I'm currently in the process of building a media empire.  I'm in Afghanistan and in my free time I've been gathering all sorts of media and reading as much as I can about unRAID servers.  I'm beginning to run out of space and want to build my own unRAID server to be used to store movies, music, and pictures.  I was planning on using it in conjunction with XBMC however I recently was reading about PLEX and need to research that to see which program would be better for me.  Currently I have been burning DVDs in MP4 format using handbreak (is this the best format to be storing my DVDs?) and I have hundreds more to do but I'm out of space. 

 

After doing a lot of reading this is what I have planned so far for my build.

 

Case:  Prominent 9 Silent PC Case ($80.00) http://www.endpcnoise.com/cgi-bin/e/std/sku=silent_pc_case.html

Rack:  Supermicro CSE-M35T1B ($97.00) http://www.buy.com/prod/supermicro-cse-m35t1-mobile-rack-storage-enclosure-5-x-3-5-1-3h-hot/10344799.html

MOBO: Supermicro MBD-X9SCM-F-O ($200.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182253&Tpk=supermicro%20x9scm-f

CPU:    Intel Core i3-540 3.06GHz (will this be compatible with my MOBO?) ($115.00) http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Processor-3-06GHz-LGA1156-BX80616I3540/dp/B0031M9QZ4/ref=sr_1_2

PSU:  CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W ATX 12V ($90.00) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139020

Controller Card: Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 ($98.00) https://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=AOC-SASMV8&title=Supermicro-AOC-SASLP-MV8-8-Port-SAS-SATA-Add-on-Card

Additional Cables: http://www.monoprice.com/

 

Please feel free to give me any advice, suggest changes, or steer me in a different direction.

 

Just a few notes:

 

The Core i3 CPU you have listed is wicked old and won't work with that motherboard. This is the one you want:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115077

 

I'd go with the IBM M1015 controller card: It's PCIe 8x versus 4x for the Supermicro card. The Supermicro card isn't bad, I have one in my server, but the M1015 will give you more bandwidth to work with in the future, plus it can be had for a a decent amount cheaper. A guy is selling them on here for $70 bucks shipped if you get it shipped to an address in the lower 48.

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=20111.0

 

I'd order some replacement fans for the drive cage since it looks like you want a quiet setup based on your case choice. I have two of those cages and the fans are loud so I replaced them. I'm not up on what the latest, best quiet fans are but the size of the fans are 92mm.

 

You also didn't mention anything about RAM. I'm assuming that means you already have some? What type is it?

Thanks, I'll incorporate those changes.  As for the RAM I haven't thought about what kind to get yet.  I was mainly focusing on the above items since they are more of decision point items.  Do you have any recommendations for the RAM?

1 or 2 sticks of this depending on if you want 4GB or 8GB of RAM. If you're going to be running a lot of plugins, I'd go with 8GB to be on the safe side. I have 8GB.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139077

as long as you are ordering cables from monoprice. I would also pick up a 2 port PCIe sata card.

 

Your current build (I'm assuming you are ordering 3 of the supermicro 5in3's) is for 15 drives. 1 HBA and the 6 onboard sata only gives you 14 drives, you will be short one port in the end.. (you can then hook the 16'th port to the front eSATA port for SNAP if you want)

 

I actually have a build that is almost the same. I love it..

Keep in mind my server is a windows server, not unraid.

 

Case:  Prominent 9 Silent PC Case

Rack:  Supermicro CSE-M35T1B X3 (black versions)

MOBO: Supermicro MBD-X9SCM-F-O

CPU:  Intel Xeon E3-1240  (You should stick with the  I3. maybe look at an Intel Core i3-2120T) unless you are considering ESXi

PSU:  CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX650 V2 650W ATX 12V

Controller Card: Areca 16port Raid card (Hardware raid6) [This is not recommended for unraid. I would get the SASLP-MV8 or the M1015]

FANS: Noctua NF-B9-1600 92mm Case Fan x3 (for the supermicro cages)

 

Keep in mind that the M1015 needs to be reflashed. you might sick with the AOC-SASLP-MV8 to keep it simple. the MV8 is slightly more expensive and slower, but it just works out of the box. also you might have a hard time getting an m1015 in Afghanistan.

 

Also, those sumpermicro Cages have really loud fans.

I would order a fan controller and put it inside the case. that, or get replacement fans.

I use the Noctua NF-B9-1600 92mm Case Fans. they are a little expensive. but i like them.

 

 

EDIT:

I found an earlier picture of my Prominent 9 with the supermicro cages. This was when I had only 2 cages.

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=12405.msg142540#msg142540

 

I also suggest you buy a C-Clamp to smash down the "ears" in the bay drives. it took me about two hours to the get the cages installed.

When you are making the mod, and installing the cages, remove the aluminum front piece. it scratches fairly easy from the tools.

Awesome thanks for the advice. 

 

A couple of questions:

 

What do you mean by hooking the 16th port up to the front eSATA port for SNAP?

 

When you say the M1015 needs to be reflashed, what exactly does that mean and how is it done? 

 

Also what's a good price I should be looking at for the M1015.  On tigerdirect it's $294 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5509898 and on newegg its $320 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816145028&Tpk=M1015  is this roughly what they should cost?

 

I appreciate the advice on the fans as well, I'm going to look into that. 

 

Thanks for the help.

I gave you a link to a guy here on the buy sell trade forums that is selling the M1015 for $70 new.

 

EDIT: Here are the instructions on how to flash it. You'd want to flash it to IT mode as you want it to function as a JBOD controller.

 

http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/

 

I actually have a build that is almost the same. I love it..

 

 

John, Since you've got a very similar build I wanted to ask a few questions as everything I order has come in and I'm only waiting on a thumb drive to get my server going. 

 

The power supply has the 24 pin and 8 pin cords going to the mother board.  Then it has the two PCI-E cables which I'm not using yet.  It has the 8 SATA cables and the 8 4-pin peripherals.  Currently I've got two of the 4-pin peripherals plugged into my 5 in 3 CSE-M35T1B and two others plugged into the case fans.  As for the SATA cables from the PSU, none are in use and I'm assuming I won't have to use any as I will eventually have 3x 5 in 3 cages in my case. 

 

In the back of my Supermicro CSE-M35T1B I currently have two SATA cables that came with the Rack (should I buy different ones with locking mechanisms?), the fan plugged in, and two 4-pin connectors from the PSU.  Is there anything else that should be plugged into this? 

 

Also I was wondering what this cable is used for and what it's supposed to be connected into?

 

Thanks for your help. 

That cable assemble let's you connect the lights mounted in the CSE-M35T to the disk controller, so you get more blinky lights. I don't use it. The lights on the drives are enough blinking for me.