Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

noob setting up first 12 HDD's Capable unRAID Server

Options
  • 19-06-2012 1:37pm
    #1
    Nagin
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭


    So my 2tb NAS is full and after getting way to slow. So ive decided to go down the unraid route as it seems the best option for what i would need it for. A home media server running a few python scripts thats connected to my HTPC.

    Below is my proposed list of parts, please critique and scream at me if there rubbish or overkill!
    CPU: AMD A6-3500

    Motherboard: ASUS F1A75-V, FM1, ATX
    RAM: 4GB-Kit Kingston ValueRAM PC3-10667U CL9
    Case: Antec Nine Hundred, ATX
    Drive Cage(s): ICY BOX IB-554SK for 4 HDD's they are pretty expensive though, im considering Cooler Master 4 in 3 HDD Module Device
    The ICY Box is 110 euro where as the Cooler Master is only 28 euro. Nearly 1/4 of the price. But is the difference worth it?
    Power Supply: Corsair Builder Series CX430 V2, 430 Watt
    SATA Expansion Card(s): I dont have a clue which one to get. Im ordering from here
    Cables: Good Connections® SATA 6Gb/s Will these do?

    Fans: I dont think I need anymore do I?

    Ive read not to buy HDD together as they could be a bad batch but what about buying 2 at a time. Is that considered safe/unsafe. As I was going to get 2 EARS and 2 EARX.

    Also between these two is there any in particular that would be better for cache and parity or are they all the same?

    To complete the build (12 HDDs in place) I was told I would need 11 x SATA-II cables, a Molex To 2-Molex Power Connector Cables, 2 x Molex To 4-SATA Power Connector cables, 2 x 2 Port PCI-Express x1 Sata-II Cards and a 2 Port PCI Sata Card.
    I am really lost about the cables,connectors and sata card. I dont know what ones to get. Any help in this area is greatly appreciated. Keeping in mind that if possible I want to order from here

    So my biggest concern is the 4-in-3 Drive Cages, as the price difference between the two is HUGE.

    Overall without the drive cages it comes to 500e. Pricey enough already and that's without HDDs.
    With the 3 ICY BOX cages it would add another 330e to it and it I got the Cooler Master it would add another 90e. Its hard to justify that kind of difference.

    This being my first time building anything cpu related and Im a bit worried about the level of skill required to complete the build
    so please bear with my with my n00b questions.

    Again thanks for reading


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Ctrl Alt Del
    Registered Users Posts: 357 ✭✭Ctrl Alt Del


    What do you want to do with the box !?


  • Options
    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    The CPU seems overkill for unraid.

    If you've only got a 2TB NAS then presumeably you don't need the 12 HDDs right now. That's one of the selling points of unraid, you can expand your array. You could slowly build up the sytem and worry about SATA expansion cards and backplanes when you need them.

    You've got six ports on that board and that gives you 10TB storage with 2TB drives assuming 1 parity drive and 5 data drives. I would see if you can get a mobo with 8 sata ports because it will delay the need for expansion cards even further.

    Drive prices are very high now anyway so that's another advantage of expanding as you need it.


  • Options
    #4
    Nagin
    Registered Users Posts: 79 ✭✭Nagin


    Ctrl Alt Del wrote: »
    What do you want to do with the box !?

    Ill be using it as a home media server. To store my media and play through xbmc.
    Thats the main use of it.

    Im also considering running a few pyhton scripts on it - sickbeard,couch potato and sabnzbd.

    But my HTPC is decent enough for what its used for, a AMD A8-3850 2.9 GHz, ASRock A75M, FM1, mATX, Crucial M4 64GB SSD so If I go lower spec on the server I might just keep the scripts running on the HTPC.
    The CPU seems overkill for unraid.

    If you've only got a 2TB NAS then presumeably you don't need the 12 HDDs right now. That's one of the selling points of unraid, you can expand your array. You could slowly build up the sytem and worry about SATA expansion cards and backplanes when you need them.

    You've got six ports on that board and that gives you 10TB storage with 2TB drives assuming 1 parity drive and 5 data drives. I would see if you can get a mobo with 8 sata ports because it will delay the need for expansion cards even further.

    Drive prices are very high now anyway so that's another advantage of expanding as you need it.

    Ya I was just going to get all setup the first time round and add drives to it as I need them.
    I don't need all that space now but with p+p on nearly everything ordered I thought it might work out cheaper this way.

    By the looks of the case do you think that 3 drive cases would be needed or is there one cagei there already?.


Advertisement