Building AdviceHome Server - Old Gaming PC vs. Enterprise & concerns?
Building AdviceHome Server - Old Gaming PC vs. Enterprise & concerns?
Hi everyone, brand new here but seemed like the perfect place to get some advice on this
So, about 5 years or so ago, I started my adventure into running my own home services. What initially started with a Synology DS918+ that I got for Plex has slowly turned into running variuos other small services of my own as well as a secondary gaming laptop acting as database server and every so often game server or random applications.
Going forward, I would like to upgrade to a more, all in one, beefier setup and I've got a plan, but I'm looking for some advice
Use Cases:
General File Server / Self-Hosted Cloud
Database Server -
variuous forms of SQL or others
Plex Media Server -
with ability to transcode multiple streams
Docker / ability to run various services to replace Synology ones -
e.g. personal Contacts & Calendar
Game Servers occassionaly
Deploying random self coded or hosted apps like Discord bots
The Preffered Option / Server Specs -
Budget Option reusing some existing Gaming PC components
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 5950X - 16 Cores / 32 Threads
MOBO:
Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master
RAM:
64GB
(2 * 2x16GB Dual Channel Sets)
Corsair DDR4 Vengeance LPX Black, PC4-25600 (3200), Non-ECC Unbuffered, CAS 16
GPU:
nVidia P2000/P4000
- TBD depending on what I can get on eBay
HBA:
NEW -
LSI SAS 9300-16I 16 Port Controller HBA Card
- or similar
OS Drive:
NEW
- 1 TB NVMe SSD
Compute Drives:
2 x 2 TB NVMe SSDs
Mass Storage Drives:
NEW
- 8 x WD Red 12 TB
- with a possible Pool 2 in the same config later on when funds permit
Case:
NEW
- Fractal Meshify 2 XL -
with all the HDD expansion bays
OS:
TrueNAS Scale
Config:
Initially 1, but later maybe 2 x storage pools in a RAID-Z2 config with 2 parity drives each, yielding somewhere around 60 TB of usable space per pool
The Expensive "Safer?" Option / Server Specs
CPU:
NEW
- AMD EPYC 7002 or 7003 Series
MOBO:
NEW
- Cheapest Server Mobo that will run the aforementioned CPU
RAM:
NEW
- 64GB ECC RAM that will fit the aforementioned CPU/MOBO combo
Rest is the same
minus the HBA card which would be on board the MOBO already
This option would cost me at least an additional £1,500
- which would otherwise be spent on new Gaming PC parts
My Thoughts / Concerns / Questions regarding these options:
Is it worth the extra £1,500 to buy brand new actual server parts or should I be safe with my old gaming CPU/Mobo/RAM combo?
These old used parts already have 5 years of usage on them. CPU is slightly newer. The mobo itself though, being X570, has one of those stupid chipset fans that may fail and is already kinda meh. Can I just replace this fan with a bigger passive heatsink perhaps? And should I worry about the age of the Mobo, RAM and CPU in general considering I'm entrusting my valuable data to them?
Do I NEED ECC RAM? How important is it? My X570 Mobo DOES support ECC RAM so I could in theory at least upgrade the RAM, but is this worthwhile or can I just stick with the gaming RAM? And do I run it in XMP or no? Lastly, what am I risking by NOT having ECC RAM?
Would I need to worry about any throughput/bandwidth issues with so many drives on the budget/used CPU/Mobo combo?
Is this too many drives for 2 parity arrays? Would it better to go with less drives but higher capacity each?
Generally speaking, does the budget/used parts build make sense? What if anything would you change and why?
Thanks in advance for taking your time to provide some feedback!
Save the 1500 quid and use the old hardware, If it dies, you can move a TrueNAS array between hardware platforms without fuss. I took eight SAS drives (TrueNAS Core RAID-Z2) out of an HP server (ECC RAM) and transplanted them into a desktop PC running an ancient AMD FM2 CPU (non-ECC RAM). Copy the configuration file over and the array works fine in the new system.
It's up to you. Some pundits would never dream of using non-ECC, other people aren't so worried. I have two TrueNAS Core systems with ECC RAM and two more with non-ECC. The trick is to keep multiple backups and not rely entirely on Scrubs and SMART tests spotting errors on a single disk array.
https://forums.truenas.com/t/ecc-vs-non-...e007/27441
There's an ideal number of drives for RAID-Z2 but I ignore it. I have three 8-drive arrays and one 6-drive array. It's what fits in my servers/desktops, plus I use -8i LSI HBA cards, so I only have 8 SAS/SATA ports..
https://www.truenas.com/community/t...of...ion.97202/
https://www.truenas.com/community/t...of...ion.97202/
If you don't spend the extra £1500 on a gaming system, you might consider additional hard disks or different capacities. A lot depends on how much data you keep and what your backup strategy is. Remember, RAID is not a backup, even if you use RAID-Z3. Ransomware could strike. A bad PSU may kill the drives. Burst water pipes might flood the system.
64GB RAM should be enough for eight 12TB drives, but if you add another eight drives, you may need more RAM. There is a formula somewhere on line. Maybe add more RAM for Jails, Plugins, etc.
I was also focusing on a similar direction, though I wasn't certain if the hardware age would pose a problem. I value the idea of swapping out the setup if necessary.
I found a great auction listing for a 128 GB ECC RAM just after writing this, which will soon be in my hands. It increases the cost slightly, but I prefer ECC just for peace of mind.
😛
I wasn't entirely clear on the "2^n + parity" concept mentioned, not sure what n refers to, but I still have enough time to consider it. The most time-consuming part will be replacing the drives in the coming weeks.
Since I'm planning to replace my current system with a CPU/motherboard upgrade now, I'll likely use the £1,500 to improve my workstation or gaming PC with newer technology. The RAM concern has already been resolved, so I should be fine. It probably won't take too long before I reach 100 TB.
For backups, I'll keep using my existing Synology NAS for a local backup of critical data, which should stay under the 7 TB limit I've set. I might also reconfigure it to RAID 5 once the new server is online, bringing usable space up to 10 TB.
Besides hard disk backups, I also rely on a few LTO4 tape drives that I bought in 2018. These tapes store only 800GB natively, so I’m considering upgrading to LTO5 or LTO6 now. LTO9 is prohibitively costly.
At first, I purchased five new LTO4 tapes, but later discovered discounted used tapes on eBay for around £1.50 each. Some were untouched, others had been used just a few hours. I create multiple copies on the tapes to minimize risk.
Most of my desktops and servers are equipped with SAS controller cards that include an external SAS port for the portable Quantum LTO4 drives, simplifying the backup process.
A key advantage of LTO is the ability to set the write-protect tab on the cartridge, rendering the tape read-only and helping prevent ransomware from encrypting data.
Tape isn’t ideal for everyone, but it remains affordable and straightforward, especially since I acquired it second-hand.
I have greater confidence in tape backups than my collection of USB3 portable desktop drives (WD Elements/Seagate), which tend to overheat and occasionally disconnect during transfers. These drives are likely SMR and I discontinued them in 2022.
Tape sounds interesting but I don’t have the funds, space, or time to do it.
My main worry now is whether I should choose one of these random LSI SAS 9300-16I HBA cards I see online. They all seem similar, and some videos compare genuine versus counterfeit ones. I’m not sure if paying twice, three times, or even four times for a used genuine HBA makes sense... hmmm...
You wouldn't just purchase a used HP DL380 or ML350 for server-grade hardware because these models are designed for consumer use and lack the reliability, stability, and performance required in enterprise environments.
I've had fortunate experiences in the past, acquiring authentic ex-server pulls on Ebay at reasonable prices. Some of these are badge-engineered LSI models, featuring Dell and HP firmware. The core card is typically LSI-based.
I purchased a few Dell H200 cards (8-port) and spent two days figuring out the process to re-flash the firmware from Dell RAID (-8e) back to the older (interim) LSI firmware, then re-flash it again to new LSI firmware to achieve -8i. Since the Dell H200 cards were -8e and challenging to reflash, they were half the cost of H200 -8i models on eBay. It was a risk, but it paid off.
It's accurate to note that most "nearly new" cards available on eBay and AliExpress are Chinese replicas. If I were managing servers in a business or enterprise setting, I'd steer clear of counterfeit items. However, for personal TrueNAS systems, I wouldn't be overly concerned.
My HP servers display warnings during POST indicating that my hard drives aren't certified HP disks, and the LEDs on the drive sleds won't work. This shouldn't be an issue for me since I'm not running Windows Server, and the drive LEDs function properly under TrueNAS Core.
An HP-branded HBA card will include a BIOS that confirms its authenticity as genuine HP. A Chinese clone would lack this identifier. In a home TrueNAS environment, this shouldn't impact performance.
I recommend purchasing from eBay.co.uk and take advantage of their (almost) hassle-free money-back policy if you encounter defective items. With AliExpress, you might need to incur shipping costs to send the card back to China.
If you're seeking a completely genuine LSI HBA, you may need to invest significantly, particularly for brand new cards. Look for second-hand HP or Dell cards, ensuring they are -i variants and not -e. Some users reflash ex-server cards from -e to -i firmware, which adds around £20 to the eBay price—especially if you prefer not to risk damaging the card.
Only you can weigh whether the slight risk of data corruption with a fake or clone card is worth it. Personally, I'd opt for a more affordable eBay card but keep multiple backups.
Check the seller's feedback on eBay and their Terms and Conditions. I've received refunds on items labeled "No returns" when the original description proved inaccurate. I tend to avoid PC parts on eBay marked "Spares or Repairs" in case they're defective.
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.ph...16i.43385/
That's precisely what I did in 2018, resulting in two ML350P Gen8 servers. I store them downstairs since each server is about 45kg with disks attached. My other two TrueNAS systems are housed in large desktop cases (full tower), making them simpler to move and quieter without the noisy Delta fans.
I plan to run this server in the same room where I live, so I’m choosing a larger consumer-grade case. I’m considering the Meshify 2 XL by Fractal, hoping it will keep noise levels manageable. A rack-mounted setup would be too noisy, especially since I’d need powerful fans to handle airflow through tight spaces. Keeping it more consumer-focused—case, fans, and overall design—lets me maintain quieter operation.
Also, this gives me a solid reason to upgrade my main gaming PC if I can repurpose some of its components for the server.
I successfully acquired a used LSI 9305-16i from a trusted UK supplier. The price was higher than expected, but as someone who values caution, it’s a worthwhile investment for my confidence. 😛
Thanks for the feedback!