ITX (HT)PC for virtualization and photo editing

[zVratko]

Hi all,

Will be this build running fine?

Lian Li PC-Q11B
Enermax Revolution X't 430W
Gigabyte GA-H87N-WIFI
Intel Xeon E3-1245V3
NOCTUA NH-L12
2x8GB Corsair Vengeance Low Profile PC3-12800U CL9-9-9-24 (DDR3-1600)
CRUCIAL M550 256GB
WD Red 3TB + WD Green 3TB in RAID

I was thinking also about mATX, but couldn't find case I would like to have. I want something "as small as possible" and quiet. I hope that 16GB will be enough for some playing with virtualization (WIN Server + Exchange, FO cluster ...) It won't be in production, just for testing purposes. And photo editing in LR.

No overclocking, no gaming (maybe something very old - Diablo, SC, Mafia)

I'm open to any advice what could be chosen better.

Thank you very much.

PS: I'm limited to one AT shop (http://goo.gl/hky9mv)

 

[remixedcat]

WD Green are bad drives for hypervisors. Too aggressive with power savings. Very low performance and really not all that "green" since you will need to be replacing them more often since they don't last long.

For hypervisor s I reccomend high RPM drives with a dedicated RAID controller card.

 

[zVratko]

Yeah, that I know. I was more thinking about using it just for backup (RAID 1 with WD RED). Problem is, that I've got one (I get it as a replacement for WD 2TB Black in warranty repair). And I know that RAID on boasrd it's not something special, but you think that it's that much better to get dedicated controller?

 

[remixedcat]

Yes you will have less issues with hardware raid. Software raid has been nothing but headaches for me! Specially on HP media center PCs!

 

[suraswami]

Yeah, that I know. I was more thinking about using it just for backup (RAID 1 with WD RED). Problem is, that I've got one (I get it as a replacement for WD 2TB Black in warranty repair). And I know that RAID on boasrd it's not something special, but you think that it's that much better to get dedicated controller?

Wait - you are getting a Green or Red drive as replacement for WD Black? If so do not accept it. The Blacks are awesome and its better if they are in RAID.

 

[zVratko]

Wait - you are getting a Green or Red drive as replacement for WD Black? If so do not accept it. The Blacks are awesome and its better if they are in RAID.

No I already have it for few months. They told me that they're not able to give me my money back and that I should be glad that I get 3TB as a replacement for 2TB. But I had it just in external case for backup from laptop so it was not that big issue for me. Now I want to use it as mirror for RED. But I will probably think about it from info remixedcat wrote.

And any other issues with chosen components, or everything should run ok. Especially if there won't be any problems with XEON, because I always thought that are server processors, which needs server MB ...

 

[suraswami]

No I already have it for few months. They told me that they're not able to give me my money back and that I should be glad that I get 3TB as a replacement for 2TB. But I had it just in external case for backup from laptop so it was not that big issue for me. Now I want to use it as mirror for RED. But I will probably think about it from info remixedcat wrote.

And any other issues with chosen components, or everything should run ok. Especially if there won't be any problems with XEON, because I always thought that are server processors, which needs server MB ...

Don't think its a good idea mixing Red and Green drives in RAID. I would say keep your existing (Green or Red) 3 TB drive as backup drive, buy couple of 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB cache drives (WD Blue,black, Seagate or Hitachi) and Raid them. That will give you good performance.

I have on main server 2 x 1 TB Samsung 7200 RPM drives with 32MB cache (RAID 0), went from 2 x 500GB 7200 RPM with 16MB cache and see a huge difference, The Samsung's are much better. My first choice if power consumption is not a factor would be WD blacks.

 

[remixedcat]

For raid its best to keep the same drives. Not just capacity, but specs as well.

You get less errors and less issues.

 

[Champ]

I have that cpu cooler and works great. Not so much for OCing, but you don't intent to do that. Can't clock past 4.4. Not sure how much heat that is in watts, but that's its limit.

 

[zVratko]

For raid its best to keep the same drives. Not just capacity, but specs as well.

You get less errors and less issues.

Ah, ok. I thought that capacity will be more or less enough.

Don't think its a good idea mixing Red and Green drives in RAID. I would say keep your existing (Green or Red) 3 TB drive as backup drive, buy couple of 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB cache drives (WD Blue,black, Seagate or Hitachi) and Raid them. That will give you good performance.

I have on main server 2 x 1 TB Samsung 7200 RPM drives with 32MB cache (RAID 0), went from 2 x 500GB 7200 RPM with 16MB cache and see a huge difference, The Samsung's are much better. My first choice if power consumption is not a factor would be WD blacks.

I was considering change of HDDs and what you think about skipping RAID. I would use just 1TB WD Blue (I could afford 2x1TB, but if you don't recommend SW RAID on board than this should be enough) and that Green I just put inside for backup. I red on some reviews that in this size it's Black not worth that extra money and some people even wrote that it looks like 1TB black is just 1TB blue in black case. And Blue one is more quiet and cooler.

I have that cpu cooler and works great. Not so much for OCing, but you don't intent to do that. Can't clock past 4.4. Not sure how much heat that is in watts, but that's its limit.

Yes I saw some review and it's really looking like good cooler. I don't intend OC so it should be nice quiet and cool solution

Thanks

 

[Aquinus]

Do you in the US of A? 1TB Western Digital RE3s are on sale for as little as 55 USD each on Amazon.

Otherwise if you have a bit more money, I've had great experience at work with 4 RE4 drives in RAID-10 which also aren't too bad on Amazon. The RE4 or Seagate Constellation is really the best drives for RAID imho. TLER can be a biggie depending on the controller.