I've been using unraid as a basic media server for about 7 years now and it's been working great! But I've come to the conclusion that I'm definitely not using it to the extent I could.

 

I run an ecommerce business from home and I have to do a fair amount of video and photo editing from my desktop. I'm to the point where I need to upgrade my desktop, but I was thinking it might be possible to upgrade the unraid server and use it as a virtual windows machine instead. Adding in another layer here, I also have a remote team of 13 people, mostly working from laptops/desktops in various stages of being outdated. 

 

I've come up with 3 scenarios in my head, and I was hoping you fine people here could help me figure out if any of them are feasible. 

 

SCENARIO 1: Basic Unraid Windows Virtual Machine

My understanding here is that I could build a new server (with the correct components) and plug in monitors, keyboard, mouse, usb devices, etc and run a virtual machine instead of having a standalone desktop.

 

Questions:

- With the correct components would this setup be able to handle 4k video editing using Adobe Premiere Pro and other Creative Cloud applications?

- Can it handle a 3 monitor setup?

- Would it essentially function like a normal standalone desktop?

- I'm assuming there would be no problem continuing to run unraid dockers like Plex and Sabnzbd?

 

 

SCENARIO 2: Unraid Windows Virtual Machines with Thin Clients

Basically the same sever as Scenario 1, but I would keep the server in the closet and use 1 or more thin clients around the house to function as my work station.

 

Questions:

- With the correct components in the server would a thin client be able to handle 4k video editing using Adobe Premiere Pro and other Creative Cloud applications?

- Can thin clients handle a 3 monitor setup?

- Would it essentially function like a normal standalone desktop?

 

 

SCENARIO 3: Unraid Windows Virtual Machines with Thin Clients AND Remote Access

This is where things get a little crazy. I'd be using the unraid server like I explained in Scenario 1/2, but also I have team members in the US, India, and the Phillipines. Some of them do photo and video editing. It's a challenge (and costly) to keep them up to date with their workstations. Would it be remotely possible (pun intended) to create Virtual Machines on unraid that are accessible from US/India/Phillipines?

 

Questions:

- What kind of connection speed would be needed for this.

- Is there any chance it would be able to handle 4k video editing remotely using Adobe Premiere Pro and other Creative Cloud applications?

- Could the remote users have a multi monitor setup?

 

Scenario 1, hence the name, is pretty basic and can easily be done with the correct hardware. A three-monitor setup is easy if there are enough video outputs on your GPU. Yes, it would function almost identically to a standalone desktop with similar specs. It would not interfere with dockers provided that there are enough resources left over for Unraid to use for them.

 

Scenario 2 is feasible with the correct hardware. Just make sure there is a solid Ethernet connection between the server and thin clients. Look into using Thunderbolt to connect a dock to the server, such as this one from Elgato. Same as above otherwise.

 

Scenario 3 is completely out of the question unless you have an insanely fast internet connection for the server, and a pretty decent one for the remote clients. Chances are your ISP does not sell a fast enough internet connection to support multiple remote users simultaneously. It would probably be cheaper to build and send each of your team members a new mid-range system than to pay for an insanely fast internet connection every month.

 

Edited May 22, 20197 yr by Ep1cPl4yz

Thanks for the info @Ep1cPl4yz

 

Scenario 2

 

I guess I don't totally understand the details of how thin clients work. I figured they were just displaying frames rendered from the server onto the workstation monitor. I was figuring wifi would be enough to do that. Is it regular use that would cause the problems over wifi or is it the video editing and things like that?

On 5/26/2019 at 12:33 PM, cypres0099 said:

Thanks for the info @Ep1cPl4yz

 

Scenario 2

 

I guess I don't totally understand the details of how thin clients work. I figured they were just displaying frames rendered from the server onto the workstation monitor. I was figuring wifi would be enough to do that. Is it regular use that would cause the problems over wifi or is it the video editing and things like that?

If you have a recent Wi-Fi router close to where you plan to place your thin clients, you may be able to get away with using 5GHz Wi-Fi for the thin clients, but connecting an UnRAID box to Wi-Fi is never a good idea.

Hi there, I'm considering something similar to Scenario 2 for my home, and would love to hear if you ended up trying it at all? Thanks!