One build to rule them all -- advice needed

[en2ec]

Goal:

Unraid set up for:

file storage

Plex and other media server

Other cool stuff that I may decide to do later (I'm just learning about unraid)

VMs -- Windows, MacOS, and Linux

 

I do some optimization modeling that requires as much RAM and CPU as I can affordably throw at it.  I like using MacOS for everyday stuff.  Some modeling tools are available for Linux.  Some for Windows, and I'm really interested in VMs that can access the CPU at near native speed.  I don't game and don't need a dedicated graphics card. 

 

This build would serve as my server/modeling computer/and basic desktop all in one.

 

I've built hackintoshes before.  I'm trying to figure out if I install MacOS as a VM on an unraid box, do I need to worry about Mac compatible hardware as if I was installing natively?

 

I'm thinking of 4x or 5x 3TB drives with 1 parity drive.  Does Unraid OS install on an SSD?  When I install VMs, are they on the SSD or on the raid?  

 

Hardware suggestions?

 

Do I go i7 or Xeon?  Do I limit myself to Mac compatible hardware?  I'd like to keep the budget under $1500 (ideally under $1000, but I doubt that's possible).  I have some SSDs and random other bits, monitor, etc.  I'm thinking of a fractal designs 804 case, but am open.  So I'm mainly looking for CPU, mobo, sata card, memory, PSU, and HD recommendations.

 

Thanks!

 

[trurl]

8 minutes ago, en2ec said:

Does Unraid OS install on an SSD?  When I install VMs, are they on the SSD or on the raid?  

 

unRAID OS reinstalls from USB flash drive into RAM on each boot, with the license and some configuration settings  also stored on flash.

 

Most people put their VMs on SSD, in either the unRAID cache pool or mounted outside with Unassigned Devices, since anything on the parity array will have slower writes and keep disks spinning.

 

unRAID is not RAID.

 

[en2ec]

4 minutes ago, trurl said:

 

unRAID is not RAID.

 

 

I guess that should have been obvious.  :-)  Like I said, I'm new.  Thanks.  That clears up the SSD question I had.

[Jcloud]

On 3/2/2018 at 3:08 PM, en2ec said:

Do I limit myself to Mac compatible hardware?

I think if you want to pass a graphics card then the answer is yes. Here's a thread on setting up Hackintosh which probably has some of the gritty details you're looking for. For hardware recommendations I like Antec and EVGA PSUs (evga's tend to edge out a bit cheaper in price versus Antec) personally.

 

My two cents.

I hope it's of some help to you.