Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Build my own or buy a small home server?

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Portsmouth
    Posts
    160
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post
    • cocksy_boy's system
      • Motherboard:
      • GA-Z77X-UD5H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core i5-3570K
      • Memory:
      • 2 X 4GB
      • Storage:
      • Crucial MX500 240GB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • inno 3D 8800GT 512Mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair 650W ATX 120mm fan
      • Case:
      • Antec P180
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • BenQ G2420HDBL 24", AG Neveo F-419 19"

    Build my own or buy a small home server?

    Hey all,

    I have an HP N36L micro server running WHS 2011. It pretty much meets all of my needs apart from a couple of minor points: it sometimes can't cope when transcoding HD video to my PS3, and the 2TB backup limit.

    I'm really enjoying the whs environment so I'm fairly happy to live with the backup limit, but I was thinking of upgrading the hardware to improve PS3 HD playback.

    Originally I was going to go with a new N54L or something as the box meets my needs perfectly. However, the fact that HP are going to charge for firmware upgrades etc is a little concerning.

    So my other option is to build my own server, but I'm not really sure where to start!! I've built a number of desktop PCs over the years but never looked into building a server. Can it be done cheaper than an N54 - especially when they have £100 cash back or similar?

    Also, I've seen lots of people using win 8 as a server. Is this a good idea, or is it best to stick with whs 2011 for now?

    Grateful for any thoughts!

  2. #2
    Treasure Hunter extraordinaire herulach's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Bolton
    Posts
    5,618
    Thanks
    18
    Thanked
    172 times in 159 posts
    • herulach's system
      • Motherboard:
      • MSI Z97 MPower
      • CPU:
      • i7 4790K
      • Memory:
      • 8GB Vengeance LP
      • Storage:
      • 1TB WD Blue + 250GB 840 EVo
      • Graphics card(s):
      • 2* Palit GTX 970 Jetstream
      • PSU:
      • EVGA Supernova G2 850W
      • Case:
      • CM HAF Stacker 935, 2*360 Rad WC Loop w/EK blocks.
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 8.1
      • Monitor(s):
      • Crossover 290HD & LG L1980Q
      • Internet:
      • 120mb Virgin Media

    Re: Build my own or buy a small home server?

    Cheaper, not a chance. Your best bet for something with more grunt is probably a xeon tower server off ebay if you're talking that kind of money.

  3. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Portsmouth
    Posts
    160
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post
    • cocksy_boy's system
      • Motherboard:
      • GA-Z77X-UD5H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core i5-3570K
      • Memory:
      • 2 X 4GB
      • Storage:
      • Crucial MX500 240GB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • inno 3D 8800GT 512Mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair 650W ATX 120mm fan
      • Case:
      • Antec P180
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • BenQ G2420HDBL 24", AG Neveo F-419 19"
    So if not cheaper then comparable..?!!! And is there anyone else who makes anything similar to the microserver for a similar price?

  4. #4
    root Member DanceswithUnix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    In the middle of a core dump
    Posts
    12,978
    Thanks
    778
    Thanked
    1,586 times in 1,341 posts
    • DanceswithUnix's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus X470-PRO
      • CPU:
      • 5900X
      • Memory:
      • 32GB 3200MHz ECC
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Linux, 2TB Games (Win 10)
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus Strix RX Vega 56
      • PSU:
      • 650W Corsair TX
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Fedora 39 + Win 10 Pro 64 (yuk)
      • Monitor(s):
      • Benq XL2730Z 1440p + Iiyama 27" 1440p
      • Internet:
      • Zen 900Mb/900Mb (CityFibre FttP)

    Re: Build my own or buy a small home server?

    Depends what form factor you are after, and just what your requirements are. Where are you going to be putting it, what does it have to look like are probably the first things to get straight.

    I went from an HTPC microATX case (Antec Fusion) to an ITX case (Cooler Master Elite 120). TBH I am thinking of going back to the Antec as I really like the machine to be whisper quiet, and that is easy in a bigger case.

    So HTPC is easier to hide in a living room, something like http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/c...ov-vision.html (that one is short on hard drive bays, I would probably use the DVD bay for a second drive).
    New version of the Elite 120 is this: http://www.scan.co.uk/products/coole...FWvkwgodFSMAhw

    I went for a quad core AMD APU, the machine runs on one core most of the time, at idle it is very power efficient but has enough grunt to perform its server duties with a couple of virtual machines hosted on it (video camera monitoring and a public facing minecraft server). It seems to have three of its cores idle most of the time, and one of them cranked up to max.

    So my box cost me more than the HP server, but it looks fine in under the TV has plenty of grunt and expansion capability.

    What is your budget?

  5. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Portsmouth
    Posts
    160
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post
    • cocksy_boy's system
      • Motherboard:
      • GA-Z77X-UD5H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core i5-3570K
      • Memory:
      • 2 X 4GB
      • Storage:
      • Crucial MX500 240GB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • inno 3D 8800GT 512Mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair 650W ATX 120mm fan
      • Case:
      • Antec P180
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • BenQ G2420HDBL 24", AG Neveo F-419 19"
    It's just going to be a functional home server that will sit out of they way / view, so I'm not too fussed about amazing looks!

    Case just need to have room for 4 or 5 5.25" HDDs, and a nice efficient PSU, like the HP Microservers do.

    It's just going to be running whs, serving files backing up and transcoding videos for the PS3.

    The question was - is it possible to build a comparable home sever in specs and budget to that of the HP microserver?

  6. #6
    chown -R me ./base BlackDwarf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    On Teh Internets
    Posts
    1,431
    Thanks
    17
    Thanked
    33 times in 29 posts
    • BlackDwarf's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z77-D3H
      • CPU:
      • Intel i5 3570k @ 4.5Ghz w/ Corsair H100i
      • Memory:
      • 16Gb Corsair Vengeance PC3-12800
      • Storage:
      • 120Gb Samsung 850 EVO, 60Gb Crucial M4 & 2TB Seagate
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA 980 Ti Hybrid
      • PSU:
      • Coolermaster 550W Modular
      • Case:
      • Corsair 540 Air
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2x 24" Dell U2314H
      • Internet:
      • Sky Fiber 80Mb/20Mb

    Re: Build my own or buy a small home server?

    For what is essentially £97 after the £100 rebate, absolutely not, unless you got really lucky with second hard stuff/ebay.
    I just picked up two of the N54L's as ESX hosts and to play with,and although they're not quite my i5 processing wise, for a small, quiet, cheap server to do basic stuff, you can't get better.
    Diablo (Main PC): Corsair Air 540; Gigabyte Z77-D3H; i5 3570k @ 4.4Ghz; 16Gb Corsair Vengeance PC3-12000; 120Gb Samsung 840 EVO; EVGA 980 Ti Hybrid; 2x Dell U2414H; Windows 10 x64.
    Imperius (VM Server): 2x Intel 5640, 64Gb RAM, 2x1Tb, 6x Intel NIC, VMware ESX 5.5
    Tyrael (File Server): Synology DS410 w/ 4x HD154UI; 2Gb RAM; DSM 5.2

  7. #7
    root Member DanceswithUnix's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    In the middle of a core dump
    Posts
    12,978
    Thanks
    778
    Thanked
    1,586 times in 1,341 posts
    • DanceswithUnix's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus X470-PRO
      • CPU:
      • 5900X
      • Memory:
      • 32GB 3200MHz ECC
      • Storage:
      • 2TB Linux, 2TB Games (Win 10)
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Asus Strix RX Vega 56
      • PSU:
      • 650W Corsair TX
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Fedora 39 + Win 10 Pro 64 (yuk)
      • Monitor(s):
      • Benq XL2730Z 1440p + Iiyama 27" 1440p
      • Internet:
      • Zen 900Mb/900Mb (CityFibre FttP)

    Re: Build my own or buy a small home server?

    Yep, those HP servers are a bit of a bargain if they can do what you need.

    I wanted more grunt, I paid more money. Quite a lot more money truth be told. CPU cost £100, motherboard £60, case £40, PSU £40, ram £40, pair of WD red drives were I think £80 each.

    Sips power at idle and goes like stink though

    If you can switch to uATX case and motherboard you can shave some off of those. Drop the CPU requirement, that can be £30 or under for an FM2 dual core.

  8. #8
    Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Portsmouth
    Posts
    160
    Thanks
    10
    Thanked
    1 time in 1 post
    • cocksy_boy's system
      • Motherboard:
      • GA-Z77X-UD5H
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core i5-3570K
      • Memory:
      • 2 X 4GB
      • Storage:
      • Crucial MX500 240GB
      • Graphics card(s):
      • inno 3D 8800GT 512Mb
      • PSU:
      • Corsair 650W ATX 120mm fan
      • Case:
      • Antec P180
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • BenQ G2420HDBL 24", AG Neveo F-419 19"
    Cool - thanks!!

    Is there generally issues getting whs 2011 to run on home built server systems? I'm thinking mostly about chipset, nic, sata controller drivers etc?

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •