From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Jan 19 06:57:54 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D4420106564A for ; Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:57:54 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tajudd@gmail.com) Received: from wf-out-1314.google.com (wf-out-1314.google.com [209.85.200.172]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A4FB58FC13 for ; Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:57:54 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from tajudd@gmail.com) Received: by wf-out-1314.google.com with SMTP id 24so2843730wfg.7 for ; Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:57:54 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:received:received:message-id:date:from :user-agent:mime-version:to:subject:references:in-reply-to :content-type:content-transfer-encoding; bh=DJqFcTbP1CUxQc+gC7U9w0igmDUGTQ96CRKTloqQ454=; b=SOjBO3Vuy7vfh6xFua4tn3MyvP5autWY4xB0Ftxp1/q/3GFntxb3CA2WuRP7zVfn6P e61MRYdGWP8OhTzq4I0C3Iayk4HjZm8+B0dzfxaomCEhawvhuO7H4hQvU5XMvd1e+Wx/ tmqzmVkIJ2hBAkx7wcjexr34R//6mwfjxxepk= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=message-id:date:from:user-agent:mime-version:to:subject:references :in-reply-to:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; b=rj2bCnmLBjqhBONwaGpk0YGw/gp4wPyHsjKD5vbpJY6B9yq7BfeEfMPx9MD0sgA7ni MVis8uHg0b1vfzhdMyP9+cqR30wmZpI5lbwLdLkEAT9YGe9XG7mGntV6dGtG88s5fdzG 7NCo79h0ubVU1g30LaQh46hr2uDH6dGI5qd08= Received: by 10.142.177.5 with SMTP id z5mr2124216wfe.40.1232348274318; Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:57:54 -0800 (PST) Received: from ?192.168.4.44? (c-68-35-57-46.hsd1.nm.comcast.net [68.35.57.46]) by mx.google.com with ESMTPS id 32sm9810958wfc.59.2009.01.18.22.57.51 (version=SSLv3 cipher=RC4-MD5); Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:57:52 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: <49742468.1070204@gmail.com> Date: Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:57:44 -0700 From: Tim Judd User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.19 (Windows/20081209) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: FreeBSD questions References: <20090119004620.GD26150@lava.net> In-Reply-To: <20090119004620.GD26150@lava.net> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: Re: Recommendations on reliable home fileserver hardware? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 06:57:55 -0000 Clifton Royston wrote: > My FreeBSD file server at home has been running for 5 or 6 years on a > succession of generic PC "small form factor" boxes (a.k.a "shoebox > cases".) I'm not very happy with this approach, because the hardware > keeps dying every two years or so. The latest incarnation is getting > flakier and flakier and it's time to replace it. I think one problem > is that the cooling is lousy on the ones I've used, at least with two > hard drives - I've ended up running with the cover off so it won't die > rapidly - but maybe there are better ones out there. > > Can anyone recommend an integrated SFF system or other small > case/mobo combination which they're using with FreeBSD 6 or 7, and > which is both long-lived and fairly quiet? (It sits on my desk, and > near my wife's desk, so the vacuum-cleaner-like noise levels from many > 1U servers will not cut it.) > > As I am running two 200G PATA drives in gmirror - this has saved me > twice now - one additional requirement is that it must fit at least two > standard 3.5" hard drives and have an IDE interface. (Eventually I may > switch over to SATA but would rather not change everything at the same > time.) I'd consider running a Mac Mini (tiny, silent, s/b reliable) if > it weren't for needing 2+ drives for mirroring. > > I'm comfortable either building my own system, or buying a packaged > system if it offers better value. > > Any advice would be welcomed. > -- Clifton > > I've got a shoebox Gateway I love for the case size, however it's drive location for the HDD has to be the worst place on earth to put it there. I'm almost tempted to pull the floppy drive out and stick the hdd in there instead -- but I digress. Taking a little more for desk space, you can always run with 1 internal 3.5" drive, and hook up an external USB drive for the mirror. FreeBSD won't think of it any different, it's just an 'ad' device and a 'da' device. FWIW, this is just another option for you. HTH --Tim