Looking for recommendations for replacing a full 2U server

[hysel]

Hi

My current setup is based on a Dell R720 server running ESXi and TrueNAS as a VM and 8x4TB Drives.

This setup has served me well as both a lab environment as-well-as a storage solution.

Due to space, noise and heat concerns, I am looking to downsizing my setup in a way that:

1. Reduces the solution form factor, noise and heat foot print
2. Will allow me to run a lab if I need to (mostly VMs)
3. Have a TrueNAS based solution with 20+ TB of available storage
4. Will not exceed $2500

I was thinking about doing the following:

1. Upgrade my main PC to Ryzen 9 5900 and upgrade my RAM to 128GB - This will allow me to run VMs on VM Workstation (I mainly run Linux/Windows machines)
2. Build a PC that is based on an "old" Ryzen 5 3600 I have in my house and move to SATA based drives (Seagate IronWolf) and use it as as my "storage" hub

Would love to hear your thought on this please

Thanks

Itamar

 

[ramib]

My Budget "friendly" setup (without disks/sas adapter)

case: SilverStone SST-CS380 V2 149 euro (cheap but does its job)
Ryzen 7 3700X - I think this MB will support Ryzen 5
MB: ASUS TUF GAMING B450-PLUS II, socket AM4 115 euro
Cpu FAN: Noctua NH-D9L 60 euro
RAM: 4 x corsair vengence LPX 32GB 560 euro
NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 PCIe x1 (the only one I found to keep a PCIe 16 available )

its not a server setup but desktop and serves me well with many things running

 

[hysel]

My Budget "friendly" setup (without disks/sas adapter)

case: SilverStone SST-CS380 V2 149 euro (cheap but does its job)
Ryzen 7 3700X - I think this MB will support Ryzen 5
MB: ASUS TUF GAMING B450-PLUS II, socket AM4 115 euro
Cpu FAN: Noctua NH-D9L 60 euro
RAM: 4 x corsair vengence LPX 32GB 560 euro
NVIDIA GeForce GT 710 PCIe x1 (the only one I found to keep a PCIe 16 available )

its not a server setup but desktop and serves me well with many things running

Thanks!

Given that I am going to use SATA drivers, would you recommend using an addon card or the on-board controller would be sufficient if I go with a X570 motherboard?

 

[ramib]

Thanks!

Given that I am going to use SATA drivers, would you recommend using an addon card or the on-board controller would be sufficient if I go with a X570 motherboard?

I have this card for over 10y and its still working good
support 8x sata 6 drives , I use also sata drives
It was many years ago but I replaced the controller firmware to have JBOD support
google it, its an old topic
The MB I picked since its supports 128GB that's all.

 

[hysel]

I have this card for over 10y and its still working good
support 8x sata 6 drives , I use also sata drives
It was many years ago but I replaced the controller firmware to have JBOD support
google it, its an old topic
The MB I picked since its supports 128GB that's all.

Thanks! that helps!

I thinking of using this MB, it has 8 SATA ports + 2 m.2 slot so I think I should be fine

 

[ramib]

Thanks! that helps!

I thinking of using this MB, it has 8 SATA ports + 2 m.2 slot so I think I should be fine

check the lan controller if it's supported, probably Realtek something, not all are supported
I use an PCI-Express Intel card , don't remember if the onboard was working (its disabled)
note that this "cheap" boards (including mine) share the m.2 slot with the pcie bus.(read the MB pdf, its there)

 

[hysel]

check the lan controller if it's supported, probably Realtek something, not all are supported
I use an PCI-Express Intel card , don't remember if the onboard was working (its disabled)
note that this "cheap" boards (including mine) share the m.2 slot with the pcie bus.(read the MB pdf, its there)

Thank you, I will

 

[Elliot Dierksen]

I lean towards used enterprise gear for this. It may not be the quietest, but it is reliable. My current FreeNAS units are running on Cisco C240 M4's (2U rack servers). I pieced them together from stuff I have, their predecessors (Cisco UCS M3 servers), and eBay. I do work for a Cisco partner, so I work on these kind of servers for customers all the time. That comfort level is a big plus for me. They do run in my home office and I can work with them in there. I do probably have a higher threshold for equipment noise since I have had a decent size home lab for almost 30 years.

 

[hysel]

I lean towards used enterprise gear for this. It may not be the quietest, but it is reliable. My current FreeNAS units are running on Cisco C240 M4's (2U rack servers). I pieced them together from stuff I have, their predecessors (Cisco UCS M3 servers), and eBay. I do work for a Cisco partner, so I work on these kind of servers for customers all the time. That comfort level is a big plus for me. They do run in my home office and I can work with them in there. I do probably have a higher threshold for equipment noise since I have had a decent size home lab for almost 30 years.

Totally agree and I am using a Dell R720 today which works perfectly for me. unfortunately, I am no longer able to "host" that hardware anywhere in the house, it just takes too much space :(