Small Form Factor build help!

[kri kri]

Greetings everyone! I am finally ready to upgrade/downsize my trusty i5-2500k server.

 

I am looking to build a machine around the Silverstone DS380B case or possible the Node 804. I really would like the ability to hotswap. I will using the server to host files (obviously), run about 8 dockers or so, 1 Windows 10 VW and plex. I would like to have the CPU power to run 4-5 plex streams. I am flexible on the budget. I already have all the hard drives I will need, and I will be using 1 SSD as a cache drive. 

Edited April 7, 2017 by ice pube

[ashman70]

Not sure what you mean by the ability to hotswap, unless you just mean that when you have to change a hard drive its easy.

 

You have pretty big requirements for a SFF build, you'll need a pretty hefty CPU and I don't personally know of any SFF boards that will take more then a quad core CPU, even still the cooling in a DS380 can be a challenge although its doable with some hacks. Mayne someone knows of a board that fits your requirements.

Edited April 7, 2017 by ashman70

[kri kri]

I guess I could be convinced to not go SFF if there will be significant challenges, I currently have a Define R4 but working with the drives is just kind of a hassle. 

[DoeBoye]

A little googling pulled this little gem up.

 

ASRock EPC612D4I

 

The Good

• Supports a wide range of e5 v3 and v4 Xeon chips, so you should be good on the power front.
• 64GB of ddr4 (Doesn't state a max, but it does mentions 16GB and 4 slots.)
• Dual gigabit ethernet.
• IPMI.

The Bad

• Only 1 PCI-e slot.
• Only 4 onboard sata slots

If your VM doesn't need passthrough video, you could put a controller in the PCI-e slot, and fix problem #2, but if you need video passthrough support, you're limited to 4 drives.

 

Edited April 7, 2017 by DoeBoye

[trurl]

I love my SFF servers, but often you can only fit ITX motherboards, which may have only one expansion slot, so you if you need more SATA ports than the motherboard already has, you may have to use the expansion slot for more ports instead of being able to use it for a video card, for example. I am running headless so video isn't an issue for me.

 

[kri kri]

Yeah I won't be using video, thanks for the links. I already have a PCI 8 port (I think) sata card. I will start putting these together thanks! 

[DoeBoye]

Nice! If you end up building a Xeon powered SFF, be sure to post your build so we can see it!

 Caveat: I have no experience with that board and UnRaid, so you definitely want to do a bit of due diligence before buying !

Edited April 7, 2017 by DoeBoye

[Markb]

I run a ASROCK E3C224D4I-14S with i7-4770, 7 dockers, no vms, I have run the same setup with the  E3-1226 v3. Lots of sata ports, space for a x8 pcie.

 

The only issues is I wish it could do more than 32GB of memory.

 

I can run concurrently 2 roku4's and an xbox one with plex.

 

From what I have read online before I purchased the board, it will fit in that case, I use the pc-q26 so I know it fits there.

[kri kri]

I was looking at this build, the price is pretty insane but it's some good inspiration. 

 

https://blog.brianmoses.net/2017/03/diy-nas-2017-edition.html

 

 

[Smitty2k1]

I'd suggest one of the Xeon D motherboards from Supermicro. 6 SATA, m2/pci SSD slot, 10G ethernet, and a PCIe slot. They basically make one with every CPU so just buy the one that has the performance you need.