[Advice] New simple setup


zyke

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I today have a unraid build. But I am looking into transitioning into a smaller form factor (mini/micro-atx).

The primary use for the computer will be the following

  • Plex media server (maximum 2 simultaneous users)
  • Running Ubiquiti Cloud Key (in VM)
  • Running one additional Linux VM with low reqs.
  • Running a few addons: sonarr, radarr, jackett, transmission_VPN, RDP-Calibre, cadvisor.
  • In the future enable letsencrypt

 

Current storage, which most likely will not change in the near future.

  • Parity: Seagate IronWolf ST8000VN0022 256MB 8TB
  • Disk 1-3: HGST Deskstar NAS HDN724040ALE640 64MB 4TB
  • Cache: Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB
  • I might expand with one 4TB disk. But right now, I am using 2TB out of 12. So highly unlikely.

 

The drives and the USB-key with unRAID is the only devices I have to spare.

The only thing I have set my eyes on are the Fractal Node 304 case.

 

Would highly appreciate if anyone could advise in the choice of

  • CPU
  • GPU (if needed for rendering)
  • RAM (I am thinking 8-16GB)
  • Motherboard
  • PSU (SFX)

 

I don't really have a strict budget. but I would like to try and get it all for under $500

If there's a huge advantage in getting something a bit more expensive it can be relevant to pick that thing over the other.

 

Thanks in advance.

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49 minutes ago, zyke said:
  • Parity: Seagate IronWolf ST8000VN0022 256MB 8TB
  • Disk 1-3: HGST Deskstar NAS HDN724040ALE640 64MB 4TB
  • Cache: Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB
  • I might expand with one 4TB disk. But right now, I am using 2TB out of 12. So highly unlikely.

With only needing 2TB right now, I'd strongly advise NOT running anything but parity and one data disk. When you need more space, unraid makes it very easy to add a drive. Removing a drive, not so much. I'd hold the other 2 data drives in reserve for replacing a possible bad disk, or adding them later when the space is needed. Each extra spindle is power, heat, and a point of failure. Keep your spindle count as low as possible.

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31 minutes ago, jonathanm said:

With only needing 2TB right now, I'd strongly advise NOT running anything but parity and one data disk. When you need more space, unraid makes it very easy to add a drive. Removing a drive, not so much. I'd hold the other 2 data drives in reserve for replacing a possible bad disk, or adding them later when the space is needed. Each extra spindle is power, heat, and a point of failure. Keep your spindle count as low as possible.

 

Thanks a bunch for that advice.

With moving over to a new setup this will absolutely be my go to way. As I currently do not need more than 2TB.

But I guess there's no point in moving all data over to 1 drive and try to disconnect the other two?

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11 minutes ago, zyke said:

But I guess there's no point in moving all data over to 1 drive and try to disconnect the other two?

Depends. Each time you mess with moving data, you are adding risk. And removing drives pretty much means rebuilding parity, as the alternative to rebuilding adds even more risk. With only 2TB at stake, I personally would make sure my offline backup was current and accurate, then move the data and rebuild parity. That's just me though, I'm extremely comfortable with moving data around the array.

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On 5/28/2019 at 5:22 PM, jonathanm said:

Depends. Each time you mess with moving data, you are adding risk. And removing drives pretty much means rebuilding parity, as the alternative to rebuilding adds even more risk. With only 2TB at stake, I personally would make sure my offline backup was current and accurate, then move the data and rebuild parity. That's just me though, I'm extremely comfortable with moving data around the array.

 

no problem with moving data around the array. And just as you say, if I can move all data to one drive I can turn the other two off and save them some hours.

Do you have an idea of what kind of CPU I would need running the above specs? I am looking into getting off as cheap as possible but with most bang for the buck to see what I can get. Not sure if I should got for an i5 or if I can get away with a G-CPU. 

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32 minutes ago, zyke said:

Not sure if I should got for an i5 or if I can get away with a G-CPU. 

Since you are wanting multiple VM's plus a fair number of dockers, including plex, I'd recommend as much CPU as you can justify. A super cheap processor will probably function, but I don't think you would be happy under load. Hard to say exactly what is enough and what is overkill though, I've never heard anyone complain that their machine was too fast. (Not counting trying to play a CPU cycle locked game on a 368DX without a working turbo button)

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36 minutes ago, jonathanm said:

I've never heard anyone complain that their machine was too fast. 

Haha that's true statement.. yeah, right now I am also gaming from the server, but I was trying to move away from it. I love the concept. But I am getting massive lags and audio issues when trying to play Overwatch on the lowest settings using a GTX 970. Then it just crashes. I can play other games, like Age of Empires III without any issues what so ever. So the idea was to try and split the two into one dedicated gaming server and the other one being the server.

Cheaper solution would probably just keep it as it is and try and solve the issues with breaking audio and bad performance from GPU. As they recommend "VIDEO CARD: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or ATI Radeon HD 7950" and my GTX 970 shouldn't have issues running it with lowest settings.

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On 5/31/2019 at 12:37 PM, jonathanm said:

 

So turned out that I had a computer laying around. I thought it was a crappy computer, but was a Xeon E31220 with 8GB ram. And place for 4 drives and the cache. So did as you advised, now only running cache, parity and one 4TB, the other ones are waiting as cold spares.

The heat went down a couple of degrees (C) and it's really quiet. 

Turned out to be a good thing to do.

Now I can dedicate my other machine to just wasting my life with gaming 8-) 

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