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My Rackmount Server


Christopher (Drashna)

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To get this started apparently:

 

My server was kind of piecemeal constructed.

 

 

I recently purchased a 42U HP Rack from a local company (via Craigslist), for super cheap ($50, so literally couldn't pass it up)

 

Sophos UTM (Home): 

Case: Antec ISK 110 VESA case,

Mobo (SoC): ASRock RACK J1900D2Y

RAM: 4GB of non-ECC RAM

OS Drive: Samsung 850 Pro 120GB SSD 

 

 

Storage Server:

Case: SuperMicro 847E26-R1K28LPB

OS: Windows Server 2012R2 Essentials

CPU: AMD FX-8120  Intel Xeon E3 1245v3 (link)

MoBo: ASRock 990FX Extreme3  Supermicro MBD-X10SAT-O (link)

RAM: 2x8GB Crucial ECC

GFX: nVidia geForce 9400  Intel HD 4600 (on processor GFX)

PSU: Built in, 2x redundant power supplies (1280W 80+ Gold) 

OS Drive: Crucial MX200 256GB SSD

Storage Pool: 146TB:  4x 4TB (Seagate NAS ST4000VN000) + 8x 4TB (WD40EFRX) + 12x 8TB Seagate Archive (ST8000AS0002), 2x 8TB Seagate  Barracudas (ST8000DM004), 2x 128GB OCZ Vertex 4s

Misc Storage: 500GB, used for temp files (downloads)

HDD Controller card: IBM ServeRAID M1015, cross flashed to "IR Mode" (RAID options, used to pass through disks only), plus an Intel SAS Expander card 

USB: 2TB Seagate Backup Plus for Server Backup (system drive, and system files) using a WD Green EARS 

 

 

NVR (Network Video Record, aka IP camera box) via BlueIris:

Case: Norco ITX-S4 

OS: Windows 10

CPU: Intel Core i3-4130T

MoBo: ASRock Rack E3C226D2I 

RAM: 2x8GB G.Skill 

GFX: ASPEED 2300

PSU: 450W 1U 

OS Drive: 128GB SSD, Crucial M550

Storage Pool: 2x4TB Toshiba HDD

 

HyperV VM Lab:

Case: Supermicro SYS-6016T-NTF (1U case) 

OS: HyperV Server 2012R2

CPU: Intel Xeon 5560  (x2, hyperthreading disabled)

MoBo: Supermicro X8DTU 

RAM: 64GBs (8x8GB) Hynix Registered ECC (DDR3-1333)

GFX: ASPEED 2300

PSU: 560W 1U 

OS Drive: 160GB HDD 

Storage: 500GB Crucial MX200 SSD, using Data Deduplication for VMs

 

 

Emby Server: 

Case: Unknown (1U case) 

OS: Windows 10 Pro x64

CPU: Dual Intel Xeon x5660's (hardware fairy swung by)

MoBo: Supermicro X8DTi 

RAM: 20GB (5x4GB) Samsung Registered ECC

GFX: Matrox (Onboard)

PSU: 560W 1U 

OS Drive: 64GB SSD,

Storage: 128GB  (cache, metadata, transcoding temp) 

 

 

Netgear GS724T Smart Switch

24 port, Gigabit, Managed Switch (one port is burned out already, but it was used). 

 

 

Dell 17" keyboard and monitor tray (used, damaged, propped up). 

 

Images here: http://imgur.com/a/WRhZf

 

 

8zIjiOu.jpg

Here is my network hardware.  Not a great image, but that's the 24 port, managed switch, a punchout block, waaay too long cables, cable modem and Sophos UTM box.

 

D2ipgDU.jpg

Misc drawers and unused spares. 

 

uCBdIWA.jpg

 

And my servers. HyperV system in the 1U, and my storage server in the 4U. And the Cyberpower UPS at the bottom. 

 

What you don't see is the NVR box, as it's been having issues, and I've been troubleshooting those issues. 

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Ok, a little late to the party but better late than never ;)

As it stands:

Main File/Media Server

Case: Chenbro RM42416

OS: Windows Server 2016 Standard (with Essentials role)

CPU: Intel i5 2405S

Mobo: Intel DQ67OW

RAM: 4 x 4GB

GFX: On CPU

PSU: Generic 750W ATX

OS Drive: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB

Storage Pool: Pool 1 - 2TB (2 x 1TB), Pool 2 - 25TB (4 x 1TB, 9 x 2TB, 1 x 3TB) - mixture of HP, Seagate and Samsung drives. (yes, I am phasing out the Seagates :D)

Misc Storage: 500GB temp download drive, 60GB app data SSD, 500GB backup drive.

HDD Controller: Dell H310 (flashed to non-RAID SAS HBA) plus Intel RES2SV240 Expander

ESXi Server (new acquisition - still tinkering ;))

HP DL380 G6

OS: ESXi 6.0 (HP custom image)

CPU: 2 x Xeon L5520 (quad core) 

RAM: 140GB ECC DDR3

2 x 750W Redundant PSU

3 x 72GB + 3 x 300GB SAS drives (2 RAID5 arrays)

Network Switch

Netgear GS724T v3

UPS

APC SmartUPS SMT1000RMI2U

 

Ultimate plan is to make the main file/media server into purely a file server and virtualize the domain controller, media server etc. onto the ESXi host as separate machines (just for the fun of it)

 

Rack.jpg

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Wow yall got awesome setups!

I don't have a rack, nor do I want the sound of the rack servers.

what I have started using was a Lenovo ThinkStation Towers - dual xeon - 16 slots for memory!!!!! and now Lenovo P700 and P710's.

they are all quiet and can be pumped up on drives and ram and dual xeon's

ESXI 6.7 Machine 1 - 2x Xeon E5-2620 v4 @ 2.10GHz  - 64gb ram
ESXI 6.7 Machine 2 - 2x Xeon E5-2620 v0 @ 2.0GHZ - 128 GB Ram
ESXI 6.7 Machine 3 -
2x Xeon E5-2620 v4 @ 2.10GHz  - 64gb ram
FreeNAS 11.1 - 1x Xeon E5-2620 V3 - 24gb ram - 6x 2tb wd black (yeah I know reds not back but ive got them and they work.. hah)

Server 2016 / stablebit drive pool - HP Z420 - OS-128gb SSD / pool - 3x 2tb wd black + 2x 4tb wd black + 512gb ssd crucial for SSD Optimizer

Server 2016 is getting ready to gain 2 ( 6x2.5" hot swap bays) and filled with 12x 512gb crucial ssd running off 2x HP 220 SAS controllers

 

Network... this is a beauty.. ive got $75 into..

HP Procurve 6400CL - 6 port CX4 port 10gb switch
5x ConnectX-1 CX4 port 10gb NIC running HP FW 2.8
1x ConnectX-2 CX4 port 10gb NIC running Mellanox custom forced 2.10.xxxx fw!!!!! just got it and toying...

I get that people say cx4 ports are old and dead but for $75 to be fully up for me is just the right price...

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On 2/4/2019 at 2:01 PM, TeleFragger said:

Wow yall got awesome setups!

I don't have a rack, nor do I want the sound of the rack servers.

what I have started using was a Lenovo ThinkStation Towers - dual xeon - 16 slots for memory!!!!! and now Lenovo P700 and P710's.

they are all quiet and can be pumped up on drives and ram and dual xeon's

ESXI 6.7 Machine 1 - 2x Xeon E5-2620 v4 @ 2.10GHz  - 64gb ram
ESXI 6.7 Machine 2 - 2x Xeon E5-2620 v0 @ 2.0GHZ - 128 GB Ram
ESXI 6.7 Machine 3 -
2x Xeon E5-2620 v4 @ 2.10GHz  - 64gb ram
FreeNAS 11.1 - 1x Xeon E5-2620 V3 - 24gb ram - 6x 2tb wd black (yeah I know reds not back but ive got them and they work.. hah)

Server 2016 / stablebit drive pool - HP Z420 - OS-128gb SSD / pool - 3x 2tb wd black + 2x 4tb wd black + 512gb ssd crucial for SSD Optimizer

Server 2016 is getting ready to gain 2 ( 6x2.5" hot swap bays) and filled with 12x 512gb crucial ssd running off 2x HP 220 SAS controllers

 

Network... this is a beauty.. ive got $75 into..

HP Procurve 6400CL - 6 port CX4 port 10gb switch
5x ConnectX-1 CX4 port 10gb NIC running HP FW 2.8
1x ConnectX-2 CX4 port 10gb NIC running Mellanox custom forced 2.10.xxxx fw!!!!! just got it and toying...

I get that people say cx4 ports are old and dead but for $75 to be fully up for me is just the right price...

 

ok so I am redoing everything and shuffling stuff around. what has stayed is ...

Network... this is a beauty.. 
ive got $75 into..

HP Procurve 6400CL - 6 port CX4 port 10gb switch
5x ConnectX-1 CX4 port 10gb NIC running force fw to 2.9.1000 
ConnectX-2 CX4 port 10gb NIC running Mellanox custom forced 2.10.xxxx fw!!!!! just got it and toying...I get that people say cx4 ports are old and dead but for $75 to be fully up for me is just the right price...

then the hardware/software...

 

Case: Antec 900 

OS: Server 2019 Standard (Essentials role is gone.. im sad)

CPU: Intel i5-6600k

MoBo: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI 

RAM: 4x8gb ddr4 

GFX: Onboard Intel HD 530

PSU: Corsair HX 620W 

OS Drive: 128GB SSD, Samsung

Storage Controllers: 2x HP H220 SAS controllers flashed to current fw

Hot Swap Cages: ICY DOCK 6 x 2.5" SATA /SAS HDD/SSD Hot Swap 

Storage Pool1: SSD

Storage Pool2: Sata with 500GB SSD Cache

 

pics are garbage and I haven't moved it into my utility room...

 

 

SSD_Pool.png

SataPool.png

2k19.png

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On 2/22/2019 at 3:46 PM, TeleFragger said:

 

ok so I am redoing everything and shuffling stuff around. what has stayed is ...


Network... this is a beauty.. 
ive got $75 into..

HP Procurve 6400CL - 6 port CX4 port 10gb switch
5x ConnectX-1 CX4 port 10gb NIC running force fw to 2.9.1000 
ConnectX-2 CX4 port 10gb NIC running Mellanox custom forced 2.10.xxxx fw!!!!! just got it and toying...I get that people say cx4 ports are old and dead but for $75 to be fully up for me is just the right price...

then the hardware/software...

 

Case: Antec 900 

OS: Server 2019 Standard (Essentials role is gone.. im sad)

CPU: Intel i5-6600k

MoBo: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI 

RAM: 4x8gb ddr4 

GFX: Onboard Intel HD 530

PSU: Corsair HX 620W 

OS Drive: 128GB SSD, Samsung

Storage Controllers: 2x HP H220 SAS controllers flashed to current fw

Hot Swap Cages: ICY DOCK 6 x 2.5" SATA /SAS HDD/SSD Hot Swap 

Storage Pool1: SSD

Storage Pool2: Sata with 500GB SSD Cache

 

pics are garbage and I haven't moved it into my utility room...

 

 

SSD_Pool.png

SataPool.png

2k19.png

 

 

update to my setup...

Case: Antec 900     Corsair 750D with 6x3 bay cages

OS: Server 2019 Standard (Essentials role is gone.. im sad)

CPU: Intel i5-6600k

MoBo: Gigabyte GA-Z170XP-SLI 

RAM: 4x8gb ddr4 

GFX: Onboard Intel HD 530

PSU: Corsair HX 620W 

OS Drive: 128GB SSD, Samsung

Storage Controllers: 2x HP H220 SAS controllers flashed to current fw     Dell 5100 8i HBA / H220 36i HBA

Hot Swap Cages: ICY DOCK 6 x 2.5" SATA /SAS HDD/SSD Hot Swap x 3

Storage Pool1: SSD

Storage Pool2: Sata with 500GB SSD 256gb NVME Cache

So...

  •  15x 2tb SATA
  •  3x 4tb SATA
  •  256gb NVME Cache
  •  1x 120gb Samsung SSD - OS
  •  21x 500gb ssd

all quiet, compact, 10gb network.....

48881010572_d7fe975cde_b.jpgCorsair 750d with 6x3 bay cages by Jeffrey Riggs, on Flickr

48881010422_d60acf778a_b.jpgIcy Dock 3x - 6x2.5" hot swap by Jeffrey Riggs, on Flickr

48881010212_b1b5a1f0d1_b.jpgSSD Pool by Jeffrey Riggs, on Flickr

48881010187_358a797a46_b.jpgSATA Pool - NVME Cache by Jeffrey Riggs, on Flickr

 

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1 hour ago, Umfriend said:

Yeah, WS2019 missing the Essentials role sucks. I'm running WSE2016 and I have no way forward so this will be what I am running until the end of days probably.... :(

But wow, nice setup!

With the HBA card, can you get the HDDs to spin down? I tried with my Dell H310 (some 9210 variant IIRC) but no luck.

 

 

dunno if I can get them to spin down... I was going to go with an hpa expansion card that only used Molex for power so I could save a pci-e slot but they are all 6gb cards... or add ins...

this baby is 12gb!!!! so figured, why not.. actually.. I got it for $160 when others were $200... took a chance on one a guy was selling on ebay.. works like a champ!!!!

 

drive spin down.. I don't use that.. as I store all my plex movies/shows here too... 

 

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My Server:

Case: Chenbro 48 bay NR-40700

OS: Windows 10 Professional

CPU: Intel Xeon X5675 x2

MoBo: Intel S5520HC

Fans: 6x Noctua NF-A12x25

RAM: 3 Micron 2GB PC3-10700, 3 Micron 8GB PC3-12800 (36GB total)

GFX: NVidia 1050

PSU: 3x redundant power supplies

OS Drive: 2x Samsung 830 128GB in RAID-1

Storage Pool: 270TB:  11x Seagate NAS 3TB (ST3000VN), 1x Seagate Barracuda 3TB (ST3000DM)*, 20x Seagate Ironwolf 10TB (ST10000VN), 2 Seagate Exos x16 14TB (ST14000NM), 1 WD 6TB Red (WDCWD60EFR)

HDD Controller card:  LSI MegaRAID SAS 9280-16i4e

*The single Seagate ST3000DM is the only drive surviving from the original 12 ST3000DM's I had.  As they died, I replaced them with the ST3000VN's.  The ST3000DM is the worst drive ever.  Each died within 2 years, many in the first year.  One died in the first year, and the replacement died within the first 12 months of the original drive, after that, I didn't even bother RMAing them.

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On 2/17/2018 at 2:54 PM, KingfisherUK said:

Ok, a little late to the party but better late than never ;)

As it stands:

Main File/Media Server

Case: Chenbro RM42416

OS: Windows Server 2016 Standard (with Essentials role)

CPU: Intel i5 2405S

Mobo: Intel DQ67OW

RAM: 4 x 4GB

GFX: On CPU

PSU: Generic 750W ATX

OS Drive: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB

Storage Pool: Pool 1 - 2TB (2 x 1TB), Pool 2 - 25TB (4 x 1TB, 9 x 2TB, 1 x 3TB) - mixture of HP, Seagate and Samsung drives. (yes, I am phasing out the Seagates :D)

Misc Storage: 500GB temp download drive, 60GB app data SSD, 500GB backup drive.

HDD Controller: Dell H310 (flashed to non-RAID SAS HBA) plus Intel RES2SV240 Expander

ESXi Server (new acquisition - still tinkering ;))

HP DL380 G6

OS: ESXi 6.0 (HP custom image)

CPU: 2 x Xeon L5520 (quad core) 

RAM: 140GB ECC DDR3

2 x 750W Redundant PSU

3 x 72GB + 3 x 300GB SAS drives (2 RAID5 arrays)

Network Switch

Netgear GS724T v3

UPS

APC SmartUPS SMT1000RMI2U

 

Ultimate plan is to make the main file/media server into purely a file server and virtualize the domain controller, media server etc. onto the ESXi host as separate machines (just for the fun of it)

So, nearly two and a half years down the line and a few small changes have been made:

Main ESXi/Storage Server

Case: LogicCase SC-4324S

OS: VMWare ESXi 6.7

CPU: Xeon E5-2650L v2 (deca-core)

Mobo: Supermicro X9SRL-F

RAM: 96GB (6 x 16GB) ECC RAM

GFX: Onboard Matrox (+ Nvidia Quadro P400 passed through to Media Server VM for hardware encode/decode)

LAN: Quad-port Gigabit PCIe NIC + dual on-board Gigabit NIC

PSU: Corsair CX650

OS Drive: 16GB USB Stick

IBM M5015 SAS RAID Controller with 4 x Seagate Ironwolf 1TB RAID5 array for ESXi datastores (Bays 1-4)

Dell H310 (IT Mode - passed through to Windows VM) + Intel RES2SV240 Expander for Drivepool drives (Bays 5-24)

Onboard SATA Controller with 240GB SSD (passed through to Media Server VM)

 

ESXi Server (test & tinker box)

HP DL380 G6

OS: VMWare ESXi 6.5 (custom HP image)

CPU: 2 x Xeon L5520 (quad core) 

RAM: 44GB ECC DDR3

2 x 750W Redundant PSU

3 x 72GB + 3 x 300GB SAS drives (2 RAID5 arrays)

 

Network Switch

TP-Link SG-1016D 16-port Gigabit switch

 

UPS

APC SmartUPS SMT1000RMI2U

 

Storage pools on the Windows storage VM now total 34TB (mixture of 1,2 and 4TB drives) and still got 6 bays free in the new 24 bay chassis for future expansion.

There's always room for more tinkering and expansion but no more servers unless I get a bigger rack!

IMG_20200610_155131.jpg

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