Seek Guidance on Establishing a Small Server/Mini-PC for Multiple VMs with RAID Support in the UK
Seek Guidance on Establishing a Small Server/Mini-PC for Multiple VMs with RAID Support in the UK
I need a new setup to manage several virtual machines simultaneously using Proxmox. This should include: up to four Windows instances, FreePBX, Docker, and Home Assistant. The list may grow over time.
I’m currently running an Asus PN51 Mini PC equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 5700U and added 64GB of RAM. It performs well under heavy loads, but I require a system that supports multiple drives for RAID redundancy. This mini PC only accommodates one NVMe and one SATA drive.
I’ve checked server towers from trusted refurbishing sites and searched eBay listings filtered for UK Buy It Now, but I’m still unsure of a suitable option with sufficient processing power to run multiple VMs and at least two drives in RAID.
I’m located in the UK.
Thank you.
Is RAID a necessary need?
Are there specific situations where a RAID setup is essential in the current setup?
What are the expectations and possible benefits of implementing RAID? Which RAID type should be considered?
You highlighted the importance of redundancy—could you elaborate on what that entails?
This discussion might be better placed under the Storage Category, so we may need to adjust it.
TBD.
It's tough to say honestly, but I'd prefer a backup just in case the disk fails, especially with FreePBX. That should give me some peace of mind. I understand RAID isn't a true backup, but for a disk failure it seems like the simplest way to protect the data.
I think I'd go with RAID 1, which would act as a full mirror using just two drives.
The Mini PC fits well in my setup—it's compact, power-efficient, and handles the workload well. I didn't think about disk redundancy at the time, but it might be useful for future-proofing. It would probably just be for peace of mind in case of a disk failure.
Right.
But when you mention several drives and a lot of RAM...the Mini PC concept becomes problematic.
And the RAID?
For your idea of 'redundancy', RAID 1.
But that's just for the rare case of a drive failing. Any RAID 1 setup still requires a real backup. If you're willing to accept an hour of downtime, backing up images is a more practical choice.
It seems with the various drives I’d lean more toward a compact server tower. A NAS-style multi-drive unit would work fine, and if I could wipe the OS and install Proxmox, a used Synology might be an option. However, searches indicate it’s not feasible.
A multi-drive setup would also provide extra storage capacity later on.
Of course, a single system would serve as backup too.
I think simply backing up to another server without considering RAID or multi-drive setups might be simpler. I’m probably overcomplicating things.
My research also suggests Proxmox doesn’t offer reliable offsite backups, unlike cPanel for websites, which can perform nightly backups and store them on an FTP server elsewhere.
I'm uncertain about how a NAS-style setup would handle processor demands for multiple virtual machines, since these devices aren't built for that.
I checked the TrueNAS servers, though—they might be better equipped but are beyond my budget.
Of course, I understand now the main concern is finding the right system specifications, especially the processor, that can support various setups. I feel the variety of processors can be quite confusing, so ideally I would consider buying a used system from eBay rather than building one myself at the moment. In the future, a Mini ITX case might offer a good balance between multiple drives and compact design, though I haven't the budget for it yet.