Interest Check: 5Disk RAID 5 SFF Computer

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PoW

Limp Gawd
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I am trying to judge how interested the [H] community is regarding a system I am considering to begin building and selling

IMG_1908.JPG


The RAID 5 SFF File Server will start at a base price of approx $1900. For this you will recieve all the parts mentioned below as well as a SATA hotswap bay (5 Slots} and a heatsink. I have listed additional options that can be added to the base price. I am very flexible and these serve as only recommended configurations. I am willing to work on a person by person basis.

The design is directed towards enthusiest users only. It is supposed to serve primarily as a RAID 5 file server and bittorrent download box with a flexible web interface. It will come with no software installed and all parts with the exception of the enclosure are under manufacturers warranty only. I am willing to install an OS of choice upon request. What this all means is if setup correctly, this system can be used not only as a fileserver for remote access but also a dedicated Bittorrent box with complete web interface based control.


Here are some of the configurations I recommend:

Case - Custom Enclosure
RAM - 512MB Samsung DDR400 (Add $80 Total 1GB Samsung DDR400)
CPU - Intel 2.4B Ghz Northwood 533MHz FSB (Add $60 2.8Ghz Northwood 533MHz FSB) (Add $90 3.06Ghz Northwood 533MHz FSB)
Harddisk - 5x WD WD2000JD 200Gb (Add $200 5x WD WD2500SD 250Gb) (Add $425 5x Maxtor 16Mb 300Gb) (Add $1500 5x Seagate 400Gb)
RAIDController - RAIDcore BC4852 (Add $250 3ware Escalade 8506 Series)
Network - 10/100 Included (Add $30 Low Profile Gigabit PCI)
MoBo - Freetech P8F154

Total: $1900

The question comes up, why so expensive and why dont you just sell the Custom Enclosure? Well the answer to both of these questions is that because it is a custom enclosure many very specific parts must be choosen based on size restrictions. Getting everything to fit properly is the top priority with performance concerns a close second. This also explains the cost.

I cannot say enough good things about this box, It can take the load of bittorrent off of your primary computer, It consumes a minimal amount of power, takes up little space, looks pretty slick, and you can manage your torrents (via torrentflux) and files (via ftp) remotely. A cardboard carrying case is included, I have packed mine up in this case and had used as a carry-on when flying. Not to many folks can say they have a fully functional RAID 5 1Tb file server as their carry on!

Of course it is not limited to these functions and can be used in nearly anyway you think of. If you are seriously interested please post your thoughts and/or send me a PM. I only plan on making a very small run of these as my time is limited with school these days.

Thanks for your support!
 
I have built off of mashie's wonderful original design, the uDat, www.mashie.org

This system is quite a bit different on the inside however.
 
If you're going for a professional solution, why not key the power switch alike to the drive rack?
 
None of the electronics suppliers I am aware of currently make such a thing unfortunantly. That would be an ideal setup however.
 
PoW said:
None of the electronics suppliers I am aware of currently make such a thing unfortunantly. That would be an ideal setup however.
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Find out where the drive rack manufacturers get theirs, as I'm certain you've seen that the barrel lock is simultaneously a physical lock and a power switch (i.e. the drives get no power until they're locked in). After that it's just a matter of matching product numbers (and possibly a little circuit to make it momentary).
 
IMO, Raid 5 is a bit useless for enthusiasts (who mostly care about overclocking their CPU and GPU as far as possible). However, these would do really nicely for servers. Is it possible to squeeze a dual sff opty rig in there?

And one more thing, would 5x 74 raptors make a difference in Raid5 vs 7200rpm drives?
 
The keys have one bump in them, so ya I do imagine they are the "generic" ones you speak of. Regarding the switch I think the one installed is fine.

5x74Gb raptors definitely would make a difference, however, the whole point of this box is to have a tremendous amount of storage available in a very small enclosure. That would eliminate the point to some extent.
 
Ok... so, why are you using Northwoods? Can't you use Penium-M, or AXP, or something?
 
If you are familar with the current mFATX offerings not much else exists!

I would much rather prefer a pentium M in there or something of that sort simply because of the lower power consumption and resulting lower heat output. However that isnt an option at this time. microATX boards are simply to large for this case, they would be hanging out the side by about an inch or so :p
 
Though i would not buy it I think you may find some interest. How much you'll find here I'm not quite sure.

It is a nice sized mini file server.
 
If you made a cheaper version, with, say just 2x300Gb drives in Raid0/1, I'd be able to afford it lol. $1900 for a fileserver is a bit too much. Sure, people who have fx-55 and a cutom three-stage cascade from Chilly1 would find this useful... but they are not many. In numerbs, that is. Also, if you sold the enclosure with the board and video card all by itself, that would be nice too.
 
If this box is meant to be used exclusively as a fileserver/bittorrent box, why do you even need a P4 in there? I may be inviting a few flames by saying this, but wouldn't a VIA mini-itx board be sufficient? You aren't doing a lot of number-crunching, you're basically just doing I/O. You would be able to still meet all the specifications you had listed (other than CPU and MB), would cut down on costs, possibly cut down on the size needed for the enclosure, and reduce your heat output by a whole lot. Since the EPIA boards have a PCI slot (that can handle two PCI cards with a riser), you could still add your Gbit Ethernet and RAID controller.

If customers want to use this box for gaming, they'll have to deal with crummy graphics anyway, so why is so much CPU needed?

I think you won't find a whole lot of customers on these forums (people here tend to build their own stuff), but if you find people with lots of money, lots of things to store, and insufficient time/skill to build their own box, you can make a nice wad of cash.
 
Teancum said:
If this box is meant to be used exclusively as a fileserver/bittorrent box, why do you even need a P4 in there? I may be inviting a few flames by saying this, but wouldn't a VIA mini-itx board be sufficient? You aren't doing a lot of number-crunching, you're basically just doing I/O. You would be able to still meet all the specifications you had listed (other than CPU and MB), would cut down on costs, possibly cut down on the size needed for the enclosure, and reduce your heat output by a whole lot. Since the EPIA boards have a PCI slot (that can handle two PCI cards with a riser), you could still add your Gbit Ethernet and RAID controller.

If customers want to use this box for gaming, they'll have to deal with crummy graphics anyway, so why is so much CPU needed?

I think you won't find a whole lot of customers on these forums (people here tend to build their own stuff), but if you find people with lots of money, lots of things to store, and insufficient time/skill to build their own box, you can make a nice wad of cash.
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I think the problem is the riser. Having to put the PCIs horizontally would significantly change the form factor of the case. So no EPIA.

However, the processor can probably be downgraded. A 1.2Ghz Celeron or a Pentium M would not be out of line.
 
Teancum said:
If this box is meant to be used exclusively as a fileserver/bittorrent box, why do you even need a P4 in there? I may be inviting a few flames by saying this, but wouldn't a VIA mini-itx board be sufficient? You aren't doing a lot of number-crunching, you're basically just doing I/O. You would be able to still meet all the specifications you had listed (other than CPU and MB), would cut down on costs, possibly cut down on the size needed for the enclosure, and reduce your heat output by a whole lot. Since the EPIA boards have a PCI slot (that can handle two PCI cards with a riser), you could still add your Gbit Ethernet and RAID controller.

If customers want to use this box for gaming, they'll have to deal with crummy graphics anyway, so why is so much CPU needed?

I think you won't find a whole lot of customers on these forums (people here tend to build their own stuff), but if you find people with lots of money, lots of things to store, and insufficient time/skill to build their own box, you can make a nice wad of cash.
Click to expand...
It is one major flaw with all EPIA boards, they can't handle a NIC in the PCI slot without crashing.

Btw, I intend to upgrade udat quite soon since you can get a nice Pentium M board with onboard GigE.
 
PoW check your pm
 
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