Hello, this is my first post here, i hope i am in the right section.

 

I am planning on building a unRAID Server. The main priority is of course safe storage of my media files, but i would also like to use the machine as a SABnzbd downloader and maybe a webhost at some point.

To make it short, i would like to use extra applications as well.

I have right now one 1TB completly full HDD + one 2TB also full + one 3TB also full and another 3TB getting filled. I would like to use a Cache Disk and of course need to buy a 3TB Parity Drive.

 

 

Now i have a deal on 2 different CPU-Motherboard Combos and i can not really decide. Maybe you would like to help out a bit.

 

I could get an Intel i3 2120 Processor and a Foxconn H67MXV Motherboard

 

Or i could get an Intel i3-550 Processor and a Asus P7P55 WS Motherboard

 

Should i rather buy the older processor with the Mainboard which has 6 SataPorts, so i dont need to buy a controllercard right now?

Or should i go with the faster, less energyhungry processor and the "worse" Mainboard and buy a controllercard?

 

Tough decission 

I guess that depends on how much storage you believe you will ultimately need.  Not only is the Foxconn limited to four SATA ports, and also has limited PCIe expansion.  On the other hand, the 2120 processor has more grunt (not really necessary for unRAID) but also generates less heat.

Well, i would rather take the route where i can expand my drives with additional controller cards. Thats why i am going more in the direction of the i3-550.

It should have enough power to run unRAID plus SAB, CP, SB, Newznab and stream 1080p files to one HTPC, right?

 

When i am looking at benchmarks the 550 is not far behind the 2120, they are actually pretty close.

 

What i am a little concerned is the different powerconsumption. Since the 2120 is a newer generation. Do you think there is a lot of watts difference?

That would be my only pluspoint at the moment for the 2120 combo.

What i am a little concerned is the different powerconsumption. Since the 2120 is a newer generation. Do you think there is a lot of watts difference?

That would be my only pluspoint at the moment for the 2120 combo.

 

TDP of 550 is 73, the 2120 is 65 - only a difference of 8 watts.  I wonder what the figures are for the two motherboards?

What i am a little concerned is the different powerconsumption. Since the 2120 is a newer generation. Do you think there is a lot of watts difference?

That would be my only pluspoint at the moment for the 2120 combo.

 

TDP of 550 is 73, the 2120 is 65 - only a difference of 8 watts.  I wonder what the figures are for the two motherboards?

 

TDP is always a maximum in semiconductor device specifications.  The idle power consumption on the newer parts will be significantly lower (and that is how the typical unRAID server spends most of its time).  The IvyBridge range will be even better from that point of view, but of course may be a little more expensive.  I use a 2125 (SandyBridge) and am very happy with it.  My whole server draws about 40 watts from the household mains supply when all the drives are spun down.

Thank you, very nice to have some wattage figures from somebody using the same CPU.

 

I just found this Mainboard Asrock B75 Pro3-M which has 8!!! Sata Ports.

 

So right now i think i will go with this board (fortunatly also used by other members here, and reported working) and the I3-2120 Processor.

Thank you, very nice to have some wattage figures from somebody using the same CPU.

 

I just found this Mainboard (Asrock B75 Pro3-M which has 8!!! Sata Ports.

 

I mistyped - mine's a 2125, but that's pretty much the same in terms of power usage.

 

That looks like a nice board - I'll have to consider it when I need to upgrade further.

I am thinking of getting either one of these two: Comparision

 

The difference from the B75 to the H77 would be around 13$.

The new features that the H77 bring are (at least for me) completely uninteressting.

 

What would you say about the PCIe Slots, which ones do you think are more important and futureproof? I guess i am going to add controller-cards over the next few years....

Hard to say.  Personally I would go for the cheaper one.  If, in three years time I needed something bigger, then my view is that I'd be better off making that choice in three years time - who knows what other features there might be that I would want at the same time.  On the other hand, if I would out grow the capacity in only a few months then of course I would go for the extra slots right now. 

So i just bought the I3 2120 and ordered the Asrock B75 M3 Pro. Got both for a reasonable price and looking forward to building the machine.

 

Right now i am thinking of RAM and the amount of it.

I want to run Newznab and maybe host a Website and an Emailprovider. Its just for fun and to get to learn this stuff better.

What most people say here is that unRAID is quite unsecure if exposed to the internet publicly.

 

So my idea (and im just at the beginning) is this: Will it be safer to run, say, Ubuntu on the unRAID server in a virtual machine and then host the website from ubuntu itself? I am pretty new to all the networking stuff, so any input on how to achieve my goals will be very much appreciated.

 

I dont want to run a big Newznabserver, just for my few friends and family. Would also be nice to access SAB and CP remotely.

 

 

@mods: Could you please move this tread into the "Hardware" section, because i think we are moving away from just Motherboard-talk here. Thanks, i will rename the thread accordingly if moved.

 

Personally, I know nothing about the add-ons that you are looking at and I also know nothing about running virtual machines.  I have never played with either.

 

My only advice would be to start simple.  Get unRAID up and running, get confidence in the hardware, then you can look at the add-ons that you're interested in.  I would treat VM stuff as a separate project.  I think you're better off learning one bunch of stuff at a time rather than trying to get everything working together at once.

 

I'm sure there are others who are better qualified than I am to comment on the best way to proceed.

Its just that if i virtualize i need to buy more GB of RAM.

Understood.  I have no idea what you'd need though.  My rule is always to get more than you think because I always find I need more sooner or later.

 

Whatever you get, be sure to run a few passes of Memtest from the unRAID USB stick before installing stuff.  A 24 hour run is often recommended to weed out faulty RAM (and I have seen good RAM go bad, so I think it's worth doing).