creating my own NAS... hardware recommendation?

Hi,

I'm looking for guides to create my own (home made) NAS server.
I want to create a SATA based system.
I prefer a RAID 10 or RAID 0+1 configuration (for maximum performance)
I'll store databases; small datawarehouses databases (4gb) for test and dev
purpose, not production usage. 5 to 8 users maxi

upgrading my current DB server is another option but the price by Gb is not
attractive.

what hardware do you recommand?
what are the important items in this type of computer?
certainly the network card, but what about the memory ? disk controller,
processor etc...

Thanks.

Jerome

I'm having good results with a Promise FastTrack TX4200 SATA RAID card.
Using WD Raptor drives, one of the few today that support all the command
queing options (of which I forget the technical specs). I'm running one now
in RAID 10, it's been flawless so far. I have not had to rebuild the set or
anything, that would be the big test. But, I read only good things about it
before buying.

I'm also using ASUS P4P800C Deluxe mainboards, with a Promise FastTrack 378
on board, for mirroring. Works great for mirroring the operating system
drives.
I've got both running on one server - the 4200 for the network file storage,
and the O/S on the mirror set. I'm so happy with it all.

"Jéjé" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm looking for guides to create my own (home made) NAS server.
> I want to create a SATA based system.
> I prefer a RAID 10 or RAID 0+1 configuration (for maximum performance)
> I'll store databases; small datawarehouses databases (4gb) for test and dev
> purpose, not production usage. 5 to 8 users maxi
>
> upgrading my current DB server is another option but the price by Gb is not
> attractive.
>
> what hardware do you recommand?
> what are the important items in this type of computer?
> certainly the network card, but what about the memory ? disk controller,
> processor etc...
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jerome
>
>
>

How is the CPU usage using "Promise FastTrack TX4200 SATA RAID card"

Thank,

Shing.
"JoesCat" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:9F57A5B9-0689-49B1-920F-(E-Mail Removed)...
I'm having good results with a Promise FastTrack TX4200 SATA RAID card.
Using WD Raptor drives, one of the few today that support all the command
queing options (of which I forget the technical specs). I'm running one now
in RAID 10, it's been flawless so far. I have not had to rebuild the set or
anything, that would be the big test. But, I read only good things about it
before buying.

I'm also using ASUS P4P800C Deluxe mainboards, with a Promise FastTrack 378
on board, for mirroring. Works great for mirroring the operating system
drives.
I've got both running on one server - the 4200 for the network file storage,
and the O/S on the mirror set. I'm so happy with it all.

"Jéjé" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I'm looking for guides to create my own (home made) NAS server.
> I want to create a SATA based system.
> I prefer a RAID 10 or RAID 0+1 configuration (for maximum performance)
> I'll store databases; small datawarehouses databases (4gb) for test and
dev
> purpose, not production usage. 5 to 8 users maxi
>
> upgrading my current DB server is another option but the price by Gb is
not
> attractive.
>
> what hardware do you recommand?
> what are the important items in this type of computer?
> certainly the network card, but what about the memory ? disk controller,
> processor etc...
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jerome
>
>
>

thanks for the infos

do you notice important impact on the access performance?


"JoesCat" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:5F65FB43-9910-429C-AD73-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Real low, AFAIK. It's not a server that's hit real hard, not our
> production
> box, but is used constantly throughout the business day as user's folders,
> business docs, all shared printers, etc.
>
> I've never noticed CPU utilization about 10%. But, to get a better answer
> to your question, I just did a very non-scientific test . . .
>
> It's a P4 3.4GHz, with 1GB of RAM.
> I opened a remote desktop session, and started a 3GB copy, which lit the
> HD
> indicator up solidly. In Task Manager, the high CPU usage was 15%, but
> was
> usually around 8 or so.
> In summary, the server's fine. CPU usage is not its bottleneck. I'm more
> concerned with drive throughput and network throughput, between those two
> things. I'm not using the mainboard's nic, I added an Intel Pro 1000 MT
> Server adapter, as I like the way those can be configured, and they seem
> to
> link up faster with my GB switch. Plus, if I ever want to team nics, all
> I
> have to do is add another one to roughly double the throughput.
>
> "IT Boy" wrote:
>
>> How is the CPU usage using "Promise FastTrack TX4200 SATA RAID card"
>>
>> Thank,
>>
>> Shing.
>

Maybe you should look at this before you spend lots of time & money ...

NAS / RAID standalone product link:

http://www.infrant.com/


"Jéjé" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:uWpK$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> I'm looking for guides to create my own (home made) NAS server.
> I want to create a SATA based system.
> I prefer a RAID 10 or RAID 0+1 configuration (for maximum performance)
> I'll store databases; small datawarehouses databases (4gb) for test and
> dev purpose, not production usage. 5 to 8 users maxi
>
> upgrading my current DB server is another option but the price by Gb is
> not attractive.
>
> what hardware do you recommand?
> what are the important items in this type of computer?
> certainly the network card, but what about the memory ? disk controller,
> processor etc...
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jerome
>
>