[COMPLETED] Daniel's Home Setup (**UPDATED 14/01/2016**)


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DanioJ's Home Setup (**UPDATED 14/01/2016**)

 

 

Project Status - Complete

 

Main Server- Initial 23TB of Protected Space. Expandable (with currently available non Archive disks of 8TB) to 104TB Complete

Backup Server - Initial 24TB of Protected Space. Expandable (with currently available Archive disks of 8TB) to 56TB - Complete

Test Server - 400GB of Protected Space  - Complete

 

Old Setup

 

Unraid 5.04, System: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. - P8B75-M LX,  CPU: Intel® Celeron® CPU G550 @ 2.60GHz, Cache: 32 kB, 256 kB, 2048 kB, Memory: G.Skill 1666 Ripjaws 4 GB 4096 MB, Case: Antec P183 V3, Power Supply: Antec Neo Eco 620

Cache: WDC_WD20EARS 2TB, Parity: WDC_WD30EFRX 3TB, Array: 4 x WDC_WD30EFRX 3TB

Total Protected Space 12TB (11TB Used)

 

Project Notes

 

I decided to go with the Backup Server first. I just NEED to Backup my data NOW. My intention is have them both run the latest BETA of Unraid now. My reasoning here is because I don't want to have to migrate my disks to XFS later, I want to do it now This prevents me from utilising some components in the current server but I can live with that (Plus I have a use for them anyway).

 

I built the Backup Server first, backed up all my data. Then I built my Main Server, converted all the current disks to XFS and copied all the data back from the Backup Server to the Main Server. All copied were done with Verify Copy enabled using Teracopy.

 

 

Main Server Initial 23TB of Protected Space. Expandable (with currently available Archive disks of 8TB) to 104TB.

 

 

This server is the primary source of my data. It is ALWAYS on and serves all my media, runs my home server applications and 2 VM’s and stores all my digital files and content.

 

Build Type: ATX

Notes: No specific requirements for this build other than looking good in the Study.

 

OS: Unraid (Latest - Pro)

 

Build Hardware

 

CPU: Intel® Xeon® Processor E3-1241v3 (8M Cache, 3.50 GHz)

Manufacturer: http://ark.intel.com/products/80909/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E3-1241-v3-8M-Cache-3_50-GHz

Vendor: http://www.msy.com.au/1150-socket/13945-intel-bx80646e31241v3-quad-core-e3-1241v3-35ghz-8mb-lga1150-xeon-cpu.html

StatusBought. AUD $369.

Notes: I have decided to go with an Xeon over another cheaper CPU. I want to run VM’s from the Box now and I think this is the best value Xeon for what I want. UPDATE: I was set on the E3-1231v3 BUT was out of stock when I got there and the 1241 was just AUD $15 more so I went with that one.

 

Motherboard: Supermicro X10SL7-F

Manufacturer: http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon/C220/X10SL7-F.cfm

Vendor: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Supermicro-X10SL7-F-mATX-Server-Board-/161674176680?

Status: Bought. AUD $376.38

Notes: I was going to go with the ASRock C226 Workstation but then I found this Bad Boy. It has everything I want and nothing I don't. Plus it has so many SATA ports. No expansion cards for me. Have noticed that there is currently an issue with compatible memory for this board so I am watching this space so to speak. UPDATE: Seems memory issue is a non issue. Got this from Kogan on eBay. Best price I have seen in months in Australia.

 

Memory: 2 x Crucial 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR3/DDR3L-1600MT/s (PC3-12800) DR x8 ECC UDIMM Server Memory CT2KIT102472BD160B/CT2CP102472BD160B

Manufacturer: http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ct2kit102472bd160b

Vendor: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EMA5VU/ref=pe_385040_127745480_TE_item

Status: Bought. AUD $413.91.

Notes: Given the discussion over compatible memory for the X10-SL7-F I am waiting to select the right 4 x 8TB sticks. UPDATE: I have chosen Crucial for the memory. From extensive reviews on the FreeNAS website and recommendations all over the Web NOT to use Kingston anymore drove my choice. Crucial is Micron's consumer brand, and Crucial memory is very easy to find (and for you guys in the US it can be bought directly from Crucial on their website, at reasonable prices and low or no shipping fees). Particularly, Crucial has the following DIMM model: CT102472BD160B (Single DIMM) and CT2KIT102472BD160B (Two DIMMs) which turns out to be just a rebrand of Micron's MT18KSF1G72AZ-1G6E1. Bought from Amazon because even with the exchange rates and delivery the memory is STILL over AUD $100 cheaper than what I can get in AUS, so all good.

 

PSU: Corsair HX850i 80 Plus Platinum 850W Power Supply

Manufacturer: http://www.corsair.com/en-au/hxi-series-hx850i-high-performance-atx-power-supply-850-watt-80-plus-platinum-certified-psu-au

Vendor: http://www.msy.com.au/vic/northmelbourne/pc-components/14424-corsair-cmpsu-hx850i-850watt-digital-80plus-platinum-full-modular-atx-power-supply-unit.html

Status: Bought. AUD $215.

Notes: I was going to go with Neo Eco but since I worked with the SFX Modular PSU on the Backup Server I dont want to use a non modular PSU ever again! While this one is a “Gaming” PSU it is reasonably priced. I have always like Antec PSU’s. UPDATE: Changed my mind AGAIN! After a chat with Garycase and some reviews I read I felt the Corsair PSU's looked excellent - better than the Antec I had chosen. Also I went for the 850W as I am thinking a high end graphics card or 2 might be coming at some point. PLUS - 10% sale at my Vendor! Happy Days!

 

Case: Fractal Design Define R5 Mid Tower Black

Manufacturer: http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/cases/define-series/define-r5-black

Vendor: http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=29880

Status: Bought. AUD $159.

Notes: Excellent Case. Fractal Design have great build quality. Space for heaps of drives and expansion for more (via caddy - see below) and an excellent Cooling System. Love it.

 

Fans: 4 x Fractal Design Dynamic DP-14 & 2 x Fractal Design Dynamic DP-12

Manufacturer: http://www.fractal-design.com/home/product/case-fans/dynamic-series/dynamic-gp-14

Vendor: Came with Case. See above.

Status: Bought. See above.

Notes: I got these thrown in on top of the case which was excellent. I am sure I should have only had 2 of the 140mm ones. But alas no. I don't see a need to replace them with anything else.

 

Cables: 16 x SATA III 90degree Down Angle Cable 26AWG 50cm - Black(2), Red(4), Light Blue(2), Blue(8 )

Manufacturer: http://www.cpl.net.au

Vendor: http://cplonline.com.au/cables/sata-sas-cable/serial-ata-cable-sata-iii-90degree-down-angle-26awg-50cm-blue-9249.html

Status: Bought.

Notes: I was going to do away with my current cables and buy slim ones BUT I caved and went with standard premium cables from my local supplier. The case is going to end up holding 14 x 3.5” drives and 2 x 2.5” drives. I need good cable management, not least of which to ensure good airflow but because I want it to be neat too. To facilitate neatness I colour coded: Black for Parity Drives, Light Blue for Cache SSD Drives, Red for data (Controller 1) Light Blue for data / App SSD (Controller 2).

 

Caddy: Caselabs HDD Cage Assy - Standard

Manufacturer: http://www.caselabs-store.com/hdd-cage-assy-standard/

Vendor: Direct. See above link.

Status: Bought. USD @29.95 (+ USD $25) for shipping :-()

Notes: Being able to mount this on the 120mm fan holes on the bottom of the case next to the existing drive cages and have space for 4 more 3.5” drives is awesome and have. I saw some Caddy’s which were ok but non of this quality. Shame about having to get it shipped from US but I feel it was worth it.

 

Unraid Specific Hardware

 

Cache Disk (Pool): 2 x Crucial MX100 256GB SATA 6Gb/s 2.5" Internal SSD CT256MX100SSD1

Manufacturer: http://www.crucial.com/usa/en/ssd/ct256mx100ssd1

Vendor: http://cplonline.com.au/crucial-256gb-sata3-mx100-series-ssd-hbc-mx100d1-256.html

Status: Bought.

Notes: All the reviews I see for this drive are excellent. I have decided to go with 2 x 256GB because I will never transfer more than this in a day (non normal exceptions where it can be disabled excluded) and I wanted a btrfs Pool for fault protection on the Cache volume.

 

Application Disk: Samsung 850 EVO SATA III 2.5 inch 250 GB SSD MZ-75E250

Manufacturer: http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/memory-storage/ssd/850-evo/MZ-75E250BW

Vendor: http://cplonline.com.au/samsung-840-evo-series-250gb-ssd-mz-7te250bw.html

Status: Bought.

Notes: I wanted a separate drive for Applications, Plugins, Dockers and VM’s. Went with a Samsung as I ended up buying this drive after the above ones and the latest Critual model is poor in comparison to those bought above.

 

Parity: 1 x Seagate 8TB Archive HDD, SATA III, 5900RPM, 128MB Model: ST8000AS0002 (WTY - 3 year)

Data Disks: (New) 1 x WD 6TB Green, SATA III, IntelliPower, 64MB, NCQ, WD60EZRX (WTY - 2yr) and (Exisiting 5) 5 x WD 3TB Red WD30EFRX, SATA III, IntelliPower, 64MB, NAS HDD (Initial 3) 1 x Seagate 8TB Archive HDD, SATA III, 5900RPM, 128MB Model: ST8000AS0002 (WTY - 3 year)

Manufacturer: http://www.seagate.com/au/en/products/enterprise-servers-storage/nearline-storage/archive-hdd/?sku=ST8000AS0002

Vendor: http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/Hard_Drives_&_SSDs/HDD_-_3.5%22_Drives/58205-ST8000AS0002

Status: Bought. AUD $616

Notes: Far too much community discussion has gone into the selection of these drives. Thanks to pkn for his posting of test data and all those (especially garycase) who contributed to the thread. Please see this thread: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=36749.0 AND this thread for summary: https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39526.0

 

 

Notes: As already stated I am going to use the existing 3TB Red drives from my current setup and expand the space available by 8TB by adding a 8TB Seagate Archive as Parity and a 8TB Seagate Archive as a Data drive while also dropping the existing parity into the Data Disk Pool. I decided to go with the Seagate 8TB’s over more WD Reds or WD Greens due to the positive testing of the 8TB’s documented in the 2 threads above.

 

Config

 

User Shares: II matched what I have today. I sorted my Split Levels to Level 2 and Distribution over the disks as evenly as possible.

Fan Orientation: I went with air in over the drives from 2 fans, pushed over the cpu and then out of the back. Worked excellently.

Mover execution: Nightly @ 11pm.

Default Status: Always ON.

 

Software

 

As I mentioned I run 2 VM’s (Windows 10 and Ubuntu 15.10), Many Home Server Dockers and Useful Plugins:

 

- Dockers: Apache:EmbyServer:Guacamole:Maraschino:mariaDB:OpenVPN-AS:Quassel-Core

- VMs: Windows 10, Ubuntu 15.10

- Plugins: Local Master:Schedules:SSD Trim:System Temperature:File Integrity:Preclear Disks:Unassigned Devices:Open Files:System Statistics:System Information:Cache Directories:Active Streams:Community Applications:Nerd Tools

 

OS: Exisiting Unraid Pro License

Vendor: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=31474.0

 

 

Backup Server -  Initial 24TB of Protected Space. Expandable (with currently available Archive disks of 8TB) to 56TB.  - Complete

 

 

This runs primary as a COLD server and is NEVER the primary source of my data and as such is NOT accessible to clients on the Network UNLESS such time exists where the Main Server is down and a DNS name swap is made to allow data to be accessed from Backup Server as if it was the Main, transparent to the users. It is ALWAYS on and Backs up as documented here: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45331.msg432998#msg432998

 

Build Type: Mini-ITX

Notes: The idea is that the Backup Server will have a sufficiently small footprint that it can be taken “Off Site” easily and quickly if the need arises OR the disks can be removed quickly without need to disassemble.

 

OS: Unraid (Latest - Pro)

 

Build Hardware

 

CPU: Intel® Atom™ Processor C2550 (2M Cache, 2.40 GHz)

Manufacturer: http://ark.intel.com/products/77982/Intel-Atom-Processor-C2550-2M-Cache-2_40-GHz

Vendor: Integrated with Motherboard. See below.

Status: Bought. See below.

Notes: The low power integrated quad core Atom CPU which can be passively cooled I felt fit my needs better than a Celeron running on a E3C224D2I.

 

Motherboard: ASRock C2550D4I Mini ITX Motherboard.

Manufacturer: http://www.asrockrack.com/general/productdetail.asp?Model=C2550D4I#Specifications

Vendor: http://cplonline.com.au/index.php/asrock-c2550d4i-mini-itx-motherboard.html

Status: Bought. AUD $399.

Notes: The integrated passively cooled CPU was a big draw here. But the biggest was the 12 integrated SATA ports. No future expansion cards for me. No CPU cooler issues. With limited space I thought this was the perfect fit for this Mini ITX Build.

 

Memory: Kingston 4GB (1x4GB), PC-12800 (1600MHz) ECC Unbuffered DDR3L, ValueRAM, CL11, 1.35V, Single Stick. KVR16LE11S8/4I.

Manufacturer: http://www.kingston.com/en/memory/search/?partid=kvr16le11s8/4i

Vendor: http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/Memory/ECC_&_Registered/55195-KVR16LE11S8_4I

Status: Bought. AUD $89

Notes: Had some issue trying to find out where to buy “Compatible Memory”. I couldn't locally get hold of any Memory on the Manufacturers QVL list. Then I searched Kingston’s “Supported Board List” and found that this module was 100% compatible. The only difference was that this module had a “4/I” appended to the model number. Took me some time to figure out that this just meant it was certified and tested (reflected in the price) to work with Intel products but essentially the same stick. But this is all I could get.

 

PSU: Silverstone ST45SF-G 450W SFX Form Factor Power Supply - ST45SF-G.

Manufacturer: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=342

Vendor: http://cplonline.com.au/silverstone-st45sf-g-450w-sfx-form-factor-power-supply.html?gclid=CLuu5oTk2MQCFYqCvQodvJ0APg

Status: Bought. AUD $118.

Notes: Recommended manufacturer and type of CPU by Garycase. Decided to buy the Gold version for the Modular feature and also 450W over the 300W so I have headroom for the future.

 

Case: SilverStone Black DS380 Hot Swap SFF Chassis.

Manufacturer: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=452

Vendor: http://cplonline.com.au/index.php/silverstone-black-ds380-hot-swap-sff-chassis-sst-ds380b.html

Status: Bought. AUD $179.

Notes: I was ALL set for the Lian-Li PC-Q25B. However availability of this case is poor. I could not source it from ANYWHERE and I mean ANYWHERE home or abroad. My vendor recommended the DS380 and I really liked the cooling design as well as the fact that it had Hot-Swap drives which added an extra feature of quick release of drives in an emergency. I HAD to add a small amendment to the Chassis in the form of a skirt to control the airflow see discussion on case heat issues and for this small case mode here: https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=31967.0

 

Fans: Case Stock. 3 x 120mm 1200rpm 22dBA (2 side 1 rear).

Manufacturer: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=348

Vendor: Come with the case. See above.

Status: Bought. See above.

Notes: I was set to buy Noctua NF-F12’s fans but once I looked at the Silverstone spec of these fans I didn't see why and they have been fine. Note that you cannot control the fan speed from the BIOS with these fans. You would need fans like the 4Pin Noctua ones (PWM control) to do that.

 

Cables: 8 x SATA cables provided by Motherboard Manufacturer.

Manufacturer: Unknown.

Vendor: Come with the Motherboard. See above.

Status: Bought. See above.

Notes: I was going to buy Silverstone Slim cables as I didn't expect the board to come with 8. However when they arrived they were black, reasonable size for the Mini-ITX case so thought I’d go with them.

 

Caddy’s: None.

Notes: No room for expansion in this case that I can see.

 

Unraid Specific Hardware

 

Cache Disk: None.

Notes: I have decided I don't need one for its backup application.

 

b]Application Disk[/b]: Samsung 850 EVO SATA III 2.5 inch 120 GB SSD MZ-75E250

Manufacturer: http://www.samsung.com/au/consumer/memory-storage/ssd/850-evo/MZ-75E250BW

Vendor: http://cplonline.com.au/samsung-840-evo-series-250gb-ssd-mz-7te250bw.html

Status: Bought.

Notes: I wanted a separate drive for Applications, Plugins, Dockers and VM’s. Went with a Samsung as I ended up buying this drive after the ones in the Main Sever build and the latest Critual model is poor in comparison to those bought above.

 

Parity: 1 x Seagate 8TB Archive HDD, SATA III, 5900RPM, 128MB Model: ST8000AS0002 (WTY - 3 year)

Data Disks: (Initial 3) 3 x Seagate 8TB Archive HDD, SATA III, 5900RPM, 128MB Model: ST8000AS0002 (WTY - 3 year)

Manufacturer: http://www.seagate.com/au/en/products/enterprise-servers-storage/nearline-storage/archive-hdd/?sku=ST8000AS0002

Vendor: http://www.scorptec.com.au/product/Hard_Drives_&_SSDs/HDD_-_3.5%22_Drives/58205-ST8000AS0002

Status: Bought. AUD $1,197.

Notes: Far too much community discussion has gone into the selection of these drives. Thanks to pkn for his posting of test data and all those who contributed to the thread. Please see this thread: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=36749.0

 

Config

 

User Shares: I matched the User Shares on the Backup Server with the Main Server. I run a weekly Incremental Backup from Share to Share over by Gigabit Network and a Yearly Mirror.

Fan Orientation: I really like the case I have and I am going to run it (at least initially) as the Manufacturer intended. 2 x side case fans on draw. 1 x rear fan on extract.

Default Status: Always ON.

 

Software

 

I run 1 VM (Windows 10) to run my Backup Software (SyncBack),  2 x Dockers and Useful Plugins:

 

- Dockers: Apache: OpenVPN-AS

- VMs: Windows 10

- Plugins: File Integrity:Preclear Disks:Unassigned Devices:Open Files:System Statistics:System Information:Active Streams:Community Applications:Nerd Tools

 

OS: Additional Unraid Pro License

Vendor: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=31474.0

Status: Bought. USD $30

Link to comment

Issues, Configuration, Build Queries and Discussions

 

Discussion on suitability for Seagate 8TB Shingle Hard Disk Drives

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=36749.0

 

Summary of testing done on Seagate 8TB Shingle Hard Drives

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39526.0

 

WD Reds vs WD Greens

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39025.0

 

Format XFS on replacement drive / Convert from RFS to XFS

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=37490.0

 

Summary of Heat and Airflow Issues with Silverstone DS380 and Test Results

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=31967.0

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=43802.0

 

Preparing an unRAID USB stick on OSX El’Capitan

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45397.0

 

Free Space on USB Drive runs out after a period of time

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=41998.0

 

ASRock C2550 Motherboard Issues

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39248.0

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=34084.0

 

Issues With Cache Pool Setup

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45492.0

 

Using previously Deployed Drives as a new Data Drive

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=40624.0

 

Understanding Disk Issues and S.M.A.R.T attributes

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45467.0

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45009.0

 

Backup Strategy and Solutions

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=40847.0

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45331.0

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39007.0

 

Temperature Concerns if a GeForce GTX980 is in the Main Servers’ future!!

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45242.0

 

Increase the size of a KVM vdisk

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39731.msg382619#msg382619

 

Access a Docker Containers’ Filesystem

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=40290.0

 

Preparing for Dual Parity

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45331.0

 

Emby Server is Awesome

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=41207.0

 

Media Setup and Solving Media Serving Problems

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=39880.0

 

A new Router to Support the Setup

 

https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=41111.0

Link to comment

Question:

 

Why do you need a full HTPC in the living room just to run OPENELEC? why not buy another NUC or a simple android BOX?

 

 

I thought about that because the NUC is currently in there now. It came down to economics. I already have the important parts of the HTPC from the Unraid Box which I am replacing. So here is the math (in AUD):

 

Intel NUC (165), + Crucial MX100 128GB SSD (89) + Kingston 4GB Memory (85) = $339

Silverstone GD05 (104) + Crucial MX100 128GB SSD (89) + Geforce GT 740 (105) ATI HD5450 (35) = $298 $228

 

And while not really an economic benefit I don't end up with spare parts (Out of the Unraid Box) lying around that are not being used.

 

As for the Android Box, I stay away from them now. I already have a Pivos Xios and even with the default skin it is just slow and clunky as well as annoying with all in one remotes.

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I use the ATI HD5450 in my HTPC (low profile, no fan). It has worked beautifully with OE 4 and 5. I chose this one for the low profile version, fanless heatsink, and HD Audio support.

 

It streams 1080p with DTS-HD without issues!

 

Thats a great tip. Just checked my supplier and thats only $35 (AUD) compared to the $105 (AUD). Thank you.

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You're very welcome.

 

Also, don't forget to export your XBMC library before you switch to MySQL in order to retain watched status (if you want to).

 

I've added that to my notes to make sure I don't forget. Although I sort of like the idea of everything going back to scratch! Ill just have to watch all the Star Wars / Back to the Future / Lethal Weapon Sets again!  ;)

 

Then again I might also be told I have to watch something like A Walk to Remember Again too. So, yeah - Ill remember to export the Library!  ;D

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I thought about that because the NUC is currently in there now. It came down to economics. I already have the important parts of the HTPC from the Unraid Box which I am replacing. So here is the math (in AUD):

 

Intel NUC (165), + Crucial MX100 128GB SSD (89) + Kingston 4GB Memory (85) = $339

Silverstone GD05 (104) + Crucial MX100 128GB SSD (89) + Geforce GT 740 (105) ATI HD5450 (35) = $298 $228

 

And while not really an economic benefit I don't end up with spare parts (Out of the Unraid Box) lying around that are not being used.

 

As for the Android Box, I stay away from them now. I already have a Pivos Xios and even with the default skin it is just slow and clunky as well as annoying with all in one remotes.

 

Don't compare the Pivos to current up-to-date android boxes.

 

You can also get an intel based TV box and install openelec on it - less than AUD$120:

http://www.geekbuying.com/item/PIPO-X7-Windows-8-1-Smart-Mini-PC-TV-Box-Media-Player-2G-RAM-32G-ROM-Intel-3736F-1-8GHz-Quad-Core---Silver-339668.html

and connect a USB IR receiver to it and teach your all-in-one remote from this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161338901855?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I have 3 Tronsmart S89-H android boxes with KODI and MySQL (under full android and not openelec) with the IR receiver mentioned above with my cable box all-in-one remote.

Working flawlessly after latest firmware and new KODI v14 (Rapier skin).

 

As for the spare parts why not use them in your backup server? it is just for backups.

 

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Don't compare the Pivos to current up-to-date android boxes.

 

You can also get an intel based TV box and install openelec on it - less than AUD$120:

http://www.geekbuying.com/item/PIPO-X7-Windows-8-1-Smart-Mini-PC-TV-Box-Media-Player-2G-RAM-32G-ROM-Intel-3736F-1-8GHz-Quad-Core---Silver-339668.html

and connect a USB IR receiver to it and teach your all-in-one remote from this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161338901855?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I have 3 Tronsmart S89-H android boxes with KODI and MySQL (under full android and not openelec) with the IR receiver mentioned above with my cable box all-in-one remote.

Working flawlessly after latest firmware and new KODI v14 (Rapier skin).

 

As for the spare parts why not use them in your backup server? it is just for backups.

 

 

They warrant some of my time to look at. Clearly these small boxes have come along a long way since the Pivos Xios.

 

As for using the spare parts in the backup server, they are not the right FF for the case I want. The Celeron CPU does not support ECC Memory and the Memory itself is not ECC Registered either.

 

However, maybe there is better use for those parts - as a test box - which is always a nice to have. Then get another NUC or one of those suggested boxes and stick that in the living room with OE on it. Ill give it some thought and some research. Thank you.

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Don't compare the Pivos to current up-to-date android boxes.

 

You can also get an intel based TV box and install openelec on it - less than AUD$120:

http://www.geekbuying.com/item/PIPO-X7-Windows-8-1-Smart-Mini-PC-TV-Box-Media-Player-2G-RAM-32G-ROM-Intel-3736F-1-8GHz-Quad-Core---Silver-339668.html

and connect a USB IR receiver to it and teach your all-in-one remote from this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161338901855?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

I have 3 Tronsmart S89-H android boxes with KODI and MySQL (under full android and not openelec) with the IR receiver mentioned above with my cable box all-in-one remote.

Working flawlessly after latest firmware and new KODI v14 (Rapier skin).

 

As for the spare parts why not use them in your backup server? it is just for backups.

 

 

They warrant some of my time to look at. Clearly these small boxes have come along a long way since the Pivos Xios.

 

As for using the spare parts in the backup server, they are not the right FF for the case I want. The Celeron CPU does not support ECC Memory and the Memory itself is not ECC Registered either.

 

However, maybe there is better use for those parts - as a test box - which is always a nice to have. Then get another NUC or one of those suggested boxes and stick that in the living room with OE on it. Ill give it some thought and some research. Thank you.

 

I'd reuse your current parts for the backup server. If you are short on sata ports, just get bigger drives :D Also, you can tweak your backup case choice (OR just reuse your current case, GASP!) and not even bother with ECC on your backup server. ECC has its benefits, but if you could just recycle your current unraid box (with more hdds) to a backup as is, that would save you some $$$ and lots of time, since its all set and ready to go. Who cares if its huge, doesn't have ECC, etc? Just stick it off in a different closet in the house (or something) and forget about it. Unless its super over the top power hungry, that is what i would do.

 

That opens up a wide area for you to choose a htpc device (w/kodi). Android box, AFTV/stick, pi, nuc, etc. You are getting saddled with that huge HTPC case (unless you are going to fill it with hdds/tv tuners/blu ray player/etc).

 

I use 3 rPIs with flirc's for remote access. The only issue I have is one uses a usb extentsion and the remote acts weird, i'm trying to narrow that down now. The other two are plugged directly in, and work great.

 

I also just started to move my apps from the VM to docker apps, so next up is redoing the mysql db setup (i can't find any good way to move it). But all 3 pis share the DB (and my laptop, as needed) and it works great!

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They warrant some of my time to look at. Clearly these small boxes have come along a long way since the Pivos Xios.

 

As for using the spare parts in the backup server, they are not the right FF for the case I want. The Celeron CPU does not support ECC Memory and the Memory itself is not ECC Registered either.

 

However, maybe there is better use for those parts - as a test box - which is always a nice to have. Then get another NUC or one of those suggested boxes and stick that in the living room with OE on it. Ill give it some thought and some research. Thank you.

 

Another inexpensive choice for OE is a re-purposed Chromebox. I don't have personal experience yet but the reports are pretty positive.

http://kodi.wiki/view/Chromebox#Device_Preparation

 

OEPlex can be installed if you're a Plex user.

https://forums.plex.tv/index.php/topic/88788-oe-install-and-package-status-thread/

https://forums.plex.tv/index.php/topic/130238-asus-chromebox-perfect/

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@theone I am going to go with my original plan for now. My existing parts aren't what I want for a backup server and if I use them I am going to have a bigger build than what I want meaning I will no meet the portability requirement of the project at least which is important.

 

I have just done a an update of the post though, adding Bill of Materials for each system. I think I will take it in stages and do what is important first - build the Back-Up Server and get my stuff backed up before I start tinkering with the Main Server.

 

[me=danioj]is looking forward to going shopping at the weekend!  :D[/me]

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I am not sure what I was smoking when I thought about the processor for my two builds.

 

I am sold on wanting ECC Registered Memory. I am going to be migrating my Unraid Disk FS's to XFS along the time I upgrade to v6.x. I know others disagree but with what I have read about XFS (and this is new education i admit), it seems to me that it assumes that you are using ECC Registered Memory. Or more to the point it assumes you're taking precautions about hardware, power failure etc and using ECC Registered Memory is one of those precautions.

 

So, back to the CPU. I don't know why I even compared the i3-4340 with a Xeon for the Main Server. There is no comparison. So I have decided to go with a Xeon. $100 more expensive, but I think its worth it.

 

I thought about the E3-1226V3 but it doesn't have Hyperthreading. I feel based on what I have read that this is worth paying for given I am going to be running a couple of VM's. So I think I am going to go with a E3-1231V3 for the Main Server. I think I will be happier.

 

I am still going to put that i3-4340 I think I am going to put a Celeron G1850 in the Back-up Server mainly because that is the cheapest ($150 cheaper than the i3) CPU @ AUD $52 I can find that fits the board I want and supports ECC Registered Memory and (as I mention above) it is really not going to be doing anything that the Main Server is doing. Most of the time just sat there - this as well balances the net cost out nicely too.

 

I think I have made the right choice here.

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Two quick thoughts after skimming this thread ...

 

#1 => Your backup server motherboard/CPU choice are both very good ... but they do NOT support registered memory.  They DO, however, support ECC ... and unbuffered ECC is fine as long as you're not installing more than one module/channel [which is, of course, absolutely always going to be true in this case, since the board only HAS 1 slot per channel  :) ]

 

#2 => The Q25B is a superb case (as you know, one of my favorites) ... but I do NOT recommend using an ATX power supply in it -- it's way too tight a fit.  Get an SFX unit.  The Silverstone ST30SF (300w) is fine, or the ST45SF (450w) if you want a bit more headroom.  With the low-power CPU and only 6 or 7 drives the 300w unit is plenty, but the 450w unit would provide extra "headroom" in case your power demands ever grow with future expansion (not likely, but you never know).

 

 

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I suggest cleaning up the OP - It is !!! VERY !!! hard to follow what the HW is.

 

I suggest for each of your build:

 

* Component: Manufacturer + Part Number - Status

 

 

For example

 

* Motherboard: ASUS P5B - Need to Buy/Exits/etc...

* Case

* Power Supply

* Memory

etc...

 

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  • 2 months later...

I suggest cleaning up the OP - It is !!! VERY !!! hard to follow what the HW is.

 

I suggest for each of your build:

 

* Component: Manufacturer + Part Number - Status

 

 

For example

 

* Motherboard: ASUS P5B - Need to Buy/Exits/etc...

* Case

* Power Supply

* Memory

etc...

 

Your point is well taken. I have updated the thread considerably and updated the Status.

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Two quick thoughts after skimming this thread ...

 

#1 => Your backup server motherboard/CPU choice are both very good ... but they do NOT support registered memory.  They DO, however, support ECC ... and unbuffered ECC is fine as long as you're not installing more than one module/channel [which is, of course, absolutely always going to be true in this case, since the board only HAS 1 slot per channel  :) ]

 

#2 => The Q25B is a superb case (as you know, one of my favorites) ... but I do NOT recommend using an ATX power supply in it -- it's way too tight a fit.  Get an SFX unit.  The Silverstone ST30SF (300w) is fine, or the ST45SF (450w) if you want a bit more headroom.  With the low-power CPU and only 6 or 7 drives the 300w unit is plenty, but the 450w unit would provide extra "headroom" in case your power demands ever grow with future expansion (not likely, but you never know).

 

As you can see as the months have gone on and more discussions have been had I have changed my mind on the Backup Server MB and CPU options.

 

As I note above I have gone with the ASRock C2550D4I Mini ITX Motherboard with the integrated Intel® Atom™ Processor C2550 in it. It was actually another post by you which got me looking into this board and CPU and I liked that it was passively cooled. Once I was sure that the issues with it were over (which I am) I decided.

 

I have also thrown 4GB (1x4GB), PC-12800 (1600MHz) ECC Unbuffered DDR3Lin there.

 

You were also VERY right about the PSU for the Backup Server. Thank god for that bit of advice. I went with the 450 (Gold version for Modular too) and am very happy!

 

Thanks for the EXCELLENT guidance!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Daniel has indeed built a very nice pair of systems.    He's also been great at thoroughly testing the new 8TB Seagate archive drives in his backup server; and has shown that these drives work FAR better in UnRAID than many of us anticipated.  Seagate has done an excellent job of mitigating the technical shortcomings of the shingled technology by providing a "persistent cache" area on the drives and including enough buffer memory and firmware "intelligence" to avoid shingled zone rewrites for a very high percentage of the writes to the drives.

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Great thread ... I've learnt a lot thanks!  :D

 

Just got back from Working away. Tooooo long!!  :-\

 

Thanks for the kind words. Just did an update, be sure to make note of what I have entered in the Memory section of the Main Server. Only issue I have had with planning this build!

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Welcome back  :)

 

I just looked over your main build and have a couple thoughts on your "pending" items ...

 

=>  The CPU you're considering is an excellent choice.  Has plenty of "horsepower" for anything you might want to throw at it; and supports all of Intel's advanced technologies, so there's nothing you might later decide to try that you'll be restricted from by CPU limitations.

 

=>  Agree with your thoughts on modular power supplies ... once you've used one, that's all you'll ever want to use.    I tend to use Corsair HX and AX units or Seasonic X-series units, but the Antec unit you've selected is fine.

 

=>  Those "ultra-thin" SATA cables look interesting.    If these weren't from a reputable vendor like Silverstone I'd be a bit concerned about the very thin wire gauge they have to use for them; but I'm sure Silverstone has thoroughly tested these and they work fine.

 

=>  The Crucial MX100's are indeed excellent SSDs.  I've used quite a few of them.  The newer MX200's are a slight improvement, if the price difference in Australia isn't too much (in the US there's very little difference).    One thing you may want to look at:  A single 1TB drive would give you the same total space and would occupy one less SATA port.  At least here (in the US) you can buy the 1TB drive for essentially the same price as a pair of 512GB units.

 

Overall it all looks great.  You'll have TWO exceptionally nice systems as soon as you get this all completed !!  :)

 

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... one other thought:  In case you're looking at the newer Crucial SSD units, you may notice that you can get an even better price with the new BX series.    My bit of advice:  Spend a bit more and go with the MX200.  The BX series has some compromises that make it a bit slower (probably not a big deal) and also has a lifespan that's about 1/4th of that projected for the MX200 [definitely makes it worth spending more for the MX series  :) ].

 

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