[SOLVED] Mini-ITX server build recommendations for Plex Steaming and to act as automated NAS Backup

[jkk45]

Hi guys,

As the title suggests, I am going to building a cheap (ish) server, designed for low power 24/7 usage in mini-ITX form factor using used parts, for two main purposes:

1) To stream music and movies of a wide range of resolutions (480p, 1080p and 4k) to Plex apps on various TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones of various resolutions, within the confines of the house's local network, with possible occasional cloud access to the server when we are out of the house. So yes there will likely be a fair bit of transcoding, though usually not more than on one or two devices at a time.

2) Also to set up automated backups from a laptop and a computer to the server. So that whenever a change to a file or folder is made on one device, it automatically synchronises with the stored backup from that device on the server


COULD SOMEONE PLEASE RECOMMENDED ME A ROUGH SPECIFICATION TO GO FOR:

Perhaps suggest (to reiterate this will be using entirely used parts):
a) A bare minimum spec to aim for
b) A moderate spec
c) A high spec
d) An ultra spec

And some more specific questions:

1. Do I specifically need to buy NAS HDDs or will standard PC ones work fine, particulary if I;m RAIDing?
2. Is there any benefit to buying a Xeon processor over standard Intel consumer i3s/i5s?
3. I'm guessing Linux or Ubuntu would be the best way forward, rather than using Windows Server?

 

[USAFRet]

2) What you're referring to is sync, not a backup.
They serve different purposes.

For instance, if you delete something from the PC, should it also delete from the server?

A true backup is something you can go back to, and recover the system exactly as it was when you made that backup.
My systems run a backup every night, and I can go back 14-30 (depending), and recover the system as it was on that particular day.

This is particularly helpful in the case of a nasty virus. Your sync operation would affect what lives on the server as well.