Proposed unRaid Server Build - Help with PSU!

[Starfox]

I am finally pulling together a new server which I plan to run unRaid on - any advice/help would be appreciated - New to unRaid/Server building!  Synology DS212+ and D-Link Sharecenter = full!

 

CPU Intel G1610 Box Celeron Dual Core Processor (2.6GHz, 2MB Cache Socket 1155)

Motherboard Supermicro MBD-X9SCM-F-O

Memory Crucial 4GB kit (2GBx2), 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-10600

Power Supply Existing Hiper 480W HPU-4S480

Storage 2xWD Red 3TB Hardrives

Storage 2x Existing 1.5TB Seagate Hardrives

Case Fractal Design Define Mini Series Micro ATX Case I have an existing case so this is still currently a desirable not a given

 

My budget is around £500.  I am thinking about 5TB would be enough for now with the aim of purchasing another 2x3TB drives in the next year or so.  It is just for streaming my library to 2xBoxee and music to Sonos.

 

I have a few questions on the above/on some general unRaid stuff

[*]The PSU in the build is a current old one - I was hoping to use it to save money.  Will it be OK?  Especially with the server motherboard?

[*]How can I work out the electricity costs of running this - Currently the Synology has WOL and I know is very efficient.  I don't want to suddenly hike the electric bill by £100 a year if I can help it

[*]In relation to the first two points - if the PSU is OK is it still worth upgrading to an efficient one for the money saved on electric?

[*]The cache drive which is mentioned in various places - is this necessary or can it be added in later?  And is it just a standard 7,200rpm disc - any particular size?

[*]Should I be purchasing a 4TB WD Red disk now for parity?  (Or is it easy to upgrade the parity disk in the future...)

[*]Will any USB memory stick do?

[*]Why do alot of builds go for the Xeon CPU - is this not way overkill?

 

Sorry for the list of questions - I have been reading up on this for days now and my head is in information overload.  Any help would be appreciated alot.

 

Many Thanks

 

 

 

[Ford Prefect]

That PSu is a Dual-Rail.

For the Power it can deliver, either Rail will be good for your current no. of disks you are planning for.

 

However, it does *not* have an 8pin EPS-12V connector.

The SM Boards do require one and compliance of the PSU with a certain standard.

I remember some threads regarding this in the forum but can't find them right now.

...you *may* try with an adapter but AFAIR the safe option is to go for a PSU that is known to work with the mobo.

 

Edit:

regarding using a XEON...this is the only CPU suporting vt-d for an ESXi build, that is compatible with the mobo

 

regarding power draw, it'll depend on your usage pattern and comparison to your current hardware.

You are currently using WOL...but if your "sleeptime" is only 6hrs a day, it'll make not much of difference....if your sleeptime is 22hrs a day,

it'll change everything if you don't continue to use WOL with unRAID.

AFAIR the mobo supports S3 but I personally have no experience with WOL and unRAID.

[Starfox]

Many thanks for the reply - I guess thats a new PSU now to!

 

Thinking this one 650W Seasonic X-Series SS-650KM3

 

Would that work OK?  Has EPS12V.  Regarding size I done a quick check on a power calculator site and it was telling me 400W would be fine so I think I am well covered with 650W.  Is there any easy way of finding out if it is compliant with Supermicro X9SCM-F-O motherboard?

 

Thanks for the advise on the WOL - I did see it mentioned as possible to do with unRAID but didn't see evidence of many people actually getting it working...

[Ford Prefect]

I'll all depend on how many drives you are planning to grow in the future.

For your current no. of 4 disks, even a 200-250W single Rail PSU will do fine.(but there aren't any in that low range, AFAIR).

 

A Seasonic in general should do fine, when it has got the EPS12V connector.

Remember that the peak load is during cold-start only...this is what you need to design it for.

However, after that, with disks spun-down as well, you are in a low range, normally way below the 80plus effeciency window.

So going for an oversized PSU will give you safety (and low noise) but also will waste approx. another 10% of energy.

 

Calculate 2A each for each disk drive and maybe 3 or 4A for mobo, RAM, CPU and FANs in total.

Add a safety margin of another 2-3A and you are good to go.

 

Here's a thread that might reveal some info: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=26573.0

[Starfox]

Didn't realise your point on the efficiency/working in the low range - makes sense.

 

Ideally I obviously want to leave room for expansion up to say 8 drives max so I think I can drop down to a 450W PSU.  Thinking the Seasonic SS-450RM should be good - I see it was one of the ones a fellow member of the board went for in your linked thread (Although he didn't confirm whether it is actually compatible or not!)

 

If the SS-550RM was in stock I would probably go for that but I think even upgrading to a possible 8 drives the 450W should more than cover it (and save me a bit of money to..!)

 

Thanks!

[Ford Prefect]

...yepp...the 450W with 37A should give you approx another "safety margin" of 4-5 drives, based on an 8 drives build.