Building AdviceHome Server - Old Gaming PC vs. Enterprise & concerns?
Building AdviceHome Server - Old Gaming PC vs. Enterprise & concerns?
Many people think RAID is just about uptime, continuous storage, and reliability, but it's not primarily backup. It's mainly for performance, long-term availability, and "reliability." For speed, NVMe is better; for uptime, you're not running critical business; and for reliability, backup is the right choice. Why not use bigger drives instead of more disks? Eight drives can generate excessive heat, which may shorten HDD lifespan. Also, it's wise to keep some disks for backups. I don't really see a need for RAID in a home setup.
There’s no chance I’d operate either of my HP ML350P servers nonstop. They begin with a loud start as the four Delta fans come online, then settle into a quiet hum once TrueNAS Core is up. I’m accustomed to handling large server spaces, so the noise isn’t bothersome, but it becomes problematic if they’re left running nonstop for 24 hours. In contrast, my two TrueNAS Core setups in desktop PCs (each with eight disks) operate much more quietly in a Lian Li tower and a Fractal Design R4. I don’t run these servers continuously; I only use them during backups.
When it comes to multi-disk RAID at home, I enjoy trying out different hardware and software options. It’s fine if there are more practical solutions available.
I imagine purchasing two 24TB hard drives instead of eight 8TB ones in RAID-Z2 could be a better choice. If either drive fails, losing 24TB would be costly—drives here cost significantly more than in the US. If an 8TB drive does fail in RAID-Z2, it’s easier to replace than losing 24TB, and I’d likely manage to keep the array running without too much hassle. Still, I prefer not to store excessive files on large, expensive drives.
I maintain several backups on hard disks across a collection of desktop PCs, the four servers, and numerous 800GB LTO4 tapes. For some time I stored 25GB BD-R copies. For my most important data, I probably keep at least six copies spread across different systems and media. My four TrueNAS servers are isolated from the internet on their own high-speed fibre network, and I don’t run them all simultaneously.
If each drive in my eight-disk arrays draws around 10W, that’s roughly 80W to dissipate. Cooling would be manageable with a few 120mm fans in front of the drives and possibly two exhaust fans.
In comparison, some gaming GPUs can consume between 100W and 500W+, which must be removed from the case along with the CPU power. If you’re concerned about drive longevity in RAID, you might consider investing in premium enterprise drives with optional Rotational Vibration Sensors.
RAID isn't about backup, but it becomes important when you're hosting several services from your own setup at home. I use PLEX and sync with my personal cloud outside the house, just like some family members do with their photos and data stored in my self-hosted cloud. I also run other services independently. In this scenario, RAID makes sense because it eliminates the need to reset or reconfigure hosted services, nor does it require manually restoring lost files after a drive failure. Managing everything as a single large array is much easier than handling multiple individual drives, especially when dealing with services like PLEX or personal cloud storage. It’s also simpler to replace a drive and rebuild the system (which ZFS Raid handles efficiently by restoring only lost data) rather than managing complex point-to-drive setups and manually recovering files after failure.
As for heat management, I’m not overly concerned. I plan to include a case with 4 to 10 fans based on temperature conditions. Of course, it will run quietly at low RPM.
A thorough backup process eliminates that entirely.
However, there are certain specialized scenarios where RAID is applicable at the consumer side. These situations are rare and do not substitute the need for a genuine backup solution.
I'm not disputing the value of backups; the essential data on the server will be stored on a 10 TB Synology device, which will also safeguard against losing critical information to an offsite location and fully backing up another external hard drive.
I will definitely maintain backups. The RAID configuration exists because it supports the file and media server along with other services—it simply aligns with the overall setup.