2 replies to this topic

[WearTheFoxHat]

Hi All, long time no post ... hope everyone is well.

Many years back I bought the components necessary to build a Mini-ITX based Windows Server.

In simple terms, it was a Via C7 based motherboard with on-board RAID; 4 x 1.5TB hard disks and 4GB RAM. All well and good .... well not quite! I made a schoolboy error that the Via C7 processor was 32 bit, and couldn't install a 64bit OS necessary to support the large RAID array. Aaaaaargh!

So, instead I decided to install Windows Home Server v1, and joined this forum.

The server was configured with:
2 x 1.5TB disks in RAID 1 - Striping for OS
2 x 1.5TB disks in the WHS pool.

The server has worked well for a number of years, but is rapidly filling up, and I feel that the Folder Duplication is not efficient, and having a mirrored OS is a huuuuge waste of 1.5TB!

Anyway, the services which I run on my server are:

• SabNZBd
• Couch Potato
• Sick Beard
• Harmony Home control (not hugely essential for new server)
• Twonky Server (or alternative DLNA/UPNP server)

I don't bother backing up any of my devices to the server, as I have local backups in place for those which need it. My devices are:

• PS3
• Macbook
• Windows XP laptop (work)
• Windows 7 netbook
• iPhone
• Android handsets
• Android tablet

So quite a mixed network.


I'm currently investigating options for upgrading the server, and would really appreciate some advice:

• If I reverted the disks to RAID5, then I would have sufficient capacity (for now). However would need interim disk storage to back-up to prior to re-build.
  Therefore if I'm buying new disks, it would be nice to be able to integrate them once they've been used as swing-kit.
• The current server is low power, I'd like to stick with the current server if possible ... possibly using an eSATA unit with extra disks in.
• Disk redundancy is key, I don't fancy returning to hanging single USB disks from a server.
• I'd considered FreeNAS, but I'm much more confident installing and supporting Windows Server environments, although I'd also be happy with Lion Server ... yet would need to re-invest in new kit.
• I'd still like to be able to run the apps listed above.

I guess my biggest concern is that if I upgraded, I'd need to move to a 64 bit processor, and OS. I'd have to get some swing-kit to backup my data onto before rebuilding. The swing-kit would then be redundant unless I invested in a suitably large server.

Should I consider an off the shelf NAS, such as ReadyNAS or QNAP?

Thanks in advance for any hints/tips/advice.

[Garry]

In order to answer your question, we would have to ask:

1. What are your needs for either server or nas?
2. What do you plan to do with it? ie stream music or video, client backup,
remote access etc...

[WearTheFoxHat]

Hi Garry,

Thanks for the reply.


1. Downloading usenet content automatically via SABNZBD; hosting files.
2. No backups; just streaming music and video; maybe remote access ... but not essential.

Most of what I use my WHS server for at present is all in console mode, and hardly anything through the WHS interface.