New build advice - Old dog trying to learn new tricks

[hoppers99]

Morning All,

 

I’m a server/networks/cloud/dev/geek guy who hasn’t built a home machine for more years that I care to mention for fear of gaining more grey hairs at the thought, so I’m after some advice for a new rig build. I’ll try to give both short and long versions of info to cater to audience appetite and give as much info/context as I can initially.

 

I've looked at a bunch of the reference builds that look a little dated, and read a number of nice builds on here, but I don't know enough to align any of them specifically with what I'm trying to achieve, so here we are.

 

TL:DR;

 

I’m after some guidance on components I need for a rig with/to run:

Basics:

• unRaid (obv’s)
• Either really quiet, or power efficient (or both is good, but I'm a realist not a lotto winner). See below for more context.

Minimum requirements:

• Storage: > 16TB to start (probably ~20TB). Grow to ~50TB over time through addition/replacement of HDD.
• Plex with transcoding of up to 3-5 simultaneous streams
• 2x Windows VM, 1x Linux VM, a variety of docker containers

More of the wish-list:

• Ingestion ability for 6x 1080p security camera streams
• Enough grunt to play with tools like frigate (unraid apps list, NVR, object recognition)
• VM passthrough of Windows to be able to use it as a daily desktop (if this is actually a thing, I’m still not 100%)

 

 

The longer more contextual version:

 

I'm starting to plan out the idea of a new server to replace some old systems that are not holding up (either in storage, processing power, or both).

 

I've built machines in the past and am comfortable with the physical side, but it's been so long that I've looked at a custom build I'm just not sure of the considerations I should be including to meet my overall goals (discussed below) and there are likely hardware features I don't want to start having to understand if I can quickly establish they are not relevant.

 

I'm happy to do the reading on specific parts etc, but I'm hoping someone can give some tips/suggestions on key things I need to make sure I cover off and set me on the right path. Either specific suggestions on pieces of kit or guidance on families/features/etc. to look for or avoid would be very welcome.

 

 

Non-functional requirements:

 

I'm currently toying with 2 approaches. In reality I think I'll end up somewhere in between but the 2 thoughts are:

 

1. Nice, quiet, not-too-ugly, suitable to put in our home office or entertainment area and won't be so loud the dog barks at it 24/7
2. Low power usage, sit it in the garage (one consideration that suggests this might not be the best is temperature variation etc. as the weather changes - it's got basic insulation but often the garage door is open for decent chunks of the day and I wonder if that is contributing to a couple of drive failures I've had since putting them in there a couple of months ago)

 

 

Functional Requirements:

 

My main current usage is Plex. I have around ~16TB of data stored across various machines at the moment that I would like to consolidate (I need more storage as space has been a limiting factor in the growth of that data), and I have a few people who make use of my server which with the increase in video resolution etc. has led to deficiencies in power to transcode. As a target, maybe 5 simultaneous streams (probably more like 2 or 3 but I'd like to not have to redo this in a year because usage increases if I can avoid/afford it)

 

There are other things I'd like to store, so that pushes the storage requirement from a general NAS standpoint, but I suspect having enough space in general and this will just be a by-product. However this may extend to storage for some security cameras so I believe that will guide some cache requirements for speed of ingestion. Other things (videos) are not going to be such an issue, even if they take a little longer to save that's not a biggie)

 

I'd also like to be able to run some VM's. Some things I'll do with docker but I'd like to be able to run some full windows and linux VM's. Probably no more than 2 windows, and maybe one linux (I'll be preferring docker over needing a full linux VM but occasionally I need to do things that require the extra isolation of a full VM). Docker things would centre more around home-automation etc. and I'm also interested in some of the image recognition stuff I see in the unRaid apps list, but I'm not sure the budget would support the resources to do that on video streams... dreams are free, C/GPU cycles are not!

 

One particular area of interest that I'm totally clueless about but seem to have come across is the ability to run a windows VM that can be used directly as a desktop from the machine (rather than RDP/etc.) using GPU passthrough? I'm not sure if my interpretation of the things I've read are accurate but that was the impression I got from some other posts, and if so this would be really useful and mean I could avoid running another desktop, but that would also specifically push more to the quiet end of the requirement scale.

 

The other option I’ve considered but would rather avoid if possible, is to end up with 2 builds – one for the bulk-NAS storage, and another machine to run the likes of Plex and do the heavier lifting processing wise. It’s not my preference, but it’s an option if it works out to be a better solution.

 

 

Parts I have:

 

An old Synology 412+

• 2x4TB WD Red drives (that seem in good nick still)
• 2x4TB WD Red Drives (of which I'm pretty sure 1 is about to totally die and the other is reporting errors, so I've acquired the below QNAP to try and back that data up before it all dies in a ball of fire)

 

A QNAP ts-ec1279u-rp: Currently running an unRaid trial (which started this whole thought stream)

• 6x 3TB WD Red, of which I think 1 may be on its last legs.
• 2x 250GB 2.5" SSD's

 

My last build (Really, it was modern and grunty for its time but now it’s had most of its RAM pillaged so it is a headless storage/plex box that can barely keep windows 7 running these days let alone any apps on top! 😞

• Case: CoolerMaster HAF-X Full Tower Case (https://www.coolermaster.com/catalog/legacy-products/cases/haf-x/)
• CPU: AMD Phenom II 944 4-core
• Motherboard: Gigabyte Motherboard (I've got to dig up the model yet but I suspect it's probably due for retirement)
• Graphics: Can’t remember but it’s old and probably needs replacing
• PSU: Some enermax 650W from memory, but also very old and likely up for replacement
• Storage:
  • 4x 2TB 3.5" SATA HDD ( I can't remember what sort until I pull the side off)
  • 1x 250GB 2.5" SSD

 

Another machine (brought as part of a clearance so I’m not 100% on some specs), currently running Linux desktop:

• Case: Not sure, some ATX basic thing.
• CPU: Intel Core i5-5600 3.2GHz (quad core)
• Motherboard: ASUSTeK B150M-PLUS (https://www.asus.com/Motherboards-Components/Motherboards/PRIME/B150-PLUS/)
• Graphics: Nvidia GM206 GeForce GTX 950
• PSU: Not a clue
• Storage:
  • 1x 1TB… no idea what

 

Other bits:

• Maybe 4x 250GB 2.5” SSD drives
• A pile of other (2.5TB or less) 3.5” SATA drives from various desktop machines.
• Probably not much else of any real use!

 

The old Coolermaster case may be enough to start with, but I think I’d need some fan replacement to drop the noise. I do like the look of some of the double width cube’esq cases which may be a better design to blend aesthetics and HDD space but no doubt that will be driven by other choices. Beyond that reusing HDD’s where practical of course, but other bits may be abandonware at this point (or repurposed but not for this project).

 

 

Budget:

 

Depending on what I can achieve, I could throw say $3k (NZD) at it in the immediate/short term, and I'm not opposed to adding on (e.g. additional drives) or saving a bit more to go higher if needed. Bang for buck is important which I guess is why I'm seeking some help to make sure I get the right parts for the job basically.

 

 

Parting thoughts:

 

The more I think through this, the more I tend to lean towards a quieter machine (option 1). Especially if it can replace a range of boxes I have at present, meaning a likely overall power reduction in the house. However I expect for practicality it'll be running largely 7200rpm 3.5" disks, so quiet rather than silent (ala pure SSD) is the headspace I'm in.

 

Happy to answer any questions, explain any of my brain dump, or get finer details off existing kit if it's of any use (I didn't go ripping things apart on the assumption most of it, other than HDD's, is irrelevant and not much use here).