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Thread: file server help

  1. #1
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    file server help

    Looking to build a server that wil be in my loft it will be for storing my mp3\video rips to be viewed through eventualy a htpc setup.
    So where do i start as to which drives and what else do i need?
    Thanks
    Robert

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    YUKIKAZE arthurleung's Avatar
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    Few things you need to consider:
    1. What kind of video rips you are going to store? MPEG2 (DVD?) or MPEG4?(Divx,Xvid,H.264?)
    2. How much video you are going to store?
    3. How many users are accessing the server at the same time.

    You could just get a diskstation and thats enough to keep everything.
    It just takes me 115GB to store 188 Hours of Xvid. A 300G HDD will be enough for most people's video/audio collection (except HDTV).

    I now view my video/listen to my mp3 via 802.11b on my ipaq
    Workstation 1: Intel i7 950 @ 3.8Ghz / X58 / 12GB DDR3-1600 / HD4870 512MB / Antec P180
    Workstation 2: Intel C2Q Q9550 @ 3.6Ghz / X38 / 4GB DDR2-800 / 8400GS 512MB / Open Air
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    Bigger than Jesus Norky's Avatar
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    The spec of the server computer doesn't need to be much, look at spending around £200 I reckon. However, it would be worth investing in gigabit ethernet to allow for more than one client streaming in the future.

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    YUKIKAZE arthurleung's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norky
    The spec of the server computer doesn't need to be much, look at spending around £200 I reckon. However, it would be worth investing in gigabit ethernet to allow for more than one client streaming in the future.
    DVD Streaming only takes less than 10Mbps, 100Mbps will be enough for 10 users. Even if you use HDTV it is only around 30Mbps.
    Workstation 1: Intel i7 950 @ 3.8Ghz / X58 / 12GB DDR3-1600 / HD4870 512MB / Antec P180
    Workstation 2: Intel C2Q Q9550 @ 3.6Ghz / X38 / 4GB DDR2-800 / 8400GS 512MB / Open Air
    Workstation 3: Intel Xeon X3350 @ 3.2Ghz / P35 / 4GB DDR2-800 / HD4770 512MB / Shuttle SP35P2
    HTPC: AMD Athlon X4 620 @ 2.6Ghz / 780G / 4GB DDR2-1000 / Antec Mini P180 White
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    Storage: 8x2TB Hitachi @ DELL PERC 6/i RAID6 / 13TB Non-RAID Across 12 HDDs
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    Thanks all with the replies i would hopfully be having 4 people accessing it as i want it round the house.
    It will be mainly dvd rips that will be stored on it to save me getting the discs out.
    And now a stupid question what else is in a server that i am looking at building
    Thanks

  6. #6
    Senior Member specofdust's Avatar
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    I believe Mpeg2 is actually 12Mbps, so bear that in mind if you go wireless(some wireless routers get less then that at medium range, some more).

    Servers need lot's of HDD, hardly any CPU power, a good ammount of ram can be usefull, and that's about it. I wouldn't even bother with a CD drive.

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    YUKIKAZE arthurleung's Avatar
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    • arthurleung's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P5E (Rampage Formula 0902)
      • CPU:
      • Intel Core2Quad Q9550 3.6Ghz 1.2V
      • Memory:
      • A-Data DDR2-800 2x2GB CL4
      • Storage:
      • 4x1TB WD1000FYPS @ RAID5 3Ware 9500S-8 / 3x 1TB Samsung Ecogreen F2
      • Graphics card(s):
      • GeCube HD4870 512MB
      • PSU:
      • Corsair VX450
      • Case:
      • Antec P180
      • Operating System:
      • Windows Server 2008 Standard
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell Ultrasharp 2709W + 2001FP
      • Internet:
      • Be*Unlimited 20Mbps
    I would recommend a VIA EPIA board with onboard processor, 256-512m memory, 4x200G harddrive, using onboard lan would be good enough.

    If you don't need a lot of space, seriously a link station would be more than enough
    Workstation 1: Intel i7 950 @ 3.8Ghz / X58 / 12GB DDR3-1600 / HD4870 512MB / Antec P180
    Workstation 2: Intel C2Q Q9550 @ 3.6Ghz / X38 / 4GB DDR2-800 / 8400GS 512MB / Open Air
    Workstation 3: Intel Xeon X3350 @ 3.2Ghz / P35 / 4GB DDR2-800 / HD4770 512MB / Shuttle SP35P2
    HTPC: AMD Athlon X4 620 @ 2.6Ghz / 780G / 4GB DDR2-1000 / Antec Mini P180 White
    Mobile Workstation: Intel C2D T8300 @ 2.4Ghz / GM965 / 3GB DDR2-667 / DELL Inspiron 1525 / 6+6+9 Cell Battery

    Display (Monitor): DELL Ultrasharp 2709W + DELL Ultrasharp 2001FP
    Display (Projector): Epson TW-3500 1080p
    Speakers: Creative Megaworks THX550 5.1
    Headphones: Etymotic hf2 / Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro

    Storage: 8x2TB Hitachi @ DELL PERC 6/i RAID6 / 13TB Non-RAID Across 12 HDDs
    Consoles: PS3 Slim 120GB / Xbox 360 Arcade 20GB / PS2

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    Thanks for the help
    I have a spare Abit nf7-s and a mobile cpu would that do also with regards to ram i don't need anything fancy do i like low latency ?
    Thanks

  9. #9
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    Keep it wired and make sure you put at least 500GB in there to last you a bit of time.

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    a really nice RAID card for this kinda thing is the HTP1820A. It does a good RAID5 if you can live with the pitiful write performance, reading though your data rate will be network limited.

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    Civilian Nick F's Avatar
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    If all you are going to do is steam media to other pc's I doubt you will need Raid

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    hehehehe, having ripped all my DVD's to disk (just keeping them as a massive .vob file not even encoding them to mpeg4) I'm more thinkin' about what happens when a drive dies

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    Bigger than Jesus Norky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by StoneNewt
    hehehehe, having ripped all my DVD's to disk (just keeping them as a massive .vob file not even encoding them to mpeg4) I'm more thinkin' about what happens when a drive dies
    Rip them again...?

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    yeah lets rip 200 odd GB of mpeg2 AGAIN! no thanks I'll live with an overnight RAID rebuild

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    So i know i need 400\500gb storage would that be 4*100gb drives or 4*200gb drives?
    Thanks
    Robert

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    I'd go for 3x250GB RAID5

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