Can someone please suggest a motherboard for maximizing SATA connectors?

[rwickra]

I've had an UnRaid server running on a SuperMicro X10-SL7-F-0 motherboard with an Intel Xeon E3-1230v3 processor for close to 10 years now. It's worked fine, but the server has begun to show its age slowing down more than I would like. I'm thinking of rebuilding the server focusing on minimizing the number of drives (perhaps with a 18 TB parity and 10-11 other 18 TB data drives). This is because I think I would like to really reduce the power consumption.

 

I'm looking for a suggestion of a good motherboard/CPU combo that could accomplish that. I don't use VMs, but do plan to run a few docker containers for various apps. Main use will be as a NAS with great expandability. I am planning on installing an nVIDIA GPU for HW transcoding via Plex for 4K HDR.  The focus is going to be maximizing space and speed, updating to newer hardware with reduced power consumption.

 

My Current Setup:

Intel Xeon E3-1230v3 LGA 1150 socket 3.3 GHz Processor

SuperMicro X10-SL7-F-0 Motherboard (6x SATA, 8x SAS ports)

SuperMicro AOC-SAS2LP-MV8 8-SATA port RAID controller

 

Any recommendations will be appreciated.

Edited June 12, 2022 by rwickra

[Rweng009]

I am using a SuperMicro X11SPF-nCTF mother board

Next gen to yours and not as up to date as the current generation (who can afford that anyway) but it can more than hold its own

Also a little out of the ordinary board.

 

For Discs it has:

 

2 native SATA (DOM)

2 x 8087 SATA sockets – will give 8 x SATA discs

2 x 8643 SAS sockets  - will give 8 x SATA Discs

 

So that is a Total 18 discs SATA 6gbps from the board without an expansion card.

 

1 x Nvme

2x NVME Oculink conectors– not sure how to use them. Think they have died out.

 

As a bonus it also has 10G Ethernet native.

 

It runs an LGA 3647 socket – quite large

I am using a 2nd hand 1st gen  Xeon Gold 6150 processor (18 cores) at 140 watts ( but never get anywhere near that). You can get less power-hungry processors obviously.

 

I run 8x Exos 18Tb drives plus a bunch of others

It all fits nicely in a define 7 box with some room to expand.