Server Help!
Server Help!
I've been using my primary workstation for years as both server and main PC. Now I'm planning to set up a dedicated server to handle some 24/7 tasks. My aim is to make this my Plex, backup, file, and virtualization hub. I need your advice on the operating system to install—something that fits all my requirements and keeps things simple. I already have Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Edition and am exploring FreeNAS. Please help me before I get overwhelmed! The hardware I have so far includes: HP Proliant ML10 with Enablement Kit, an Intel Xeon E3-1220v2 processor, 32GB ECC RAM (4x8GB), a 4GB PCI3 12800E motherboard, four WD Red 3TB SSDs, a SanDisk X110 256GB SSD, and a USB flash drive. I’m also considering a new power supply, case, RAID controller, or Raid card depending on whether I stick with Windows Server or go for FreeNas. Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
I recommend Windows Server 2012 since he might not be familiar with using a Linux operating system or the command line on Linux. I’d use Windows Server 2012 at first, and then transition to Linux if needed.
You're quick at picking things up! I'm familiar with Linux in general and can handle most basic commands. For a desktop setup on a dedicated server, I'd suggest exploring different options beyond FreeNAS. You mentioned needing access from Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS—so flexibility is key. Let me know if you want some tailored recommendations!
I used to run xenserver with services in VMs. Freenas might struggle without direct drive access, though that’s hard to avoid. Your thoughts?
FreeNas would gain unrestricted access to the storage devices. The mainboard can handle six drives at once, though the built-in Raid controller only allows Raid 0 or 1 for hardware-based RAID. Since FreeNas employs software RAID, it would receive direct drive access.
I didn't fully grasp your message. I'd rather avoid running everything inside multiple virtual machines unless necessary. In short, it really doesn't matter what I use because they all fit my needs. My main worry would be having reliable backups. ZFS seems like a strong choice for a RAID configuration. With four 3TB drives, adding more in the future would likely be easiest if you go with a setup that supports incremental backups. Thanks for your feedback—I can handle Windows, Mac, and Linux systems, though I'm still learning about servers.
You might be able to operate xenserver without assigning virtual drives to a VM. Instead, use raw drives on your freenas unit, reserving a few for other VMs. I haven’t really used freenas before, and when my xenserver was up, it had only two hard drives in RAID 1. I don’t have the budget to replace them with a new one.