Low power Server

[ChRoNo16]

Considering doing another server build for my home. But I need help.

I need to make this thing as power friendly as possible, but at the same time I also need to get as much disk storage space as possible without spending a buttload.

Machine size is not an issue, I have a fullsize rack, So who has ideas?I was thinking either an older Socket 775 intel board, or a 478 intel board.


Now the rest is up to ideas from the rest of you!

 

[Blue Fox]

You need to actually provide some details or specifics if you want some help.

 

[ChRoNo16]

I need to build a storage server (Movies, music, etc) around ~10TB worth of space. I need to do this as cheeply as possible, with decent cooling, low power consumption and I dont particularly care if it's raid or not. Thats basically what I am looking to do.

 

[Blue Fox]

Here's an example of a decent setup I suggested for someone a few weeks ago: http://hardforum.com/showpost.php?p=1036871747&postcount=8

If you want low power, socket 478 and 775 systems should be completely avoided.

 

[poloser]

HP microserver with four 3Tb drives.

 

[Sparkyy]

I agree with the 478 socket but I am currently running a Core2Duo 775 2GHz with a MicroATX Gigabyte board and 2gb ram and it pulls down around 36 watts with 1 drive attached. YMMV

Actually wanting to build another box with similar specs for my server.

 

[ChRoNo16]

Ended up for now going with a quad core xeon, 8 gigs of ddr3. Was simple just spare parts laying around. Idk how much it draws, but it will have to work for now. Thanks for the input

 

[Red Falcon]

I need to build a storage server (Movies, music, etc) around ~10TB worth of space. I need to do this as cheeply as possible, with decent cooling, low power consumption and I dont particularly care if it's raid or not. Thats basically what I am looking to do.

If this is what you want, you need to go for an Atom-class mobo with SO-DIMM memory.

It's low-cost and very low power/heat output.

 

[Red Falcon]

Ended up for now going with a quad core xeon, 8 gigs of ddr3. Was simple just spare parts laying around. Idk how much it draws, but it will have to work for now. Thanks for the input

Well that's not exactly low-power friendly, but good luck.

 

[Deathskythee]

netbook plus external hd enclosure

 

[Red Falcon]

lol, well that would be very low power.

 

[SadTelevision8558]

An i3 processor idles ridiculously low. In fact any of the SB processors idle EXTREMELY low.

I have an i3-2100 AND an i5-2400. I swapped them out and tested. During boot the i5 will heat up more because 4 cores get used as boot is more intensive, but during idle? I'm down to 70W with 7 drives fully spinning, dvd drive, and 5 fans on. Both the i5 and i3 idle at the same wattage roughly. I can easily optimize by unplugging a few fans (who needs 5 fans in a NAS right?) and working on drive spindown.

Toms did coverage of the old i3 530 vs an Atom processor. The idle wattage difference was 2 watts... like 28 vs 30w. Now he's obviously running a far more bare bones system than I am, so this goes to show that an i3 is just as capable of idling as an Atom.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/d510mo-intel-atom,2616-11.html

 

[Red Falcon]

I never realized the Core i3 processors idled so low. That's really impressive, I might have to try that for myself.

 

[Red Squirrel]

checkout the supermicro Atom boards.

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Produc...&cm_re=supermicro_atom-_-16-101-332-_-Product
(that's a system, but you can get the boards separately I think)

For a storage server you don't really need THAT much power especially if it's just archival and streaming, and not heavy DB stuff.

I have one of those little 1U servers and I'd buy another if needed. Very nice for the price. I had mine do large raid 5 builds with 56 drives, and it ran fine durring that process.

 

[Jesse B]

i3 will idle very low as mentioned.
Atom or Zacate will also use very little power, but will lack processing power if you should so need it.

I would go the i3 path personally.