jeffunit,
I do understand where you are coming from, and I do appreciate that your spec builds a very decent 5TB fileserver at a great price. I believe that many enthusiasts build fileservers with spare parts, simply because in a small network a Quad Core Extreme is not really any different a file sharing device than a repurposed P3.
Respectfully, though, I must disagree with your build.
I believe there are three primary destinations of file servers: home, small office, and corporate (server room). I disagree with your build for any of those markets.
My main concern for a home server is noise, size, and power. I don't think most people will want a 6-drive full tower just to give storage; the noise level, once you factor in fans, is horrible. I would prefer a small ATX or SFF chassis with 1-2 very large hard drives, and eSATA to add more storage if necessary.
A small office without a proper server room suffers from similar problems: someone who tucks a server into a (literal) closet can't generate too much heat. Cost is less of an issue, and other factors such as servicability is more of an issue. In this case, I would suggest a smaller chassis, fewer hard drives, and at least 1 spare hard drive. The likelihood of a hard disk failure in a multi-disk array, during the lifespan of the array, is high; have you ever tried to find a replacement Spinpoint F1 or RE2 after it's been discontinued?
I have rarely seen a small office that requires as much storage as you suggest. Usually, the purpose of a file server in a small office is centralized file storage (rather than space) and centralized backup.
An office with a properly air conditioned and powered server room would almost certainly want a file server in a rackmount chassis. Here, noise is not a factor. However, usually, neither is price. Assuming that "value" is still important, I would suggest something like the Asus P3Q Premium motherboard with 4 onboard 1000TX, paired with an adaptec SATA card.
Hard drive wise, I'm a big fan of the WD Green series. As I mentioned above, I can't overemphasize the importance of a spare hard disk drive that is safely tucked away -- it will allow you to swap in a drive, and send the old one in for repair.
In terms of operating system software, make sure you have all the file sharing protocols you need (an office, for example, might need IPX or NetBEUI), and that there's remote desktop. Make sure you know how to deal with replacing a failed RAID drive -- because it's likely. Have a plan for what you will do if the motherboard fails -- because that might happen too.
The worst thing that can happen? The server "dies" and you have no idea how to get retrieve your 5,000 GB with of stuff.
I do understand where you are coming from, and I do appreciate that your spec builds a very decent 5TB fileserver at a great price. I believe that many enthusiasts build fileservers with spare parts, simply because in a small network a Quad Core Extreme is not really any different a file sharing device than a repurposed P3.
Respectfully, though, I must disagree with your build.
I believe there are three primary destinations of file servers: home, small office, and corporate (server room). I disagree with your build for any of those markets.
My main concern for a home server is noise, size, and power. I don't think most people will want a 6-drive full tower just to give storage; the noise level, once you factor in fans, is horrible. I would prefer a small ATX or SFF chassis with 1-2 very large hard drives, and eSATA to add more storage if necessary.
A small office without a proper server room suffers from similar problems: someone who tucks a server into a (literal) closet can't generate too much heat. Cost is less of an issue, and other factors such as servicability is more of an issue. In this case, I would suggest a smaller chassis, fewer hard drives, and at least 1 spare hard drive. The likelihood of a hard disk failure in a multi-disk array, during the lifespan of the array, is high; have you ever tried to find a replacement Spinpoint F1 or RE2 after it's been discontinued?
I have rarely seen a small office that requires as much storage as you suggest. Usually, the purpose of a file server in a small office is centralized file storage (rather than space) and centralized backup.
An office with a properly air conditioned and powered server room would almost certainly want a file server in a rackmount chassis. Here, noise is not a factor. However, usually, neither is price. Assuming that "value" is still important, I would suggest something like the Asus P3Q Premium motherboard with 4 onboard 1000TX, paired with an adaptec SATA card.
Hard drive wise, I'm a big fan of the WD Green series. As I mentioned above, I can't overemphasize the importance of a spare hard disk drive that is safely tucked away -- it will allow you to swap in a drive, and send the old one in for repair.
In terms of operating system software, make sure you have all the file sharing protocols you need (an office, for example, might need IPX or NetBEUI), and that there's remote desktop. Make sure you know how to deal with replacing a failed RAID drive -- because it's likely. Have a plan for what you will do if the motherboard fails -- because that might happen too.
The worst thing that can happen? The server "dies" and you have no idea how to get retrieve your 5,000 GB with of stuff.