So you want some hardware suggestions.

[cyberjock]

If you are not discussing information regarding the original post, please do not post in this thread. This thread is getting out of control with random build questions... I don't want to lock stickies but I will if it gets to that.

 

[cyclerider]

You might be thinking this more complicated than it is: It is literally just maintaining multiple USB keys on hand as a Boy Scout "Be Prepared" style exercise. EXPECT to want to be able to upgrade at some point. If you only have one USB key, that is trickier and riskier than if you have two. EXPECT one to fail. Even if it never does. This third one means you can fix the failure without losing the possibility of rollback or maybe recovery of config files or whatever. For a $10 part, do not screw yourself by having less than three. That is all there is to it. Consider it a part of the system capex and never worry about it again.

I bought 3, I was just unsure how I'm supposed to have them setup. So are you saying I wouldn't have all 3 plugged into the server at once? Or would it be one as a boot drive, one to use to store firmware files during upgrade (as seen in figure 2.6d), and then the final one setup to hold backups of the configuration using this script from cyberjock

 

[tslw]

Is in Intel Server Board S1200KPR with i7 processor a good alternative for the Supermicro motherboard (because I am looking for a mini-ITX motherboard)?

As far as I can see I only loose the IPMI remote management possibility.

Edit:
The Intel board only supports 4 SATA ports and I need 6 SATA ports.
The supermicro X9SPV looks a better alternative. The only limitation is the 16 GB memory limit (2 x 8GB)/

 

[jgreco]

maybe if that x9spv wasn't more than twice the cost of a regular board plus cpu... for that price, i'd be trying a c2750 board.

 

[night_rider]

I hope this is the right thread. I'm addressing questions raised by the first post in the thread.

Thanks for the thread. In past builds my choices begin with the CPU selection. That's where my current questions lie.

From the thread I've been looking for low power consumption, ECC support, AES NI support. I may stream transcoded video but it would be rare. My application is a home server for backup and media files.

Ark search for Haswell's with ECC and AES N1
Ark search for Ivy Bridge with ECC and AES N1

The options and their pros/cons against my requirements are:

Intel Xeon E3 Family
2/4 cores, 4/8 threads, 8 Mb L3 cache,
power - I looked at the low power options like the E3-1230L but my understanding is that Max TDP is capped but IntelStep is sufficient for power savings at idle.
I'd like feedback and input on this point.
Is there much real world use between the v2 Max TDP of 69W vs v3 Max TDP of 80W?
ECC - supported
AES NI - supported
cost - E3-1220v3 ~$205, E3-1230v3 ~$265

Intel 4th Gen Core i3
2 cores, 4 threads, 3/4 Mb L3 cache. 2.9-3.6 GHz
power - i2-4130T Max TDP of 35W
ECC - supported
AES NI - supported
cost - ~$120-160
other - i5/i7 (no ECC support)

I eliminated the Xeon E5 family on the basis of cost.

I guess I'm between something like the Xeon E3 1230v3 vs Xeon E3 1220v2 or a new core i3 variant.

I'd appreciate any input; specifically to the question of low power options and/or suitability of these CPUs to my intended use. I also question the necessity of AES NI. Most of my data will be media. Only backups and personal data would require encryption and native apps do it already like Time Machine. I did like that FreeNAS 9.2 indicates AES is just about invisible with the current release.

Thanks.

 

[Michael Wulff Nielsen]

I have the i3 in a similar setup with ecc. Highly recommended. It performs very well as a media and backup server.

 

[jgreco]

I eliminated the Xeon E5 family on the basis of cost.

Right, basically the E5 isn't going to be a rational choice because you don't need many cores... just fast clock and probably no more than four cores. The E5 has a few good options (E5-2643v2) with high clock, but at $1500 to get speeds similar to the $300 E3-1270v3, the only rational reasons to go E5 are lots of RAM, virtualization, or not being worried about $$$.

We've pretty much concluded that shopping around for low TDP in order to "save power" is a fool's errand. It makes sense if you're putting the CPU into a can with heat dissip problems, but that is all kinds of bad for a NAS with HDD's. But most of Intel's current CPU's idle at low power. Getting a more capable CPU means it gets the job done quicker on fewer cores, which means more power saved. You don't really want your system to be slow anyways ... if you are actively using your system, wouldn't it be preferable for a few more watts to be burned if it meant much faster behaviour?

 

[KTrain]

Thanks for the great post jgreco.

 

[Z300M]

I have the i3 in a similar setup with ecc. Highly recommended. It performs very well as a media and backup server.

Which i3 are you using?

 

[Michael Wulff Nielsen]

I use an i3-4130.

 

[infinitatus]

I am actually a home user with a freenas server and a Plex media server, with AFP and Samba/CIFS configured. My AMD E350 server with RAIDZ is almost running 1,5 year without any problems (exept the 8-16 GB RAM recognition issue). It is quite silent (no cpu fan, just 2 case fans and power supply)
However, recently I bought a mac mini client with a i7. And it beats the server in every way. It is very very silent. Hell, my server makes a lot of noise in comparision. It is more potent but at the same time it consumes less power. Since most of my devices are in idle: my Mac Mini consumes 9-10 Watt. My Freenas server consumes 40-50 Watt (my 3 Seagate 7200.14 2Tb harddiscs are always on, because spinning up and down consumes even more, and interferes with streaming a movie) in iddle. That is roughly the same as my mac mini with 100% cpu time.
So I was thinking if I could configure a FreeNas Server with new parts, maybe like a low power Avaton with 16 Gb ECC RAM and my 3 RAIDZ harddiscs or would it consume even more? Or maybe I could better stop this madness and buy a Sinology/Qnap NAS (not really)?

 

[Mr_B]

With all the talk earlier in the thread, i'm guessing it would make it less energy hungry, but, the question is, how much... Also, i don't know why your not spinning down drives. It shouldn't spin down mid-stream, of course, but at that point it's not idle. However, at 3-5w /each drive, savings just over the night sleep should make up for any "loss" in spin up power consumption for the same day, if it's not already a win situation over the day alone.

Thing is, if your doing it to minimize sound, then thats one thing. But if your doing it to save money, buying hardware isn't free. You'd need a estimate on how much your power savings would be, and weight that against the life expectancy of the system, and the cost difference of the two systems for the time. Nobody but you know what use your system see's, and what your electricity costs, so that calculation is all yours.
Avoton ECC systems come highly recommended by some users, and nobody is going to look down on you for going that route. ;- )
B!

 

[Lordadmiral Drake]

Another question: Would an Intel Celeron G1610 be sufficient if I use the machine for file storage only and no transcoding and stuff like that?

 

[Z300M]

I am actually a home user with a freenas server and a Plex media server, with AFP and Samba/CIFS configured. My AMD E350 server with RAIDZ is almost running 1,5 year without any problems (exept the 8-16 GB RAM recognition issue). It is quite silent (no cpu fan, just 2 case fans and power supply)
However, recently I bought a mac mini client with a i7. And it beats the server in every way. It is very very silent. Hell, my server makes a lot of noise in comparision. It is more potent but at the same time it consumes less power. Since most of my devices are in idle: my Mac Mini consumes 9-10 Watt. My Freenas server consumes 40-50 Watt (my 3 Seagate 7200.14 2Tb harddiscs are always on, because spinning up and down consumes even more, and interferes with streaming a movie) in iddle. That is roughly the same as my mac mini with 100% cpu time.
So I was thinking if I could configure a FreeNas Server with new parts, maybe like a low power Avaton with 16 Gb ECC RAM and my 3 RAIDZ harddiscs or would it consume even more? Or maybe I could better stop this madness and buy a Sinology/Qnap NAS (not really)?

What CPU is in the Mac Mini? Couldn't you put together a system with that same CPU for a far lower price than Apple charges for the Mac Mini.

 

[jgreco]

What CPU is in the Mac Mini? Couldn't you put together a system with that same CPU for a far lower price than Apple charges for the Mac Mini.

Yes, but if you shop exclusively on price, it may end up being less reliable.

 

[Z300M]

Yes, but if you shop exclusively on price, it may end up being less reliable.

I'm not suggesting shopping only on price, but the same CPU as the Mac Mini uses, installed in a reputable (not necessarily the cheapest) motherboard, may be significantly cheaper than a Mac Mini.

 

[jgreco]

I agree and figured you did too. I wanted to make sure the audience got that point explicitly, though. :)

 

[Tomas Liumparas]

jgreco, thank you for your post! I was a bit sceptical about it at first. But after some research I made up my mind, that your suggestions makes sense.

The problem in my region is that there is quite hard to find server grade hardware. The only price suitable option I could find was
SUPERMICRO MBD-X9SCL
http://shop.pikselis.lt/preke/1857

Does anyone has any experience with this board? It seemss to be nice, the only thing quite limits me is 32gb ram limitation..

 

[jgreco]

All E3's are limited to 32GB. Intel views it as an entry-level server platform. The Avoton supports up to 64GB using unobtanium DIMM's but in a few months may be the best choice for a general purpose NAS platform.

There's nothing wrong with the SCL except perhaps the missing slot. Lots of people have used them.

 

[Tomas Liumparas]

Is there any major difference between SCL and SCM? I am trying to decide on these two :)