"Njord" Fileserver Build/OCD offending

[Mishka]

So kinda historical and ongoing build log for my fileserver called Njord and some horrific OCD scaring pictures

This server has been running for the last 4-5 years with drives being added as required or replaced in the event of failure

The server is primarily for my plex that I use and so do a few friends, Also have backups running to it and generically use it as a file dump so laptops and PC have minimal data on them

Specs
Case Fractal Design XL R2
Mobo ASUS KGPE-D16
CPU 2 x Opteron 6136 (8Core 2.4ghz)
Heatsink Noctua NH-U12DO A3
Memory 32GB (4x8GB PC3L-10600R)
Corsair HX1050
2 2x5.25" to 3 3.25 Bay convertors
2 Cheapo 4 Port SATA Controllers
1x120GB SSD (OS drive)

Storage drives
4x4TB Toshiba X300
2x3TB Toshiba DT01
1x2TB Toshiba DT01
4x2TB Samsung HD204UI

Combined into a Flexraid Array with 2 of the 4TB Drives as parity


Works to be done
Install new HBA (LSI 9300)
Install HP SAS Expander
Cable tidy the hell out of it
CPU Upgrade (Remove 1 8core CPU, Replace CPU1 with Opteron 6276 (16core, 2.3ghz but with Turbo) Also stops cables of the top bay convertor pressing on the heatsink)
Move DIMM's from CPU2 to CPU1 so it still has 32GB ram
Clean it thoroughly

Future Upgrades?
10Gbe? only max out 1gbps when copying stuff to or from it

Now for the horrible pic, though as a note this is in the middle of me prepping it for the new HBA/Controller

 

[Flintstone]

Turn the harddrives 180 degrees. Create custom power cables Drop the expander and just use two M1015 equivalent or so...

 

[i386]

I think most people with homelabs started like this

 

[K D]

Turn the harddrives 180 degrees. Create custom power cables Drop the expander and just use two M1015 equivalent or so...

Swap the drives around in the carrier so that the cable are hidden in the back

 

[Mishka]

Turn the harddrives 180 degrees. Create custom power cables Drop the expander and just use two M1015 equivalent or so...

The expander is a bit of a test run as I intend to basically make a JBOD to then connect to the server but either way it will be fast enough for my HDD's, the 12gbps HBA is insanely overkill but it was cheap and shiny.....mostly shiny.

Also want to free up PCI-E slots for expansion in the future (10Gbe)

Swap the drives around in the carrier so that the cable are hidden in the back

I am tempted but the issue is then if I need to swap a hdd I need to take both sides off, round the side panel is rather........squished and annoying to fit onto the case due to all the mobo cables+extenders going up the back as it is a rather big case

Speaking of the SAS expander, toyed about with where it would go, fits perfectly just above the PSU and below mobo, almost like it was made for the space (Ignore the dust, will clean the beast when I redo all the cables)