Reconciling processor power and memory capacity

[Tywin]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping that I can get some help trying to reconcile processor performance and total memory capacity. I am considering a mITX build using the popular Node-304 chassis. When it comes to motherboard+processor+memory combos in this form factor, I am seeing two main categories:

1. Socket H3 (LGA1150) with a Core i3 or Xeon processor, typically limited to two SODIMM slots and thus 16 GiB of ECC RAM total, and
2. Avoton C2(5|7)50-based systems, typically with four DIMM slots and thus 32 GiB of ECC RAM total.

I am not considering the mystical 16 GiB DIMMs as I have yet to see any available for purchase in my e-store perusal.

Fundamentally my question comes down to "which is better for my use case". It's hard for me to see strapping myself to the limited single-core performance of the Avoton part, but on the other hand it is tough to swallow limiting myself to 16 GiB of memory and losing IPMI (TBC; as far as I can tell there aren't any X10 boards from SuperMicro in the mITX form factor with IPMI support).

Some information on my foreseen use-case, although it is difficult to know what I will want to do in the future:

• Home-use, used for online bulk data storage
• Assuming an ideal network, shall be able to saturate a GigE link for any combination of sustained read and/or write; if possible, saturating two GigE links would be a bonus, but my network does not currently support that; primarily SMB shares
• Replacing an in-desktop Intel ICH RAID5 setup which is getting full (5.6 TiB capacity, 0.7 TiB free)
• Protect bulk data against single drive failure (which implies RAIDZ2 to avoid compound issues during resilvering)
• 6 drives, size TBD (3 TiB minimum, 6 TiB if I can choke down the cost)
• DLNA server for my television (I have not yet required real-time transcoding)
• Critical data (documents, photos, financials, etc.) backed up to external drive daily, rotated with second external drive at offsite location monthly
• Cool/quiet/low-power (all somewhat synonymous)

I would appreciate your input and feedback, particularly anyone experienced with running FreeNAS on the Avoton parts.

 

[Ericloewe]

God damned Forum ate my answer! *unintelligible gibberish*

Here it goes again:

The C2570 has been shown to handle 10GbE relatively well - it won't have a problem at all with GbE or even 2 GbE links (note that this configuration is typically more trouble than it's worth, even when everything supports it). It'll even handle transcoding without a problem.

16GB DDR3 UDIMMs wouldn't have helped (even if they weren't as rare as unicorn sightings), as LGA 1150 processors don't support them - only Avotons do!

 

[Tywin]

The C2570 has been shown to handle 10GbE relatively well - it won't have a problem at all with GbE or even 2 GbE links (note that this configuration is typically more trouble than it's worth, even when everything supports it). It'll even handle transcoding without a problem.

Hmm, certainly sounds like that's the route for me then. Any preference between the ASRock and SuperMicro offerings? I know SuperMicro is favoured here for their socketed boards.

Edit: My desktop is Windows, so SMB is the primary method of data transfer in my use-case.

16GB DDR3 UDIMMs wouldn't have helped (even if they weren't as rare as unicorn sightings), as LGA 1150 processors don't support them - only Avotons do!

You forgot my magical ability to look at silicon with my laser eyes and alter the underlying memory architecture

 

[Ericloewe]

Hmm, certainly sounds like that's the route for me then. Any preference between the ASRock and SuperMicro offerings? I know SuperMicro is favoured here for their socketed boards.

For the Avotons, the ASRocks are more popular since they take full-sized DIMMs and have a few extra SATA controllers (not the best, but usable, mostly) - they're used in the FreeNAS Mini, too. The Supermicros are less popular but should be a fine choice.

Supermicro has more experience, but ASRock seems to be trying their best to fix weird quirks that occasionally show up. Supermicro will certainly have a few (the X10s certainly do, I wasted my yearly tolerance for irritating noises before I got the fans to work right - check the X10 FAQ sticky for details if you feel like it) as well, so don't take that as an endorsement of Supermicro. Maybe someone will chime in with their Supermicro Avoton experience.

 

[Techanimal]

Great post! I'm trying to put together a similar build and am wrestling with the same question. I'm guessing the Avotons are good enough but the pricing seems to be much higher than going the xeon route?