What Would Be An Ideal Home Fileserver Setup?
I love the mobility of notebooks/netbooks, and their versatility to be used everywhere. I have been using notebooks fully as my main computing device for almost three years now. However, there’s always something about notebooks that keeps me on the edge – data redundancy and storage space.
Sure, I can easily purchase external portable hard disks and carry them around. In fact, I am doing this already. However, I don’t think it’s wise for me to carry around tons of them to make sure my library is always with me. Notebook hard disks cost a lot more per GB than desktop counterparts, and they face the same risk of failure during transport.
So after careful thinking, I’ve decided that I want to setup my own Home Fileserver (to be used over LAN). I have some ideas in my mind, but maybe you guys have better idea. Note that I’m not into fancy technologies or specialized tools, all I am looking for is something affordable, reliable and doesn’t use a lot of power during idle. Ultimately I will put this device on a ventilated shelf or somewhere where I don’t really have to see it all the time.
Here’s the target spec:
Ample processing power just enough to run the Operating System and doesn’t use a lot of energy and produce very little heat. I am thinking of getting Intel Atom-based CPU. Preferably with motherboard of integrated everything to make it simple.
Good amount of memory to handle high-speed and multiple file transactions over gigabit ethernet. Do you think 4GB is enough?
Redundant Array of storage. I am looking into a very simple setup – RAID 1 with 6 units of 1TB disks. Performance isn’t really an issue here since it’s serving over LAN. I’ve calculated that 3TB storage will be enough to keep my current stuff, and enough buffer for at least 6 more months. This storage does not include the disk for the OS.
- Fast and efficient network operating system. I am thinking of either Ubuntu Server or FreeNAS.
- MicroTower Casing. I don’t want it to be obnoxiously large.
Any feedback? I’m thinking of spending for everything below RM 3,000.00.
Well, i’m not really into this server thing, it seems complicated. But i think 4GB of RAM isn’t enough to cater 3TB of data. What if there’s a power outage so bad that u need to immediately backup all the files, and i think 8GB of RAM above is best.
I think your targetted budget is possible, err…not sure, not really into this stuff.
I think you should survey this very carefully; thru Web, or friends & others who know best.
Correct me if i’m wrong ;)
(1) The power saved by using Atom would be colossal (but knowing Intel, the chipset probably end up using more wattage than the cpu ) but if performance that you need, pop a low powered coreduo (45w or less) onto a mITX mobo.
(2) Last I checked, Intel’s Atom chipset doesn’t support more than 2gb. Nvidia Ion Atom-based chipset support up to 4gb. Nvidia 7 series-based ( 775 / AM2) mITX mobo support up to 8gb.
(3) No clue on which is better. Any lean, fast OS with web-based GUI?
(4) Microtower that can fit six 3.5” hard drives that’s not too big? I’d like to see that.
My main rig is housed inside a SFF mATX casing and it still look gargantuan to me. My next upgrade would be an mITX casing (SG05/06) once there are enough mITX mobo in the market with pciex16 slot.
Why don’t you go for four 2TB drives? I think the extra cost is justified considering you get to have smaller case.
I think 8GB is a bit overkill for a home file server that only have at most 3 users. I’ve managed enterprise grade fileserver that have 8GB of ram and serving hundreds of users without anyajor slowdown.
Yeah the toughest one now is the OS. If I want to harness that full 4GB of memory I’ll have to resort to 64 bits. Which is a hassle.
Hmm…I had been thinking did Atom integrated motherboard able to support up to 6 SATA ports? As far as I remembered, at most only come with 4 SATA ports with microATX form factor =X
Yeah true, I was thinking of attaching the disks to a PCI card for dedicated SATA chip.