Tight budget Off-Site build

TrueNAS General
,
1

Hi there :slight_smile:

I would just like the community’s input on the following hardware. The build is supposed to be as cheap as possible as I´m not running any critical data through it. I already have a TrueNAS system running at home (which also is more-or-less just for fun, no critical data on it) and am looking to build a second system for off-site backup and remote thinkering. I like to work mostly with the network/connectivity aspects as a hobby so high performance is not a priority. The remote location has a wired 500mbps DOWN and 250mbps UP link.

I´d like to run 5x SSD or HDD (not decided yet) to stress test the file system with randomly removing drives, swapping them for others, rearangeing them, having them read out on another system to simulate hardware failure and so on…

anyways heres the build so far:

Motherboard: Biostar A68N-2100K (50€)

  • AMD E1-6010, 1.35GHz, 1MB Cache
  • 2x DDR3 DIMM
  • 1x PCIe 2.0 x16 (x4)
  • 1x RJ-45 1Gb LAN

PSU: LC-Power LC300SFX (35€)

  • 300W non-modular PSU
  • SFX form factor, I´ll print an adapter

RAM: Generic 8GB Module (30€)

  • 2x for a total of 16GB which is the motherboard maximum
  • DDR3-1333 DIMM CL9

Case: Generic Mini-ITX Case (42€)

Drives: 128GB SSD (70€)

  • 7x in total, 5 for the storage pool and 2 for boot drives
  • the storage capacity is really not a concern as i mainly just want to thinker with TrueNAS

Various: Shipping & Consumables (45€)

This should bring the total to around 275€. If someone has suggestions on other components, my budget for the build is around 300-330€

Looking forward to your comments :slight_smile:

edit: forgot to add the PCIe → SATA hub somethere in the mix :stuck_out_tongue:

2

Make sure you buy an LSI-based HBA for the PCIe->SATA hub.

2 Likes
3

I really think you can find way better motherboard also searching in consumer grade components, because your choice have 1 slot pciex but you will need for sure an hba (not a cheap SATA controller) due to the only 2 sata available, plus a dedicated intel nic, due to the realtek integrated one is not well compatible with TN.
Also, don’t waste an SSD for mirror the boot pool but instead setup the joes multi report for automatic config backup.

4

can i ask what u mean by that? any thread i can read up on this in more detail? whats the benefit of this vs. redundant boot drive? (again i don´t really need any redundancy, i just like to test and play around with it)

thanks :slight_smile:

5

That’s what I mean. This awesome resource help you to monitor drive too, Is a must have.
IMHO have redundancy on boot pool have sense in case

  • phisycally change disk Is hard
  • need less down time as possible

In other case, if the boot pool single drive fail

  • you replace It
  • fresh install
  • config upload

And you are online in 15-20 min (for home use case normally Is not a problem).
For avoid any problem, i have a spare disk to use in case of need (small SSD are cheap, 64gb ~5€)

1 Like
6

A cheap NAS build in Europe, with 1G networking?
What about Embedded EPYC for 60E?

Be sure to read this thread to understand where you’d be going (one M.2 but an almost unsuable x8 connector, I/O shield to be 3D-printed, and link to the SFF-8454 4i to SATA breakout cable you need to have 8 SATA). But you may well end up with IPMI, 32-64 GB of genuine ECC RAM (DDR4-2133 RDIMM)… and some change on your budget.

2 Likes
7

ooh very intresting board, thank you, will definitely read into it! As for DIY´ing the case or I/O shields: might even be fun :slight_smile: