Server Build, Please Advice

[pluton8]

I'm a computer science majore and I'm planning to build a server, mostly for learning skills. I'm in US, mostly plan on using server for media streaming, web hosting, VPS hosting, and running e-mail server. I'll be running lots of VMs for different servers, all running linux. I already have an ATX case, 450 watt power supply, M.2 SSD, and some hard drives for data. That leaves MB, CPU and RAM. Here's parts I plan on buying:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132571
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117563
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820232091

Anything I should change for my purposes? I plan on buying parts and building rig soon, within a month. MB must have RAID support. One question is, is that the right speed for the RAM? Should I buy something faster or is 3200 overkill for this type of server?

 

[pluton8]

Anybody?

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

That's a lot of crap to be hosting on consumer-grade equipment. I-5 is going to get crushed with half that on it. If it's just for testing stuff, whatever works I guess. I just wouldn't get my hopes up of 'learning how to server admin' with that loadout.

If you really want something to learn/test/play with, get a dell server, just a little 1U jobber will do it. single xeon, 32ish GB, and whatever storage you want. It'll cost you though.

 

[Torn Mind]

Hmm. Lots of VMs?
You want cores and RAM for whatever you plan to run.

Will this server be just for learning or will it (eventually) perform vital functions for you?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Chuck the consumer gear, or sell it if you insist, and buy a used Poweredge or something on eBay.

 

[pluton8]

Thanks very much for all the great advice. Yes consumer hardware is bad for servers, but I want to wait for Xeon Purley release before building full server. This is just for learning how to install/configure/adin software, and learn admin skills. I want to get something cheap for learnign and save money for a big quad-socket Purley system later. Also, after this temporary one is replaced I can still use it as personal HTPC for media streaming.

Maybe I'll get i7 instead of i5, or even get a Xeon E3 v5 and server mobo. But that is still just 4 cores so maybe not worth the extra expense over the i7 and cheaper RAM. I don't think I really need ECC memory and all that, because won't be running mission-critical servers on this rig, just for learning.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Getting something cheap is why you buy used rackmount equipment on eBay. It's way cheaper than building your own, and they usually come with ECC, etc.

Seriously; go shopping.

If you're really just interested in learning, I'd also point out the use of VMs on your desktop/laptop for learning Linux system administration, or the possibility of leasing a virtual private server for a few bucks a month.

 

[mxnerd]

If you are going to run VMWare ESXi, then Intel or AMD onboard RAID (software based) is useless. You need hardware based RAID adapters.

 

[Burpo]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Precis...367152?hash=item4654ea8830:g:T7UAAOSwA3dYCMIw

 

[Gabornski]

Shameless plug for where I work. You can customize it however you want if this does not fit. Have tower models too if you don't want to go with a rack model.

https://www.igsmn.com/dell-poweredg...15k-sas-perc6i-and-rails-entry-server-bundle/

 

[SolMiester]

You will probably find the i5 to be fine really as mostly virtualisation is about I/O and loads of memory., CPU, not so much, of course depending of what you are doing, but most servers sit under 10% usage, especially in a lab\test\home environment.