So how does it go - long time reader first time poster. or something like that.
Anyway I’ve been thinking for a while to build a home server and I have been looking at the various versions for over 2 years. I think NK5 or thereabout might do all I think I need.
To do
Run EMBY or Plex server
transcoding I will need to have at least 2 streams knocked down to 1080P and 5.1 audio from 1080 or 4K H265 with 7.2 or more audio. (I have 2 devices that just can’t take anything else but 1080P 5.1)
Run sonaar and raddar (SP?)
capture 5-8 1080p security cams
house info.
and ? I figure at nothing else I’ll have at least one docker of a basic linux setup just to have one.
My idea so far.
Case - old Lian LI PC60 that I have sitting
PSU - EVGA 500 Bronze or such.
MB - Supernimcro X10SLM-F
Pro- Xeon E3-1225 V3
Cooler - Arctic Freezer 34
Ram - 32GG DDR 3 in a 4x8 setup (free is being thrown away next month, so to speak)
2.5 in Samsung 840 SATA SSD - old out of machine 128gb
2.5 inch Hitachi 1TB 7200 RPM SATA spinner - cache drive
4 - Hitachi Deskstar 7200 RPM SATA spinners - main data drives
Total parts right now off ebay comes up to 465 with the harddrives coming from Go Harddrive.com
I can be talked out of nearly anything - but right now
LSI controler - do I really need one? If I get one I looked at the SAS9201-8l
OS - UNraid or ? I see alot of people like Unraid here, I am open to suggestion. Was thinking about Proxmox also. Which also lead to, I was also thinking about running ZFS file system also but I see alot of people move away from that now.
Needless to say I’m open to alot of suggestion - only thing I hard over on is using the case in that it has plenty of room for my needs and yes I plan to update the fans on it - as well as add perhaps more it has 4 now not including what would be on the PSU. 2 will blow past the 4 main drives.
I figure if later I need more process power I can always kick up the CPU here.
any thoughts welcome. Probably won’t pull the trigger until at least August.
I’d normally suggest a 1030/P620/P1000 for taking advantage of NVENC (haswell igpu doesn’t support 265), but GPU pricing is still high. Another way is to go for the newer Intel procs which have 265 decode+encode, like Kaby Lake (HP 290/S01, but there’s no physical space for disks)
IDK about GPU passthrough on docker/unraid - for handbrake they’d use resistors on the VGA connector to keep the iGPU alive, not sure if it also applies here on this server board (with the BMC/IPMI also tied to the VGA connector)
The mobo is a good choice -
dual Intel NICs
2x x8 slots
LSI: The board has 4x SATA3 and 3x SATA2 (more than enough SATA3 for SSDs), unless you’re planning a DAS?
OS: Unraid has docker
For cams, some people here are running Blue Iris, but that’s about all I know on that.
so for the processor I might well move up to an 4 core 8 thread model, but while it does have QS I think it’s an older implementation. I figured I would rely on software based recoding. Planning to run Jellyfin I think.
but I will only need 2-3 streams knocking down 4K H265 to 1080 H264 and 5.1 DD. everything else can take the H265.
Other needs that radarr sonarr things, think I will run Blue Iris too.
On the OS - so while Unraid has docker so does turrnas core. LIkewise another thought was to run Proxmox.
my hold up and I’ve not found a conclusive test. ZFS filesystem when on Z1 or Z2 setup has higher thoughputs than basic raid mirror. From what I’ve read of Unraid system it would be slower than ZFS also. perhaps not much, but in theory ZFS is better performance for the drives but regardless I know I give up some space. I’m on the fence about that too.
Unraid is more than likely the easier to setup solution, but I sort of want the challenge. Put another way if it all goes tango uniform as I install it, I figure going to unraid is the easy plan B.
Thanks again for the input. I’ll keep reading. probably going to move up the processor line.
Processor change idea. E3-1246V3 is what I might aim for but again I think based on reading I will plan for mostly software recoding on video as needed. It might not even been that often.
Drives - right now 4 hitachi Ultrastor 3tb, 7K3000 drive (sata 3, 64gb cache, 7200 rpm).
1- samsung 840 2.5 in SSD, and 1 hitachi 7200 RPM notebook 2.5 drive sata 3 - becasue I have both collecting dust.
Might get another ssd like a crucial something in the 256 gb range.
The case has a nice 4 disk box behind 2 - 80 fans that will get replaced. then 2 more 3.5 bays open - then 4-5.25 bays that I might also populate later. I will potentially add another fan somewhere if temps creep plan on buying the 5 pack just to have them.
cooler is still TBD but I see some good usecases here that I might copy - a number of people seem to use this board or it’s cousin.
OK I’m either going to use Proxmox or Truenas core, really hard to say as there is an interesting argument made for using Ubuntu Server. I am going to max out the ram becasue I can.
still reading on this. ANd I think I’ll still get the HBA but I will probably get a different one. Not sure which.
As I said earlier I view Unraid as the failsafe backup plan B or C if the other just proves too difficult.