BUILD Building a real FreeNAS server..

[NickF]

Hello Forum members.
I've been running FreeNAS for about 2 years now, and since the beginning I haven't REALLY been doing it right. I want to change that. Not because I have had something bad happen to my server or my data, but because I don't want it to.

Current Server Specs:
FreeNAS 9.10
Core i7 2600
32GB Crucial DDR3 1600 (obviously not ECC--hence my quest)
Intel BOXDP67BGB3 Board
6 Hitatchi UltraStar 2TB 7k3000 drives RAID Z2
LSI 9211-8i IT
Intel X520 SFP+
Norco RPC430

This server has been great. It performs wonderfully as a Plex server, and a high speed file server (CIFS) between my VM server (Dell Precision T3500, also 10G) and also the rest of my home network. The reason for using FreeNAS on it at all because except for the memory, everything was either free, re purposed or purchased very cheaply on ebay.
As for storage, I am certain I can make my ~6 TB of storage last through at least another year, based on current usage trends, and if I can't I'll make it work. Again this is a home network, so I can move stuff around if I need to save up even more money to upgrade storage. So the goal of this build is basically to preserve current functionality and get ECC memory support.

Now since I have the Core i7/ram/mobo, I am considering using that to replace my current VM server, and retiring the T3500. This would yield more CPU performance and more RAM for that purpose. Currently it's just running an Ubuntu VM running BTSync and ownCloud, and a virtual appliance of OpenVPN AS... But I think I can also move plex off of the FreeNAS box and onto here...Since the 2600 (nonK) supports VTx/VTd I can't see why this wouldn't work out; and probably save some electricity vs the T3500.

So that leaves me with my FreeNAS box. I'm very torn with the functionality of it, because as stated above I have plenty of hardware... but with Docker support coming in 10 I don't know if I should get something more "beefy" ? It needs to support 2 PCI-E slots--- the LSI 9211-8i & Intel X520 SFP+ unless there are 8 usable SATA ports onboard. 10Gig-E isn't a requirement since I have my X520. I've considered just getting a C2550 based board; But then I will definitely not be able to do Plex Transcodes for very many devices. Plex needs to have enough power -- if it stays on freenas--to do 4 transcodes simultaneously.

Cost of Motherboard, CPU and RAM should not exceed 800 USD

Any help and thoughts on how to proceed are very much appreciated.

 

[Dice]

I'm very torn with the functionality of it,

The first priority before selecting new hardware should be to iron out the intended functionality (and the relation to other availible (repurposed) boxes).