crashnburn
Regular Contributor
Multi-function DIY NAS w configurable selective Low Sleep/ Disk Spin down abilities?
Essentially I'd to build a low Power NAS. Especially, when it sleeps.
Functionality:
1) Primary Usage:
- NAS/ Media Server:
Primary Usage - Some selective ability to Sleep all Disks/ Drives that contain most of the MEDIA, until actually being used. Kind of like an extended functionality of WOL (Wake on LAN), Wake on Use.
Sleep/Wake on Use: MEDIA STORAGE Disks
2) Secondary Usage:
- Download / Torrent/ Seedbox:
Secondary Usage - Ability to keep awake selective disk(s) for Torrent Download and Seed purposes. Selectively keep awake or Sleep the DOWNLOADING/ SEEDING Disks.
Sometimes, I like to download things but don't want entire set of MEDIA DISKS to be awake & consuming power.
I only have a 2 MBps (150-200kb/s) (may upgrade to 4) downloads at Maximum capacity on Torrents. So, wont be needing some really high strength CPU. Prefer a CPU/ Board with Low Power profile.
3) Tertiary Usage:
- PXE Server:
This is not crucial but would be nice to have the ability to Network Boot of certain ISOs using a PXE Server.
Simple, Fast and Power Efficient NAS...?
Nas OS Comparison (unRaid, eon, Freenas,...)
Inching toward the NAS of our dreams
Wanted: Cheap giant bit barrel
The USB-drive time bomb
Having read the above discussion I'd like to know thoughts on the following:
1. What kind of CPU/ Motherboard combination would be good for the above scenario? Assuming I will be adding storage as I can buy more.
2. Box/Case Profiles: (Not critical)
3. Operating System / File System / Add-on Apps/Utlities Combination for Controlling and Automating Wake/Sleep for different HDD/ Disk Groups (MOST CRITCAL THOUGHTS):
A) Ability to Segregate the Disks in Groups and apply varying POWER PROFILES to them (Sleep/Awake/Power down).
WAKE/SLEEP them as needed using some Control Panel or Software/ Application / SCRIPTING/ Hack/Mod tools available on the given OS being used for the NAS.
1- MEDIA STORAGE DISKS: Sleep most of the time. Rare usage when watching/ streaming media or migrating media on/off it.
2- DOWNLOAD/ SEEDING DISKS: Sleep lesser than above MEDIA disks. Be used occasionally as Download/ Seeding space, staying AWAKE while letting the MEDIA STORAGE Disks sleep
3- PLAYGROUND:
PXE Server DISKS: Be able to WAKE/SLEEP them as needed.
Disks for Experimental Use/ Play with OSes (Rare case when I disconnect the A & B Disks and just play with new stuff on the box)
B) DATA RECOVERY & INTERNAL MIGRATION (File System Compatibility):
-I've had scenarios where HDDs have died on me so ability to read the file system independently of the Original NAS OS will help.
- There are times I am using an External USB HDD and once I have a bunch of the data organized I'd like to maybe just PLUG it INSIDE the NAS Box (via SATA/PATA) to MIGRATE some of the Data off the Disk to Storage on the NAS (Or maybe the opposite someday). This could bypass the bandwidth limitation of USB2.0/ lack of eSATA on some of my USB drives/ enclosures.
Typically, the External USB drives end up being NTFS/FAT32 so an OS / OS driver/ Plugin/ Mounter that has the ability to READ the "INSERTED" drive/ partition and copy the data would be great.
Essentially I'd to build a low Power NAS. Especially, when it sleeps.
Functionality:
1) Primary Usage:
- NAS/ Media Server:
Primary Usage - Some selective ability to Sleep all Disks/ Drives that contain most of the MEDIA, until actually being used. Kind of like an extended functionality of WOL (Wake on LAN), Wake on Use.
Sleep/Wake on Use: MEDIA STORAGE Disks
2) Secondary Usage:
- Download / Torrent/ Seedbox:
Secondary Usage - Ability to keep awake selective disk(s) for Torrent Download and Seed purposes. Selectively keep awake or Sleep the DOWNLOADING/ SEEDING Disks.
Sometimes, I like to download things but don't want entire set of MEDIA DISKS to be awake & consuming power.
I only have a 2 MBps (150-200kb/s) (may upgrade to 4) downloads at Maximum capacity on Torrents. So, wont be needing some really high strength CPU. Prefer a CPU/ Board with Low Power profile.
3) Tertiary Usage:
- PXE Server:
This is not crucial but would be nice to have the ability to Network Boot of certain ISOs using a PXE Server.
Simple, Fast and Power Efficient NAS...?
Nas OS Comparison (unRaid, eon, Freenas,...)
Inching toward the NAS of our dreams
Wanted: Cheap giant bit barrel
The USB-drive time bomb
Having read the above discussion I'd like to know thoughts on the following:
1. What kind of CPU/ Motherboard combination would be good for the above scenario? Assuming I will be adding storage as I can buy more.
2. Box/Case Profiles: (Not critical)
3. Operating System / File System / Add-on Apps/Utlities Combination for Controlling and Automating Wake/Sleep for different HDD/ Disk Groups (MOST CRITCAL THOUGHTS):
A) Ability to Segregate the Disks in Groups and apply varying POWER PROFILES to them (Sleep/Awake/Power down).
WAKE/SLEEP them as needed using some Control Panel or Software/ Application / SCRIPTING/ Hack/Mod tools available on the given OS being used for the NAS.
1- MEDIA STORAGE DISKS: Sleep most of the time. Rare usage when watching/ streaming media or migrating media on/off it.
2- DOWNLOAD/ SEEDING DISKS: Sleep lesser than above MEDIA disks. Be used occasionally as Download/ Seeding space, staying AWAKE while letting the MEDIA STORAGE Disks sleep
3- PLAYGROUND:
PXE Server DISKS: Be able to WAKE/SLEEP them as needed.
Disks for Experimental Use/ Play with OSes (Rare case when I disconnect the A & B Disks and just play with new stuff on the box)
B) DATA RECOVERY & INTERNAL MIGRATION (File System Compatibility):
-I've had scenarios where HDDs have died on me so ability to read the file system independently of the Original NAS OS will help.
- There are times I am using an External USB HDD and once I have a bunch of the data organized I'd like to maybe just PLUG it INSIDE the NAS Box (via SATA/PATA) to MIGRATE some of the Data off the Disk to Storage on the NAS (Or maybe the opposite someday). This could bypass the bandwidth limitation of USB2.0/ lack of eSATA on some of my USB drives/ enclosures.
Typically, the External USB drives end up being NTFS/FAT32 so an OS / OS driver/ Plugin/ Mounter that has the ability to READ the "INSERTED" drive/ partition and copy the data would be great.
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