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Leaning towards building a file server, what parts to use

C

coolred

Diamond Member
Edit: Leaning towards the file server, wondering what parts to use to build it. I have an Asus PC-DL dual xeon motherboard I have to RMA, but once that is done, I will have it and the 2 1.6LV Xeons that overclock like mad. But that seems overkill too me, maybe if this would be a heavy load server, but I doubt that will happen any time soon. So I was thinking of just using my ECS K7S5A, and an AXP2100+ from a biostar 200N I have. And then replacing the 2100+ with a sempron in the biostar. What sempron should I go with if I go that route?



I bought a netgear sc101 NAS. I couldn't get the dang thing to work, and in my search for the fix I found a lot more bad things to say about it then I did before I bought it. So its definately going back and I doubt I will get another.

From my little bit of research, it seems like most other NAS devices are easily closer to $200+. I figured for maybe an extra 100 or 2, or maybe even less if I can borrow/scrounge some parts, I could build a file server.


I am just wondering if its worth it, or if there is a better option? I mean 400 bucks or so isn't chump change, but it seems worth it to have a full fledged computer, rather then just a network attached hard drive.

And if a file server is a good idea, should I just buy one of the cheap 200-300 dollar AR computers at the retailers, or should I build, and if I should build, what should I build?
 
I just built one with an old AMD xp 1800+ CPU, mobo with kt-333 chipset and raid option. The cpu/mobo cost around $75~$85 bucks used I believe, and I have Linux (fedora 4) installed.

The setup is pretty good because the raid mobo give me 4 extra connections to HDD. I don't use the onboard raid, I use software raid on Linux.

This is for light duty file server. For heavy duty file server, you may want to go with dual cpu and real hardware raid cards.

I think building file server is cheaper and more flexible option because you have more option in configuration. You can add hardwares like gigabit NIC and more memory to make the server runs better. My total cost on the server is prob ~ $150 before HDD. With 1 Gb of memory and gigabit NIC.

But if you want to do plug and play, NAS is a good option too. It really depends on if you want to spend the time building the server and configuring the networking to get the server up and running.
 
I do, I really would love to learn more about networking. It will be for light duty use, backups, and maybe DVD rip storage. I just wish i had more space and money and I would definatel do it. As it is now, it sound slike a good option, that I have to continue looking into.
 
Look at the Linksys USB Storage link, or the Trendnet USB NAS device.... Still cheap... Use external USB Harddrives.

Cons... more cables/power to worry about.
Pros'... can easily reconfigure storage as it's external.

I have the Linksys and I'm mostly happy with it. I thought about the dedicated PC based file server and considered my electric bill high enough without running a PC 24/7.
 
So with that linksys, I would have to buy it and the external driver, or at least external enclosures for my current srives? So it should cost about the same as what I paid for the netgear, maybe a little more. Why are you only mostly happy with it, what don't you like about it. And how exactly do you have it setup?

I am not really worried about the electric bill for running an extra PC, it doesn't cost that much, but the intial cost is my problem, but if I use used parts that would make it cheaper. But a NAS is still a viable option. I will check out the other one you mentioned to thanks.
 
Originally posted by: coolred
So with that linksys, I would have to buy it and the external driver, or at least external enclosures for my current srives? So it should cost about the same as what I paid for the netgear, maybe a little more. Why are you only mostly happy with it, what don't you like about it. And how exactly do you have it setup?

I am not really worried about the electric bill for running an extra PC, it doesn't cost that much, but the intial cost is my problem, but if I use used parts that would make it cheaper. But a NAS is still a viable option. I will check out the other one you mentioned to thanks.
Click to expand...

I paid $79 for the Linksys. $30 for the enclosures. I probably have $180 into two 250 gig drives. One drive gets mirrored to the other, or you can run them individually and end up with 500 gig in my case. It supports at least 300 gig on each drive... maybe more now as they've done some bios updates. (enclosures have to support size as well).

I said mosty happy. I like it as it is a true NAS in that I don't need to install a client on the pc to access it. I can also access it with multiple pc's at once.

The only downside, and perhaps the downside with any of these near DIY NAS - including potentially the netgear you have, is when you need to transfer thousands of small files at once. The built in Cache and slow network processor get bogged down and transfer rates suffer. I'm talking transfering over 1300 64k to 300k files as one task. Not sure most people would do that.

For large files, or smaller transfers, the LinkSys is plenty fast.
 
You could easily setup a cheapo computer to do it. You don't need much

A 500mhz processor would do the job. It's not crunching any numbers, so it doesn't need CPU speed.

The only thing you need is to be able to pipe maybe 20MB/sec. If you're talking gigabit, then you might need a bit more, maybe a 1ghz box or something.

The fact of the matter is, if you have a crappy computer laying around, it will probably do just fine, or if you can scrounge some parts, you can probably build one for under $200.

Wait for hot deals, and stock up on big drives. $120 will easily get you 500gb with 2 250gb drives and the right deal.
 
Well I know I have an ECS K7S5A laying around, as well as a radeon AIW 8500DV. I suppose I could find a cheap case, like perhaps the super lan boy onsale at compusa for 40 bucks. Then I would need to get my hands on a socket A processor. I already have an XP 2100+ but its in another rig. I would also need memory. Already have a couple drives I can use, and could always find more with the right deals. The motherboard has an onboard NIC, so thats taken care of. Am I forgetting anything important?


Edit:any idea if the socket a semprons work with the K7S5A?


I also have 2 Xeon 1.6LV Xeons, that overclock to 3.0+ pretty easily. I was running them on a asus pc-dl but it seems to have taken a crap, and I am in the process of rmaing it, at which time I was planning to sell it, but maybe I will keep it.
 
Antec SLK3000 series cases are good for small servers, the HD cage has good airflow and rubber grommets to reduce virbration noise.

There is also a 120mm intake fan mount that flows cool air over the drives, you can use a low speed silent one like a Nexus if you have a good exhaust fan.
 
I recently just built a gigabit network. I used my girlfriends E Machines (865PE chipset), disconnected the optical drive, and slapped in 4 hard drives. I have the crossover cable going directly to my machine, while my other connection is to the router. This way I get true gigabit speeds. Also her machine is running Mac OSX 10.4.1, which is an entirely different subject, not to be discussed here. It's proven to be a great network, enabling me to burn mp3's located on another machine!
 
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Antec SLK3000 series cases are good for small servers, the HD cage has good airflow and rubber grommets to reduce virbration noise.

There is also a 120mm intake fan mount that flows cool air over the drives, you can use a low speed silent one like a Nexus if you have a good exhaust fan.
Click to expand...

Yeah I am leaning towards antec for the case. I already have my main system in a sx1030b. I was thinking, either the one you said, or maybe the sonata, or I see compusa has the super lanboy on sale, as well as a couple others.

I just got my RMA number for my dual xeon motherboard. Which i already have the cpu's for, although not sure if they got fried by the board or not. I am wondering if i should go with that setup, or if I should find a socket a chip for the ECS K7S5A. If i use the K7, then i will probablly sell the asus and chips.
 
So any opinions on what parts i should use if i build a file server? Like I said, I have an Asus PC-DL(need to be RMA'd, plan to ship it out this weekend)along with 2 Intel Xeon 1.6LV's which i had running at 3.2Ghz. Assuming they didn't get fried when the board died, but nothing else in the system did. This server won't get tons of access so, I don't really need dual CPU's, but they are something I have readily available(after RMA). Or I could get the board back and then sell the board and CPU's and then use that money to buy something else, like maybe a socket A CPU to use with my ECS K7S5A, or something else


Edit: Doesn't looke like the K7S5A will play nice with a sempron, it may work, but with the lower bus speed, it will make the sempron much slwoer then it should. But I was thinking, I have a biostar 200N, which supports semprons according to the site and up to 400Mhz FSB. I could put a sempron in that and use the AXP 2100+ in that on the ECS K7S5A.
 
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