom was in it's own league! It also has the smallest volume 6L (but no PSU ) incl. 5x2.5" Drives!

 

[Evan]

I was looking to use this for mine
NCASE | M1
Just a single 120mm sitting opposite (on the side mounting bracket) the board right above the cpu.
Silverstone ML06 was also a possible, cheap and available locally at IT shops.

My issue is case available only in May and the board I wasn't currently out of stock. I Guess no real rush and I will be in US again in May so probably better that I wait and save shipping and import taxes.