Need Help building a MyMovies3 server with RAID

N

NO1B4ME

Weaksauce
Joined
Sep 19, 2006
Messages
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I am trying to build a storage server for a mymovies3 server. I have been gathering hardware and bought alot of things soo far and need to see what is the best way to share the data to the other pc's. At this time I am using 4x 2TB drives on an Asus P6 Deluxe with a Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 at this time using it to plug the 4 WD drives on. I am trying to figure out what kind of raid card to use to run some of these drives in a raid array.

I currently have 20x 2TB WD20EADS drives along with a slew of other drives.


My pc's in use right now with Mymovies are:

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Server PC serving Mymovies to clients
MOBO: Asus P5Q Deluxe
CPU: Q9550
RAM: 4GB DDR2
HD for OS: 2x Seagate Barracuda 7200.12 500GB in Raid0 on Intel Matrix
HD for Movies or Data: Currenllty 2 HItachi 2TB and 2 WD20EADS
Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 connecting the 4 drives for MyMovies
OS: Win 7
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The workstation:
MOBO: Asus P6 SE
CPU: I7-920
RAM: 6GB DDR3
HD: Intel 80GB SSD
2x2TB Hitachi 7200RPM HD's for movies
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Client PC in Main Room:
MOBO: Intel BOXDH57JG
CPU: I3-530
RAM: 4GB DDR3 Corsair
HD: Intel 80GB SSD
HD: 2TB WD20EADS
OS: WIn 7
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Client PC in Master Bed Room:
MOBO: Intel BOXDH57JG
CPU: I3-530
RAM: 4GB DDR3 Corsair
HD: Intel 80GB SSD
HD: 2TB WD20EADS
OS: WIn 7
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1.Will this be the hosting the client service as well?
2.Are any extenders involved?
3.Is physical size an issue?
4.Are you looking for data protection, or data protection with some performance gain?
 
Are you looking for backup or data uptime?
What other parts do you have on hand?
 
Since MyMovies is only a metadata service and Media Center front end, I assume you're talking about storing the movies rips themselves. WHS seems the logical solution. You don't need the speed benefit of RAID for serving up movies, even Bluray. And are you really after redundency for movies that you also own the physical media for (I'm assuming)? I've got MyMovies running on my WHS and use it as a front end for W& Media Center of computers at each of my TV's. Couldn't be happier with it. And no rebuild time or anything with a RAID array to worry about.
 
epimetheus said:
Since MyMovies is only a metadata service and Media Center front end, I assume you're talking about storing the movies rips themselves. WHS seems the logical solution. You don't need the speed benefit of RAID for serving up movies, even Bluray. And are you really after redundency for movies that you also own the physical media for (I'm assuming)? I've got MyMovies running on my WHS and use it as a front end for W& Media Center of computers at each of my TV's. Couldn't be happier with it. And no rebuild time or anything with a RAID array to worry about.
Click to expand...

Yes I own all of my Blurays. I want to store them on like 16TB's too start and go from their. I tried WHS and it sucks IMO. I could only get transfer speeds of 15-20MB over my gigabit network. I get 4x that on WIn 7 64 bit. I own the movies but ripping 400-500 blurays and 1200 dvd's again is a PITA.


The only downfall to WHS is that it needs double the space for a backup solution and that is where Raid shines. My problem is I do not have first hand experience with an Areca or an Adaptec card that costs between $1000-$2000 per say. I do not mind spending on one but do not want to buy things 2-3x before I end up with t he correct hardware.
 
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I think your slow transfers on WHS were due to something besides the os, I don't think I've ever seen mine drop below 60 MB/s with proper hardware even my 60 is slow.

I thought all back up solutions required double the space... since a back up solution is a copy of the file in another drive be it in close by or off site, but I guess that's why RAID is NOT a back up...


I totally get you tho, I've gone through the same (obviously not the huge amount of storage you have) thought processes for storage of media. Hardware RAID always looks so appealing, I've wanted to setup that kind of file server so many times.

On the other hand, I visit this forum very often... I can't imagine how many posts about raid arrays failing without back-ups I've seen, cause it would suck to rip1500+ movies again ;-)



I personally am trying to look into FreeNAS or the recent thread which I'm hoping goes well FreeBSD with a gui for NAS uses. You needing windows only kinda kills that tho which is unfortunate.
 
I concur on the transfer speed issues, I can easily pull 70-80 MB/s on network transfers.

Are you using the onboard NICs on the server? What kind of switch are you using?
 
geiger said:
I concur on the transfer speed issues, I can easily pull 70-80 MB/s on network transfers.

Are you using the onboard NICs on the server? What kind of switch are you using?
Click to expand...

Nope I am using an Intel dual port GT1000. I know it is not the card as in WIndows 7 I am seeing 80MB sec copying over my gigabit network. The same hardware is running WIn 7 and is able to transfer a bluray to the mini-itx client from 80MB to 60MB.
 
NO1B4ME said:
The only downfall to WHS is that it needs double the space for a backup solution and that is where Raid shines. My problem is I do not have first hand experience with an Areca or an Adaptec card that costs between $1000-$2000 per say. I do not mind spending on one but do not want to buy things 2-3x before I end up with t he correct hardware.
Click to expand...

Actually, your other problem is that you think RAID is a backup. RAID only guarantees uptime. It does not protect against malacious or accidental deletion, corruption, or modification of data. As such, RAID by itself is not backup.

Now what PSU do you have for the server PC?

So far what I'm thinking of is an Areca 1680i, Adaptec 5085, or Adaptec 5805 card combined with the HP SAS Expander.
 
Danny Bui said:
Actually, your other problem is that you think RAID is a backup. RAID only guarantees uptime. It does not protect against malacious or accidental deletion, corruption, or modification of data. As such, RAID by itself is not backup.

Now what PSU do you have for the server PC?

So far what I'm thinking of is an Areca 1680i, Adaptec 5085, or Adaptec 5805 card combined with the HP SAS Expander.
Click to expand...


I am not saying that Raid is a backup solution. But it is better than nothing. I have been researching the Areca with the SAS Expander and have been thinking of going that route using Raid6. I have no expereince in this area though.
 
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