Home Server

[sheroo]

Have to agree that the HAF is not the best server case - although I do like the design - just not for a server.

Have you looked at using Windows 8 for your server? Do some research on storage spaces, and you'll be amazed at what is under that Metro interface. Also if you go for Windows 8, its capable of short provisioning. It also means that you can buy the storage as and when you need it, rather than all in one lump at the beginning - which you have to do with a raid solution. Besides raid is all about up time, its not a backup solution. RAID 6 means that you can survive 2 disc failures. If you want to really protect your data you'll need to mirror it or back it up regularly. For a simple home server that justs streams HD media you don't need raid at all JBOD.

 

[Gecko]

I have understand you choices and get you dont like the case, but need help more with parts! Let me mod the case then tell me if its bad.

Thanks PS

Tiny Tom
Great videos and great taste in music!

 

[sonrise]

The one im setting up will be using a Core 2 Duo E8400 @3ghz i have around, 8gb of Kingston memory, but then i dont know if a RAID card its worth it for me, as RAID 6, is what i want and if i get a Raid card, it will be expensive, as RAID 6 needs some processing power to create the parity bits, and a cheap one wont do the job.
Windows 8 storage spaces is something to consider, I want to test how it performs.
On a RAID environment, WD red's are the way to go.
Dont like that case for a server, dust will drive you nuts, and you will have to clean it very often

 

[sheroo]

The WD red drives are tuned specifically for NAS's. My server has been running for nearly 3 years with a combination of greens & blacks. If you run W8 then you can set the drives to spin down when not in use. My next server will be based around W8 & have home server 2011 running as a virtual machine so that I can back up my other PC's on the network. 3TB WD Greens are what I would use atm.

 

[Whaler_99]

Just be careful with the new Storage Spaces and provisioning. There are some issues involved as you start to fill up hard drives. Also, recovering from failed drives was a pain. If you use Windows Storage Spaces, do not use hardware based Raid. If you use hardware Raid, you have no need for Storage Spaces.
Specs of my home server:

Antec 1200 v3 | Biostar T-Series TA870U3+ | 4GB | Athlon II X2 255 | Corsair AX750 | 4 of the 5x3 Cages | 1 x SASLP-MV8 | 2 x RocketRaid 2300
I have 20 2TB drives running, with a 2TB cache drive using unRaid software. Approx 36TB usable...

 

[sheroo]

Other than mirroring, I wouldn't use any other form of raid for a home server. RAID 5 / 6 is about up time, and software raid, using any form of parity has always been notouriously slow.