Is Z390 motherboard good for NAS, and do options I chose (CPU, chassis) work? How do I pick power supply?

[mandreto10]

Hi,

I need to build fastest, meanest, smallest, 4-bay, hot swappable((3.5") NAS.

Below are components I found....
Does anyone know whether these are ok components, or whether I am missing something? (I have never built PC/NAS before)

I have two major purposes for my NAS:
1) 4K HD Video transcoding (Plex) to mobile devices and TV.
2) Running Oracle database with ~10GB of data and some, pretty complex queries. for reference my 27"Mac(2012) with Intel core i7 3.6Ghz, 4-cores, can take 10-20 mins to load data or execute queries.

Other, minor purposes low-impact items: Small website, small mail server, VPN, back up...etc.
-I don't do gaming, and NAS has only one user in household.
- NAS will run Linux OS.
- It will be set up as RAID 1, with two 3.5", the other 3,5" will be used for backup.
- NAS must run ALWAYS, because of website and mail server.

CPU I found:
- Intel® Core™ i3-8300T Processor, 3.20 GHz, with integrated Intel® UHD Graphics 630
- I Chose this one because Thermal Design Power was 35W, the lowest of all CPUs in 8th generation, and at acceptable price point (~$200). I gathered lower Watts means, less overheating and smaller case/chassis.

MoBo specs I looked for:
MUST HAVE:
- mini ITX form factor
- USB 3.1 port
- integrated wi-fi a/c
- LAN port
SHOULD HAVE:
- M.2 (I've heard this is often used to boot OS from)
- Bluetooth 5.0
- USB-C port
- HDMI

--> I've heard about ECC, but I am willing to use non-ECC boards and take the risk. Critical data is always backed up

I found following MOBOs (based on CPU and socket 1151):
- SUPERMICRO SuperO MBD-C9Z390-CG-IW-O
- ASRocke Z390M-ITX/ac
- Gigabyte Z390 I AORUS PRO WIFI

Bottom line: they're all mini ITX, Z390.

Is this motherboard (+CPU) the fastest and smallest?

If yes, I found this case from SUPERMICRO

Is that the SMALLEST case?
How do I pick the right power supply?

Have I completely missed the point and chosen the wrong CPU+motherboard for my NAS criteria? If yes, what/where should I be looking then? Which configuration of components would you recommend?

Thank you.

 

[kanewolf]

IMO, if the "NAS" is running an Oracle instance, it isn't a NAS but is a server. To speed up Oracle, then you want fast storage and a lot of RAM. 32GB of RAM would allow your database to be "in memory". But a query that takes 10min is not an optimized query IMO. You need to use the analytics tools of Oracle to see what is causing this to run slowly.

 

[mandreto10]

Ok. I understand the RAM part, and that MOBO limits max RAM. I am taking this into consideration.
Ok. It's not a NAS, but a server - beside naming, is stated MOBO still the right choice?

Another way to ask: Can a gaming Mobo be used as sever Mobo, given that it will be running 24 hrs, with varying degree of Watt AND HEAT expenditure?

IMO, if the "NAS" is running an Oracle instance, it isn't a NAS but is a server. To speed up Oracle, then you want fast storage and a lot of RAM. 32GB of RAM would allow your database to be "in memory". But a query that takes 10min is not an optimized query IMO. You need to use the analytics tools of Oracle to see what is causing this to run slowly.

 

[kanewolf]

There is nothing magical about a server motherboard. They have a few features that improve the reliability. ECC RAM, IPMI for remote access, redundant power supplies, etc. A gaming motherboard is just a desktop motherboard that they try to charge more for because they put the word gaming on it. Usually gaming motherboards have features like LED lighting. Not usually worth paying for on a NAS/server. A "Z" motherboard doesn't make much sense for a non-overclock situation. The i3 CPU you chose is not going to tax any 3xx series motherboard.

One of your "must have" features doesn't make sense for a server or a NAS. WIFI. This device should be connected to a wired network to get the performance out of it.

Remember that RAID is not a replacement for backups. Don't get a false sense of security about your data. If it is accidentally deleted it immediately is removed from both disks. RAID1 may not make the most sense for you. JBOD with backups may be a better answer.