Very low power Linux Home Server

[syncmaster]

I have the following idea for a very low power Linux server:

MB: Intel D945GSEJT - Totally passive and with an average 10W consumption
Mem: 2Gb SODIMM
Data Disk: WD Green series 1.5T or 2T

Now the issue is that this motherboard has only two sata ports, so not really an option for building a large NAS, but my idea is only to run my own mail server and rsync backups.

So, I still have one Sata port available AND one IDE connector.

I can buy an 8GB IDE 40pin disk on a module by around 55$/45€ and use the IDE port. According the reputable site ebay -) ) the module can read at 45MBps and write at 13Mbps. This would be used for the Linux OS and nothing else. So the Sata ports are total free for large, spinning data disks that I can, I hope, spin down, while the OS is on "static" media.

Otherwise I could go to the smallest SSD possible (and cheaper) available of 30GB of around 90€/130$, but I have a lot of space that I would probably use...

Another solution is an to go to an SDHC to IDE converter but I have no idea of what kind of speeds I would get from this.

So my questions are:

Any users out there with the DOM modules that have any feedback/hints?
Any users out there with sdhc to ide converts that can give some feedback/hints, namely what kind of speeds are possible with this solution?

 

[Hydaral]

I have a cheap CF to IDE converter, it was extremely slow, around 100 kB/s for sustained reads so I used USB flash drives instead.

If you are going to use an SDHC converter, I suggest you buy if from a reputable source that can support speed claims with actual tests.

 

[UrbanVoyeur]

I've been using a 16 GB Kingston SATA SSD. It's about $60 US. It's fater than a DOM.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820139428

There is also an 8GB version.

 

[syncmaster]

Thanks for the input.

For the price of the DOM I would go to a small SSD. In the US it's way cheaper than in Europe.