Good Cheap Server - HP Proliant Microserver 4 BAY - OWNERS THREAD

Soldato
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Not sure about windows but the various Linux based OS's i've run have had no issue with the 5th SATA port in ACHI mode.

Were all running newer Bios though.

I did the install a while ago - in ACHI mode Windows wouldn't recognise a drive on the 5th port and the BIOS wouldn't install Windows / boot from this drive, only from Drive 1. May be different in RAID 0 - didn't try this, I only wanted drives in ACHI mode.
 

GDL

GDL

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Thanks, Do you know how do I go about mounting the iso via virtual drives? Is it in the iLO?, the server is clean with no OS.

bring up the console and it's in the menu system at the top.
The advanced license just allows the console past the point the OS boots.
 

Ian

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What are people using to expand the storage options on these? Have spotted a few 8bay external enclosures but the reviews arent great.

Other option would be a 2/4u older server with 12/24 bays and lob it in the garage, but trying to avoid that at this stage.
 

GDL

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Ian, that's why I moved away from them or as your storage requirements grow, you end up with a number of them.

Downside is now I've got a

DL380 G7
25 bay SFF (2tb half filled) Raid6
9 Bay LFF (3tb 9 disks) Raid 6
LTO4 tape library (Hey, I got burned once for no backups)

My only issue is a hardware failure on the enclosures. :(

HP Raid information is stored in both the HBA and the disks, so, even if the HBA's die I can just swap them out so even that isn't a concern.

I guess to answer the question, as long as the data is replaceable get something that holds disks and use it or fixing what holds the disks issue will just give you another one if something fails.
 
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Ian

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Cheers for that.

Aye, I have 3 gen8's and an N40 at this point (although 2 of the gen8's arent in proper service just yet) . Wanted to check for other storage solutions before setting them up :)

Where did you find an LFF 380? All i can spot are SFF versions which id rather not do given what disks i currently own.
 
Soldato
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Bit the bullet and got an E3-1265Lv2 for my Gen8 - it turned up last week and it's made a huge difference overall - especially to transcoding and VM performance with barely any difference in running temps. Would recommend!
 
Soldato
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I finally retired my N54L last night, replaced with a Dell R210 II . The N54L has been a flawless machine though, and i should get back every penny I paid for it on ebay. I think the final nail in the coffin for it was the lack of AES-NI which will soon be required for pfsense. Plus the lack of cpu horsepower was starting to show.
 

Deleted member 138126

D

Deleted member 138126

I wish I'd bought a spare Gen8 while they were still around. They just disappeared from stock and I never noticed until it was too late!
 
Man of Honour
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Pizza box and tower servers are not cheap on electricity. A DL380 G7 is going to cost about £30 a month to run. That's the beauty of the microserver.
 
Caporegime
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Should a Gen7 struggle with playing 1080p x265? Currently back on Kodi, by far my biggest catalogue, and for the most part it runs fine/OK. Sometimes it takes a few seconds to catch up but noticed on some videos the sound is out of sync* and you can tell it's because the machine is struggling - corrects itself but will return. So far it seems contained to one set of videos but playing it through MPHC resulted in a similar but less pronounced delay. I wonder if my catalogue has got too large or there is something in the background using the internet sapping on resources, the poor CPU is usually at or near 100% :p. The majority of content plays absolutely fine and I have tried re-downloading the affected files but still have issues in Kodi/MPHC. I have my 3570K raring to go but need to source a mini-ITX 1155 board first :(.

*oddly, it starts up when a lot of motion happens on the screen (e.g. title credits)
 
Soldato
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If your client is asking the video to be "transcoded" by the Gen7 then probably yes.

If you are "direct streaming" then probably no (no transcoding, just playback)

As your CPU is 100% then sounds like it's "transcoding"
 
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