Act as a media server (currently using plex on my primary PC) for my household
Seed long term torrents that I don’t have space for on my seedbox. I would like this to run through a VPN while the rest of the NAS bypasses VPN (I think this can be done with dockers)
easily move files between the various computers on my network
Backup data for my computers
I have built computers before but never built a NAS or media server. I am also still learning on the software side, not sure what I am going to run there yet. I already have (2) 14 TB WD easy store hard drives that I got from BB on sale that I am going to shuck. I am likely going to buy a 3rd for parity when they go on sale again later this month. The rest of the build I need to buy.
Can I do better then this with around a $500 budget (flexible but would prefer to stay around there).
IMO, you’re spending way too much on a server for what you want to do.
I’d skip the Ryzen, expensive mobo + DDR4, and for a NAS Killer 4.1 instead.
You should be able to shrink it down to sub $200 for the combo of those 3 parts.
You can also find better prices on SSDs besides the 860 evo.
Ok, did a bunch more reading, so here is what I am looking at:
HP 290 for $147 from the ebay link for plex server/transcoding with quicksync
Nas Killer 4.1 for just NAS and seeding files with VPN using one of the combos
Sound better then original plan of trying to create the all in one box?
Should end up being a lot cheaper, too! Start putting a parts list together in google sheets and copy/paste it here (just copy the table, the forum will auto format for you).
Am I missing anything or can do better with any of the parts? Also, it is unclear to me if I need a SSD for cache on my NAS in addition to the SSD for the OS. I would appreciate some advice there.
As a reminder, I will have 3 or 4 shuckable 14 TB WD eastore HD for the NAS.
Or I can get the Cooler Master 350 elite which includes a 500 PSU for $82, would knock another 30 off the build assuming no issues with everything else I have outlined.
Elite 350 is sold out now so back to original Cooler Master N400 + PSU plan as originally outlined in the table. So I guess the remaining questions are:
Is there a better SSD for NAS OS and do I need a SSD or cache on my NAS? I am a little confused on the the difference between that and the SSD for the OS.
I would highly recommend a NVMe for your HP 290 instead of the regular SATA SSD. It should increase your cost at all. Check out this one. You can use the same SSD for your cache drive if you want for your Unraid build.
This power supply is 80+ bronze rated and the same price. I’d go for that instead.
Thank you, everything is on the way over the next 2 weeks.
On the software side I am a little unclear how to proceed. Do I install unraid on the NAS machine I am going to build and install Unbuntu desktop on the HP 290?