pcrossma
2005-08-18, 04:27 PM CDT
I'm about to reuse some old hardware to create a HUGE RAIDed storage server at home to get all my data I care about in one place and protected. The hardware I'm going to use is an old P3 500MHz system I have which has an A-Bit BE6 motherboard and 256 MB of RAM in it. If I don't have to replace the motherboard that would be great, but if I must, I must.
I'm planning on running FC3 or FC4 on this box using two 40GB IDE drives which will be software RAID1.
I will be purchasing 5 300GB Seagate SATA hard disks (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148064) to be housed in an AIC 5 bay hot swap disk chassis (http://www.excaliberpc.com/AIC_AC_5SATA_BR-SS35_HOT-SWAP_/partinfo-id-554126.html). I'll also be sliding a fan under the chassis in the 5.25" slot for additional cooling of the drives, and most likely another fan to draw in air at the bottom front of the case.
I'd like some recommendations on a good SATA RAID controller to use here. I was going to use the 3ware 9500S 8 port controller, but it's PCI64 and I don't think the A-Bit motherboard supports that. Can someone recommend a good SATA RAID controller that supports RAID 0/1/10/5/JBOD and has full, on the fly, hot swap drive support?
I also know that I'm going to need a new power supply to handle 7 disk drives, so I'll be replacing the 200W unit with 400W one. Will this fry my motherboard at all, or does it not matter?
I'm interested in people's thoughts on the scheme as a whole and thoughts on the SATA controller card. If you've actually done something like this, I'm very interested in your thoughts and comments on your experience. Hey, I'm interested in any thoughts on this at all. Comments on the components I'm planning on using, alternatives you might think are better, anything. The only components I'm really stuck on are the drives as the Seagate SATA drives are pretty quiet. I will be keeping the server in an unoccupied room, but I don't want to build a jet engine that I can hear thoughout the house.
Thanks,
Paul C.
I'm planning on running FC3 or FC4 on this box using two 40GB IDE drives which will be software RAID1.
I will be purchasing 5 300GB Seagate SATA hard disks (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148064) to be housed in an AIC 5 bay hot swap disk chassis (http://www.excaliberpc.com/AIC_AC_5SATA_BR-SS35_HOT-SWAP_/partinfo-id-554126.html). I'll also be sliding a fan under the chassis in the 5.25" slot for additional cooling of the drives, and most likely another fan to draw in air at the bottom front of the case.
I'd like some recommendations on a good SATA RAID controller to use here. I was going to use the 3ware 9500S 8 port controller, but it's PCI64 and I don't think the A-Bit motherboard supports that. Can someone recommend a good SATA RAID controller that supports RAID 0/1/10/5/JBOD and has full, on the fly, hot swap drive support?
I also know that I'm going to need a new power supply to handle 7 disk drives, so I'll be replacing the 200W unit with 400W one. Will this fry my motherboard at all, or does it not matter?
I'm interested in people's thoughts on the scheme as a whole and thoughts on the SATA controller card. If you've actually done something like this, I'm very interested in your thoughts and comments on your experience. Hey, I'm interested in any thoughts on this at all. Comments on the components I'm planning on using, alternatives you might think are better, anything. The only components I'm really stuck on are the drives as the Seagate SATA drives are pretty quiet. I will be keeping the server in an unoccupied room, but I don't want to build a jet engine that I can hear thoughout the house.
Thanks,
Paul C.