BUILD First NAS/cheaper alternatives on my build?

[Oskars]

Hi,
I have finally decided to build my very own NAS server. I am planning to use the server for:

∆ File Storage
∆ Media Streaming
∆ Torrenting
∆ 3D Rendering

I will require to work with files that are stored on the server directly from my computer. Files mostly consist of Photoshop/Illustrator/InDesign/AfterEfffects.

Because of my limited budget, I have decided to start off with 3x2TB HDD's in RaidZ1 (4tb usable space - 2tb backup). When that fills up I will figure out, either I'm gonna look for some solution to transfer my files to different temporary storage to create Raidz2 from 6 drives, or I am going to make another vdev.

I did my job and educated myself throughout this forum and I have made my build list:

Case: Fractal Design Node 304

$99.99​

Motherboard: Asus P8H77-I LGA 1155 Intel H77

$105.99​

Memory: Corsair 16gb (2x8gb) DDR3 1333

$113.99​

PSU: CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 430W ATX12V

$44.99​

CPU: Intel Core i3-3225 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz

$144.99​

HDD: Western Digital RED 2TB (x3)

$329.97($109.99 each)​

NIC: Intel EXPI9301CT Gigabit CT Desktop Adapter 10/ 100/ 1000Mbps PCI-Express

$38.99​

Grand total is: $878.91

It goes over my budget, and I was wondering maybe some could give me some tips & suggestions is there something I could change in order to reduce the costs of the build, but at the same time to suit my needs. Any other suggestions are welcome too.

P.S I chose mini-ITX because I have limited space. In that case, if my server is going to be visible, I want it to be at least visually appealing.


Thank you in Advance.

 

[survive]

Hi Oskars,

It might be worth looking into an HP N54L Microserver:

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/products/proliant-servers/product-detail.html?oid=5336619#!tab=features

I bet you could find one on sale and outfit it with 16GB of ECC DDR-3 and a 4th drive for about what you would be spending on the above build.

The nice thing is you could configure the system as raidz2 for additional data protection. The big downside is that once you got 4 drives in it you can't really expand it without resorting to a hacked BIOS to enable a 5th drive in the CD-ROM bay or adding an external JBOD drive box of some sort (not recommended).

That said, you can put one together and once you turn the 16 screws to install the drives you are done....the Microserver is about as evolved as you can make it so you can get to budgeting & planning the next server.

-Will

 

[Oskars]

Thanks for your reply Will. I checked your solution, but I don't think I am really interested in the hp microserver because of limited expandability. Still, is there some other options to reduce costs on my current build? Maybe some parts are overkill?

 

[survive]

Hi Oskars,

Not really....you could go with a Celeron proc, maybe drop one of the drives....but you are already cutting pretty close to the bone.

Honestly, since you are buying a 6 drive case I would hold off till I could afford to get all 6 drives so I could put them in a single raidz2 pool.

-Will

 

[Oskars]

Thank you Will for your reply, helps a lot. I guess I have no other choice but to buy it then. I understand your suggestion about 6 drives, but as my budget is really tight, and my current drive is fully loaded with projects, I need some storage to put everything, therefore, looking in future NAS is the best choice. I am thinking about by the time I fill up those 4TB of usable space of 3 2tb drives, I will probably be able to afford another 3 drives, so one thing I got confused, why can't I transfer all my data to different - temporary storage space while I connect my new 3 drives, destroy the zpool and make raidz2 from 6 drives in total, transfer all the data back?

 

[cyberjock]

You are aware that RAIDZ1(aka RAID5) was declared "dead" in 2009 due to the increasing drive sizes while disk error rates are not improving at the same rate?

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/storage/why-raid-5-stops-working-in-2009/162

The risk is yours to take, but there are plenty of people from this forum's history that will tell you that RAIDZ1 isn't all that safe. There was more than just the reasons on the surface that Survive recommended the RAIDZ2 configuration. If you actually value your data(and even more so if you don't have backups) you should be avoiding RAIDZ1. It gives you a false sense of security. As it is, RAIDZ2(aka RAID6) will be "dead" before the end of the decade.

Just a few nights ago I spent 4 hours with someone on Skype trying to save their data because they had a RAIDZ1 and 1 disk failed and another was questionable... don't be in that category.