Old hardware server build

[Beller0ph1]

My Windows 10 desktop is getting long in the tooth.  I for sure want a home server and a new desktop.  I'm debating whether to do it all in one box, build two separate boxes, or build a new desktop and reuse my current one for a server.  Unraid seems like the best option either way I go.  Thanks in advance for reading and your feedback:

 

Required Uses

Desktop:

• General everyday use (web browsing, office type)
• Amateur video editing with OpenShot
• Gaming (I can't keep up with kids these days): Old-school (X-Wing, TIE Fighter, C&C, StarCraft...), EA Squadrons

Server *cracks fingers*:

• File storage / NAS (2 adults, 2 kid soon-to-be users)
• Media server - Plex or Emby or JellyFin (No 4k media, light use)
• Photo management (ala Google Pictures) - Photonix or Own Photo or Piwigo
• Cloud Sync - Nextcloud (mainly to get pics/vids off cell phones)
• Ubiquity controller
• DNS monitor for FreeDNS
• Bitwarden password manager
• Bedrock Minecraft Server (local play/remote family)
• HDHomerun DVR (2 tuners max)
• PiHole
• Home Automation - Home Assistant or OpenHAB
• Online office suite (ala Google Docs) - Collabra
• NAS Backup - Duplicati to external drive & Google Drive
• Wireguard VPN

 

Recycled desktop-possibly-turned-server specs

OS: Unraid

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 630 2.8 GHz quad core

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-MA785G-UD3H

RAM: 8 GB DDR2 PC2-6400 (400 MHz)

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 710

Will add:

• Mirrored 500 GB SSD for Cache (most likely these Samsung drives)
• 8 TB Seagate IronWolf NAS Pairity
• 8 TB Toshiba N300 NAS Pool

 

Single box server & VM Desktop

OS: Unraid for server, Win 10 VM

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 3.5GHz 16 core

Motherboard: Gigabyte X570 Gaming X

Memory: 2 x 16 GB DDR4-3200 G.Skill Ripjaws V series

Pairity: 8 TB Seagate IronWolf NAS

Pool: 8 TB Toshiba N300 NAS

Cache: 2xWD Blue SN550 1TB NVME

Graphics: AMD RX480 or better (maybe this Gigabyte Radeon RX 580)

 

Thanks again!

 

[Decto]

On 11/14/2020 at 2:16 AM, Beller0ph1 said:

My Windows 10 desktop is getting long in the tooth.  I for sure want a home server and a new desktop.  I'm debating whether to do it all in one box, build two separate boxes, or build a new desktop and reuse my current one for a server.  Unraid seems like the best option either way I go.  Thanks in advance for reading and your feedback:

 

 

I am an advocate of keeping NAS and Desktop separate.

Where do you back your desktop up to? If it's the same NAS that's hosting the VM, it's not really a backup.

Others may disagree as a combination NAS / Desktop is a common question here.

 

The old AMD hardware should be fine, I ran WHS 2011 on a X4 630 for a number of years.

I then moved to Unraid and a 4C4T Intel e3-1225 V3 which had about 20TB on Plex, a couple of minecraft servers, a 7 days to die server and other odd servers at times. The only time there was any signficant load was I had to an unrar a large file which will always use all the CPU. 

 While the AMD is quite a bit slower than Intel, there is nothing which needs a lot of resources especially if you use the minecraft docker(s).

 

The only issue you may have is transcoding in Plex. If you need to stream to a different device then transcode on the CPU cores is computationally expensive so may impact time sensitive activities such as the minecraft server etc. On option is to use an Nvidia card to transcode, really this needs to be a GTX class card for good transcode support. GTX750 as a minimum or for more transcode options a GTX1050. Basic 2GB version is good enough.

 

https://developer.nvidia.com/video-encode-and-decode-gpu-support-matrix-new

 

 

[Beller0ph1]

Thank you, @Decto!  That's what I was thinking about separating the boxes.