What to look for in Home Serve Motherboard

[felixrosbergen]

Gents,

Getting ready to pull the trigger to get the server for the new house (under construction) which is to function as:
- Sage TV server (headless, using all HD extenders)
- CQC Server
- File Sharing
- Itunes

I have not decided yet, but am considering Windows Home Server for this.

For hardware energy efficency is a major concern, also performance ofcourse, but i don't think any of the above are real performance hogs. I may at some point run a HDMI and DVI from this server to the main TV to allow it to be used to surf the webb etc, but this is not a major requests/issue.

Cost is not a major concern, but since this machine doesn't have incredible performance requirements i don't see why i need to spend a great deal on money on it either.

For the above I am pondering the following issues:
- CPU, need something reasonbly powerfull but energy efficeint at the same time. I prefer Intel for various reasons. What Socket type/speed woudl be appropriate?
- Hard drives, seems a no-issue. The WD Caviar greenpower drives will likely be chosen
- Motherboard:
- Which type and how many PCI and PCI Express slots do i need? I will be looking for several Hauppage TV tuners cards, video card, possibly card with serial ports, possibly modem.
- # of SATA slots. Seems like many mobo's have 6 now, i'll probably consider this the minimum.
- Memory
- Quantity? Considering 2 GB to start with.
- Type?? Seems like the DDR3 is more energy efficeint
- Other 'green' feautes like throttling back everything when the power is not needed.
- Audio head? What do i need?


Current considerations, in order of preference:
- Gigabyte IP45 chipset based mobo's. They have 18 different versions...differing mainly in RAID support (yes/no), Memory TYPE (DDR vs DDR3) and LAN connections (Single, Dual Teaming or Quad Teaming). Noting that i dont' need multiple gigabite LAN connection, and DDR3 may provided better performance and ergergy efficiency it cuts the list down to two boards GA-EP45C-DS3 and DS3R. The difference is that the DS3R has raid functions. This may be handy for RAID 1 OS drives and key date. I don't plan to do any RAID for the video storage drives. Prices seem pretty close, so I'd probably go for the RAID version anyway...streets for about $150 It also has a bunch of dynamic engergy management functions which look interesting. I expect this server to do pretty much nothing for many hours of the day so it needs to dial itself down a lot.

- Abit IP45 boards...not sure which yet...


Any suggestions / comments?? Anybody have exprience with the Gigabute EP45C-DS3R ?

 

[IVB]

Gents,

Getting ready to pull the trigger to get the server for the new house (under construction) which is to function as:
- Sage TV server (headless, using all HD extenders)
- CQC Server
- File Sharing
- Itunes

I have not decided yet, but am considering Windows Home Server for this.

For hardware energy efficency is a major concern, also performance ofcourse, but i don't think any of the above are real performance hogs. I may at some point run a HDMI and DVI from this server to the main TV to allow it to be used to surf the webb etc, but this is not a major requests/issue.

Cost is not a major concern, but since this machine doesn't have incredible performance requirements i don't see why i need to spend a great deal on money on it either.

For the above I am pondering the following issues:
- CPU, need something reasonbly powerfull but energy efficeint at the same time. I prefer Intel for various reasons. What Socket type/speed woudl be appropriate?

Get a Core2Duo so no one thing hogs up the CPU. A slow C2D is fine.

- Hard drives, seems a no-issue. The WD Caviar greenpower drives will likely be chosen
- Motherboard:
- Which type and how many PCI and PCI Express slots do i need? I will be looking for several Hauppage TV tuners cards, video card, possibly card with serial ports, possibly modem.

Try and get at least 2 PCI slots, ideally 3. I have 2, and if I just had 1 more I could make this the mega-single server. I have:
- PVR500
- Modem
- M-Audio Delta 410 (for multiple CD streams or dedicated streams for TTS vs CD)
- Serial, although this could be done via an IP serial server if need be.

- # of SATA slots. Seems like many mobo's have 6 now, i'll probably consider this the minimum.

Get one with RAID on the mobo, so you can RAID1 the OS. That'll make life simpler. Plus, you might even be able to do multiple arrays, so you can RAID5 the SageTV storage to help protect against drive failure. That makes 6 drives (2 for RAID1-os, 4 for RAID5)

- Memory
- Quantity? Considering 2 GB to start with.
- Type?? Seems like the DDR3 is more energy efficeint
- Other 'green' feautes like throttling back everything when the power is not needed.
- Audio head? What do i need?


Current considerations, in order of preference:
- Gigabyte IP45 chipset based mobo's. They have 18 different versions...differing mainly in RAID support (yes/no), Memory TYPE (DDR vs DDR3) and LAN connections (Single, Dual Teaming or Quad Teaming). Noting that i dont' need multiple gigabite LAN connection, and DDR3 may provided better performance and ergergy efficiency it cuts the list down to two boards GA-EP45C-DS3 and DS3R. The difference is that the DS3R has raid functions. This may be handy for RAID 1 OS drives and key date. I don't plan to do any RAID for the video storage drives. Prices seem pretty close, so I'd probably go for the RAID version anyway...streets for about $150 It also has a bunch of dynamic engergy management functions which look interesting. I expect this server to do pretty much nothing for many hours of the day so it needs to dial itself down a lot.

- Abit IP45 boards...not sure which yet...


Any suggestions / comments?? Anybody have exprience with the Gigabute EP45C-DS3R ?

I prefer Intel mobos for an Intel northbridge & southbridge, to cut down on compatability issues.
Also, check this thread about consumer vs RAID drives.

 

[felixrosbergen]

Funny...i didnt even realize Intel actually made Motherboards themselves....will have a look...

I am reading through the thread that IVB linked about the Mobo Raid versus dedicated card RAID.

I was planning to just run single drives for the moment, maybe 2 for OS and RADI1 them.

My main concern with RAID5 is that it takes 4 drives and all 4 drives would be running pretty much all the time.

Using WD Greenpower and having say 4 individual drives availavle to SageTV (rather than as a RAID5 arrya) wouldnt the drives be able to spin down to their lower speed or could the OS completely shut them down when not needed.

When recording 1 or 2 shows only the drives these shows are going to would be needed.

The thread IVB linked in mentions the risk of the Mobo dying and not being able to recover the data from our RAID array since a new mobo may have a different RAID controller in it. Would this be an issue even if the initial mobo was Intel and the replacement mobo was Intel as well? If so that is a bit of a risk..havent had a single mobo crash on me...but still...they must die one day...

Speaking of this...need to back-up all my data from my desktop which has a now 7 year old single HD in it with pretty much all my important data....I better go do that...

IVB, did you get your RAID5 going in the end with the Seagate drives and LSI card?

 

[IVB]

I was planning to just run single drives for the moment, maybe 2 for OS and RADI1 them.

My main concern with RAID5 is that it takes 4 drives and all 4 drives would be running pretty much all the time.

Using WD Greenpower and having say 4 individual drives availavle to SageTV (rather than as a RAID5 arrya) wouldnt the drives be able to spin down to their lower speed or could the OS completely shut them down when not needed.

Yep you're dead-right on all points, but i've had issues with hard disks dying after 12-18 months, and the wife/kids would kick my ass if the one that died had the "So You Think You Can Dance" finale (or other fine cinema). RAID5 would protect against a single driver failure.

IVB, did you get your RAID5 going in the end with the Seagate drives and LSI card?

No, I need to upgrade the LSI firmware but i'm having a hell of a time figuring out how to create a USB bootable flash drive. I got some good tips in a CQC thread, so i'll try that. I'm working from home this week, and taking the next 2 weeks off, so I deferred sinking time into it until now.

 

[fcwilt]

I was planning to just run single drives for the moment, maybe 2 for OS and RADI1 them.

My main concern with RAID5 is that it takes 4 drives and all 4 drives would be running pretty much all the time.

Well both RAID1 and RAID5 protect against a single drive failure but the RAID5 will yield more capacity and more heat.

One thing to consider, I have been using RAID1 for years now and my experience is that the hard drives in the array (assuming they are all new to start with) seem to start having problems about the same time. So I adopted a practice of replacing one drive after a year or so in the hopes of "staggering" the failure. Seems to have worked.

The thread IVB linked in mentions the risk of the Mobo dying and not being able to recover the data from our RAID array since a new mobo may have a different RAID controller in it.

That could happen but I suppose it could happen to add-on card as well. Given that the add-on card adds heat and additional points of failure perhaps it would be simplest to go with a motherboard but buy two.

And it memory serves me don't some versions of Windows OS (server versions?) offer "RAID" in software?

Another possibility which offers more risk but means that any drive is going to be usable on its own is to run a program like AllSync and sync two or more drives.

I am extra, extra cautious: I have 3 complete servers in the equipment room. Ripping of CD's (and the like) is done to #1. Then AllSync updates #2 and #3.

 

[electron]

When it comes to the OS, I don't use RAID at all. I run a nightly image based backup, if there is a failure, I'll grab a new drive, restore the backup, and I am good to go within minutes. This keeps the cost down of system, saves power, and keeps the heat down as well. Remember, RAID only helps you with HARDWARE failures. If you start having corrupt data, it will just replicate the corrupt data, rendering RAID useless in that situation.

As for the data, you could use something like DROBO, which supports different size disks (allowing you to upgrade as your budget permits), it's an external unit, so no problems with heat, and the new version should be fast enough to keep up with your recording needs.

Oh yea, you can't go wrong with the Core2Duo cpus, they are just incredible. I am planning on replacing my older P4 3.2ghz system with one, just because of the power savings and performance increase.

 

[IVB]

I use a RAID1 array and multiple copies in different physical locations for my "production-level data", basically email/quicken/financial/pictures. I also put it on a 120GB WD Passport protable USB drive and put in the safe in case of fire.

That concept doesn't work too well, and is way overkill IMO, for 2-3TB of video data. All I really need to protect against is single drive failure, not the end of the world. If the house burns down, i won't care about reality shows, but I will be pissed if I lose every pic of the kids since birth, plus email, plus financial info, etc.

My mobo allows 2 RAID arrays, plus as soon as I get that add-on card working i'll have 3, so I can use a single PC for everything you specified and then some. (I also run a db server on it).

 

[WayneW]

i'm having a hell of a time figuring out how to create a USB bootable flash drive.

I used some version of this HP tool in the past.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechS...TX-UNITY-I23839
http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=197

 

[felixrosbergen]

I may just forget about the raid and keep the cost and complexity low.

I'll use the 500GB disk for OS and 'DATA' (pics, music,, financial, etc) and a 1TB for Video.

I'll partition the 500GB into OS and DATA partiion. Then on a regular basis just backup the OS and DATA partitions to the 1TB drive (out of 500GB i really only expect to use about 50GB so it's not a big deal on the 1TB drive). As a secondary backup i had planned like IVB to make regular backups to a external drive and put into a Safe. Too bag i can't have the external drive located in the save. doubt they make a safe with USB passthrough connector.

Anybody lookedinto realiable offsite backup solutions? I've used a few cheap ones for work and haven't been overly impressed. For a solid provided with long term commitment i could be interested.

 

[felixrosbergen]

So far the server is looking like:
- GIGABYTE EP45C-DS3R - $150
- 2 GB of DD2 1066 (Kingston ) 2 stick of 1 GB = $65
- Antec NeoPower 430 - $80
- Intel Core2Due E8400 (with heatsink and fan) - $170
- ASUS EAH3450/HTP/512M Radeon HD 3450 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready Video Card - Retail $40 ($30 after rebate)
- WD Greenpower 500GB (OS & DATA) = $75
- WD Greenpower 1TB (Video) = $169
- ARK 4U-500-CA Black 4U Rackmount Case 3 External 5.25" Drive Bays - Retail $69

Waiting to hear from the builder this week on some changes to see the final situation with the budget and then i'll order the parts.

Likely i'll be running Windows Home Server on this (at least the 120 day trial and then we'll see).

I am really hoping all various power saving features will add up and make this a nice low power consumption server. Specifically the mobo seems to be lots of functions to support this.

Considering making the PSU a Antec HE380 instead of 430 since that one is supposed to be even more efficent, but getting concerned that with 2 tuner cards. Antec's wattage calculater has me added up to 350 watts total, but thats conservative (assumed 4 sticks of DDR2 ram, 4 HDD's (not taken reduced consumption of WD GP into account), 3 tuners cards, 1 optical drive, etc).

Some of the prices on these parts are incredible. $30 for a video card? $65 for 2GB of RAM?

This machine looks to be totally $820 (before shipping), my last machine build 7 years ago (still running strong by the way) cost me close to $2500 at the time.

 

[IVB]

im at a café right now so can't easily tell, but how many GHz is that cpu? sounds overkill. plus, the 512MB vidcard may suck power, are there any power specs on that? my mobo has video onboard, which helps with the power bill.

 

[fcwilt]

Forgot to mention: The initial release of HomeServer had a severe bug which could lead to data corruption. Microsoft has issued an update which is supposed to have fixed the issue. So if you go with HomeServer (it works for me) be sure that the version you get includes the update or you apply the update.

 

[MStan]

So far the server is looking like:
- GIGABYTE EP45C-DS3R - $150
- 2 GB of DD2 1066 (Kingston ) 2 stick of 1 GB = $65
- Antec NeoPower 430 - $80
- Intel Core2Due E8400 (with heatsink and fan) - $170
- ASUS EAH3450/HTP/512M Radeon HD 3450 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready Video Card - Retail $40 ($30 after rebate)
- WD Greenpower 500GB (OS & DATA) = $75
- WD Greenpower 1TB (Video) = $169
- ARK 4U-500-CA Black 4U Rackmount Case 3 External 5.25" Drive Bays - Retail $69

Waiting to hear from the builder this week on some changes to see the final situation with the budget and then i'll order the parts.

Likely i'll be running Windows Home Server on this (at least the 120 day trial and then we'll see).

I am really hoping all various power saving features will add up and make this a nice low power consumption server. Specifically the mobo seems to be lots of functions to support this.

Considering making the PSU a Antec HE380 instead of 430 since that one is supposed to be even more efficent, but getting concerned that with 2 tuner cards. Antec's wattage calculater has me added up to 350 watts total, but thats conservative (assumed 4 sticks of DDR2 ram, 4 HDD's (not taken reduced consumption of WD GP into account), 3 tuners cards, 1 optical drive, etc).

Some of the prices on these parts are incredible. $30 for a video card? $65 for 2GB of RAM?

This machine looks to be totally $820 (before shipping), my last machine build 7 years ago (still running strong by the way) cost me close to $2500 at the time.

I am going through the same thing right now.

I am in need of building a server for home automation, video streaming, storage.

I am thinking of mirroring the OS and a raid 5 for the data storage, then you can also copy the mirror to the raid 5 as extra
protection.

I am going with raid card, probably the ARECA line, the motherboard everybody loves is the Abit IP35 pro, it has 3 PCI slots
and PCI-E x16 slots for the RAID and vidio cards.

Also popular, the Asus P5K line.

I still have research to do on the other components.

Mark

 

[electron]

Check the reviews on that power supply on NewEgg/Amazon, I thought I heard some bad stuff about it. I don't remember if that PS is efficient or not, but you definitely want a 80%+.

 

[GraysonPeddie]

Forgot to mention: The initial release of HomeServer had a severe bug which could lead to data corruption. Microsoft has issued an update which is supposed to have fixed the issue. So if you go with HomeServer (it works for me) be sure that the version you get includes the update or you apply the update.

Okay, two things:

1. You don't want to edit your files that's in the server from your desktop. This will cause data corruption as you mentioned. Bring your files from your server to your desktop, edit the files from there, and store the files in the server. However, storing files in the server directly is never a good idea, which leads to #2.

2. Always let Windows Home Server do the backup of all your files in your hard drive. You don't want to store the files in a server yourself. You don't want to mess with your server about 50%+ of the time while using your desktop.

If you get into a habit of leaving your home server alone and letting your server do a backup of your files, you can minimize data corruption with or without an update.

im at a café right now so can't easily tell, but how many GHz is that cpu? sounds overkill. plus, the 512MB vidcard may suck power, are there any power specs on that? my mobo has video onboard, which helps with the power bill.

E8400 is 3 GHz.

If E8400 is overkill (I assume you don't need overclock-capable processor), why not go from Intel to AMD? AMD Athlon 4850e has a lower power consumption than Intel C2D E8400.

You'll want to go with an AMD motherboard, though.

I've paired up 4050e with 780G motherboard and the performance with playing Blu-Ray movies is great! My motherboard used is an ECS A780GM-A, which is an ATX motherboard. But you'll want to have a motherboard with built-in RS232 serial port, though.

I have a Cooler Master SeaSonic II 300w PSU. It's 80%+ Effecient.