Suggestions for a new home server

[6yb]

Hi,

 

I plan to build my first Home Server with unRAID, I need your advice about the hardware configuration.

Here is what the purpose of the server:

 

1- Replace my old synology NAS (DS210J)

2- Host Plex Media Server, CouchPotato, 2 windows VM and maybe several other docker containers.

3- Act as a HTPC (Plex Media Player)

 

What kind of processor should I choose?

How much memory do I need?

Should I use unRaid raid solution or a Hardware solution?

 

Did someone has experience of using his server as a HTPC? If I do that I will probably need to use GPU and Audio paththrough from the VM right, does it work well?

 

Thank you for your help.

[ashman70]

What do you plan to use the windows VM's for?

 

You should start with at least a quad core i7, 16GB of RAM, a couple of SSD's for the VM's (depending on your use)

 

unRAID my be perfect for your needs, just need more details on your usage requirements.

[6yb]

Hi,

 

Thank you for your fast answer. I plan to use 1 VM for plex media player (if using the server as HTPC is advisable) and 1 VM for home office which will need at list 4GB of RAM not much CPU.

 

I plan to buy a 480 GB SSD which will host the server and the VM system.

For storage I plan to buy 4 x Western Digital WD40EFRX 4 TB WD Red, 3.5 inch, SATA III 5400 RPM 64 MB, whereas to use unRaid raid solution or a hardware RAID 10 is to be defined.

 

Considering the cost of a good I7 cpu I'm also considering buying 2 Xeon E5-2670 instead.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks

[ashman70]

You can run plex as a docker so no need to dedicate a whole windows VM to it unless you need to passthrough a graphics card for plex.

 

For the other VM for home office, you will need a graphics card for that but nothing fancy unless you game.

 

I think dual Xeon's would be overkill for your needs. How many concurrent plex streams do you think you will have? Is it just for internal use in the house?

[6yb]

Hi,

 

THe VM was for the plex media player, the plex media server will run as a docker container.

I originally planned to buy a GTX 750 to be used a path-through for the Plex Media Player VM. I don't plan to play with the server.

 

I agree that the 2 Xeon config would be overkill but considering the price for those 2 Xeon is currently 200$ it might still be a good idea.

 

The other possibility is to have only the plex media server running as a docker container and use a raspberry pie with rasplex as the client.

The idea with the GTX 750 was also to be able to play 4k videos when my other components will allow me to do so. I don't plan to have more than 2 or 3 plex streams at the same time.

 

Any advice with the raid? would you use unRaid or a hardware solution?

 

Thanks a lot.

[ashman70]

Running just the plex server as a docker and using a Raspberry Pi with either Kodi loaded (can play your media natively, no need for plex) or rasplex would be more ideal I think.

 

What do you plan to connect the GTX 750 to in order to play 4K videos?

 

If you want to use dockers then you have to stick with unRAID which I think will be sufficient for your needs, hardware RAID would be overkill.

 

I realize that the cost of the Xeon's is enticing, but honestly, then you have to find a board, memory, heatsinks etc, for your needs I think its more bother than its worth.

[6yb]

Thanks a lot.

 

The GTX 750 would be connected to an AVR, not 4K yet but will be in the next future.

 

So if I sum up correctly

 

- I should use unRaid for the raid if I want to use docker.

- I should rather buy a good I7 processor instead of the 2 Xeon, will the I7 have enough cores to handle the server, docker containers and the VM?

 

 

 

 

[ashman70]

A quad core i7 with hyper threading gives you four physical cores and four additional virtual cores, this should be enough for your requirements for at least two concurrent plex streams, running unRAID and dockers. If you really think you are going to need a third concurrent plex stream that might be pushing an i7 CPU, but perhaps someone with more plex experience then me can advise you. I would like to dedicate four cores to plex, two to your VM and the remaining two for unRAID, but again, I think a third plex steam might push this model into needing more cores. It has to do with transcoding which is very cpu intensive, if you had three concurrent plex streams, all transcoding at the same time, your i7 might be heavily taxed.

[6yb]

Yes,

 

Difficult to say, a I7 might be enough but maybe a little short, the two xeon are overkill, don't really know what to do, maybe someone with similar needs can share his configuration and opinion.

 

Thanks a lot

[ashman70]

There are single Xeon processor boards out there, that would give you more than an i7 but not as  much as a dual cpu setup, perhaps look into one of those.

[tdallen]

If you want more than a quad core i7 you might consider one of the socket 2011v3 hex core i7's or a low end E5 Xeon.  More expensive but much more efficient than those old power hungry prior generation E5's on eBay.

[6yb]

Thank you for your advice, I think I will take a chance with a i7 6700K.

Any advice on a motherboard to use with it?

As mentionned I don't plan on gaming with the machine but it seems that rich featured motherboards are always made for gaming.

Maybe it would be a good idea to invest in a motherboard with sound and 4K capable integrated graphic card.

It would cost less that buying separate graphic card and will allow me to use it as HTCP if I decide to.

 

Thanks

[ashman70]

I think you want to think about what you are going to use it for and then from there look for features. How many SATA ports do you want/need? Also think about what kind of case you are going to put it in, that often determines the size of the motherboard and narrows down your options. I don't think there are any integrated GPU's out yet that will support 4K.

[6yb]

Hi,

 

I will need 5 sata III ports, most of the motherboard I looked at have 6 SATA III ports.

I discarded E-ATX boards because it's too big, but an ATX would not be a problem.

I didn't see a board with native HDMI 2.0 support, but some of them support it through a display port 1.2 to HDMI 2.0 adapter.

 

I will look for threads in the forum to see if some people use their servers as HTPC and if it works great, if not I will probably choose to go to a more server oriented configuration and use a separate device as player.

 

Thanks

[tdallen]

Using the Integrated Graphics (IGD) in a VM has been a challenge but is improving.  Add-in GPUs are more typically passed through to VMs.  Here's one of the places it was being discussed:

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=52533.0

 

Full gamer class boards wind up with a lot of wasted features under unRAID.  Consumer boards with lots of SATA ports (I know, easier to find gaming boards with this) or server class boards tend to have fewer wasted features.

[6yb]

Hi,

 

Thanks tdallen, it seems possible but not really simple to achieve.

 

Thanks

 

Cyrille

[mr-hexen]

I use a Plex Media Player VM on my system (passing through a HD5450). Runs perfect, even with a FLIRC.

[METDeath]

I really like my dual E5 build... way over kill but it works.

 

I use a Kodibuntu installation with PleXBMC 4.0.4 for media playback from the Plex server hosted on unRAID, it also runs a Handbrake docker for video encoding (would be fast if I didn't bog the preset down to minimize file size).