JayG30
Contributor
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2013
- Messages
- 158
So I need to build something for ~20 people to store and share files on. The issue is the location we are currently at is inside a hospital and we have no control over the network (no router/switch configuration possible on our end) and the hospital will not do anything to assist. Another location we are at is using a mobile 3G/4G hotspot to get online, obviously not ideal for providing access to a server. That leaves me with a facility of a company we have acquired that is located ~ 90 miles south of us. Here I can actually get control of the network and they have a steady internet connection (FiOS 25up/down). My plan is to setup a NAS box and OpenVPN so that people can VPN in and access their files off the NAS from their Windows machines via a mapped network drive. Eventually (hopefully) we will have a real facility of our own that I can set this up in the future.
I'm planning a ZFS raidz2 or mirror setup, not sure yet. Will hold 6 disks. Run the OS from a USB stick. Would be nice to have the option of adding a SSD for ZIL perhaps. Anyway, this is what I pieces together real quick.
ASRock Z87E-ITX LGA 1150
Intel Core i5-4570
Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB DDR3-1600
Fractal Design Node 304
Corsair CX500M
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Total Cost: $588.84 (after $30 mail in rebates) + Disks
I'm not sure if this build makes any sense. I feel it is probably extremely overkill, especially considering how this is going to 99% be access via WAN right now. The money really isn't the issue here though, it's still cheaper than a vendor solution. I'm just concerned I'm going about this wrong.
This is how I came to this list. I started out looking at rack mounted solutions, but realized that the only place I have to put this only has space on a rack that is 20" deep meaning basically no rack mount file server case will fit. So I started looking at smaller units from Synology/QNap. But at 700-900 for a 5 bay system that ran on 2GB of RAM, Atom CPU, and a vendor made software solution just didn't make sense to me.
So the idea was to build something way more powerful that could potentially be re-purposed at a later point when we are in a location that I have actual space to put up a rack mount server. So how I came across the LGA1150 boards is I was looking for something that could easily handle 6 SATA drives and the new LGA1150 boards are the only ones that come with 6 SATA 6Gb/s ports. I figured this would allow me to not have to get a RIAD/Multiplier card to achieve my goal of 6 data disks. The board also has an eSATA which I was thinking could potentially be used for a SSD ZIL (not sure). It has a single NIC (intel it seems). I'd like to have the option of more (wish it came with 2). I was thinking I could use the 1 expansion slot for that if needed. Supports 16GB of RAM like all mITX boards and the Crucial RAM/Intel CPU combo saves me $20 from MicroCenter, so that is the reason for picking that.
The case I like, although I'd love to have accessible hot swap bays. I sort of gave up on that though. The big advantage I saw with the Fractal case is support for large CPU cooler that can run a slow fan to keep everything cool and quiet. Plus can hold 6 drives (and looks like with some rigging 7) and a standard ATX PSU. The PSU I'm not so sure about. I've had really good luck with the Rosewill Capstone line but with the Fractal case there are mentions of clearance issues and the Capstone PSU's tend to be on the lengthier side.
Now, perhaps I shouldn't do this. Perhaps I should go with a older socket that has server board options (couldn't find any LGA1050 server boards yet, just the Xeon processors). Today I was thinking perhaps I should just look for a LGA1155/2011 mITX server board that has 6 SATA ports (mix of SATAII/III), ECC RAM, and a Xeon processor. I'm not sure. I doubt it will save me any major money, but it will gain me "server grade" quality parts. I'm really not sure in todays market if that is a big deal. I mean, I've never really had a problem with quality desktop grade hardware for other servers.
EDIT: After looking a bit more, it seems that I'm not going to find any mITX server grade motherboards even if I go back and look at older sockets. Everything is mATX. The problem I'm having with mATX (and why I was spending almost twice as much for the mITX motherboard listed above) is that I can not find a small/quality mATX case that would be good as a NAS.
So, what do you think? Should I go forward with my parts list? Any recommendations of changing certain things? Or should I scrap it and go older socket "server grade" quality?
I'm planning a ZFS raidz2 or mirror setup, not sure yet. Will hold 6 disks. Run the OS from a USB stick. Would be nice to have the option of adding a SSD for ZIL perhaps. Anyway, this is what I pieces together real quick.
ASRock Z87E-ITX LGA 1150
Intel Core i5-4570
Crucial Ballistix Sport 16GB DDR3-1600
Fractal Design Node 304
Corsair CX500M
Cooler Master Hyper 212
Total Cost: $588.84 (after $30 mail in rebates) + Disks
I'm not sure if this build makes any sense. I feel it is probably extremely overkill, especially considering how this is going to 99% be access via WAN right now. The money really isn't the issue here though, it's still cheaper than a vendor solution. I'm just concerned I'm going about this wrong.
This is how I came to this list. I started out looking at rack mounted solutions, but realized that the only place I have to put this only has space on a rack that is 20" deep meaning basically no rack mount file server case will fit. So I started looking at smaller units from Synology/QNap. But at 700-900 for a 5 bay system that ran on 2GB of RAM, Atom CPU, and a vendor made software solution just didn't make sense to me.
So the idea was to build something way more powerful that could potentially be re-purposed at a later point when we are in a location that I have actual space to put up a rack mount server. So how I came across the LGA1150 boards is I was looking for something that could easily handle 6 SATA drives and the new LGA1150 boards are the only ones that come with 6 SATA 6Gb/s ports. I figured this would allow me to not have to get a RIAD/Multiplier card to achieve my goal of 6 data disks. The board also has an eSATA which I was thinking could potentially be used for a SSD ZIL (not sure). It has a single NIC (intel it seems). I'd like to have the option of more (wish it came with 2). I was thinking I could use the 1 expansion slot for that if needed. Supports 16GB of RAM like all mITX boards and the Crucial RAM/Intel CPU combo saves me $20 from MicroCenter, so that is the reason for picking that.
The case I like, although I'd love to have accessible hot swap bays. I sort of gave up on that though. The big advantage I saw with the Fractal case is support for large CPU cooler that can run a slow fan to keep everything cool and quiet. Plus can hold 6 drives (and looks like with some rigging 7) and a standard ATX PSU. The PSU I'm not so sure about. I've had really good luck with the Rosewill Capstone line but with the Fractal case there are mentions of clearance issues and the Capstone PSU's tend to be on the lengthier side.
Now, perhaps I shouldn't do this. Perhaps I should go with a older socket that has server board options (couldn't find any LGA1050 server boards yet, just the Xeon processors). Today I was thinking perhaps I should just look for a LGA1155/2011 mITX server board that has 6 SATA ports (mix of SATAII/III), ECC RAM, and a Xeon processor. I'm not sure. I doubt it will save me any major money, but it will gain me "server grade" quality parts. I'm really not sure in todays market if that is a big deal. I mean, I've never really had a problem with quality desktop grade hardware for other servers.
EDIT: After looking a bit more, it seems that I'm not going to find any mITX server grade motherboards even if I go back and look at older sockets. Everything is mATX. The problem I'm having with mATX (and why I was spending almost twice as much for the mITX motherboard listed above) is that I can not find a small/quality mATX case that would be good as a NAS.
So, what do you think? Should I go forward with my parts list? Any recommendations of changing certain things? Or should I scrap it and go older socket "server grade" quality?
