Custom built 40W 2TB server

gammelgam · Post by **gammelgam** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 3:52 am

About time for my first post, and it will show off my custom built 2TB file and music server.

Hardware:

Intel D201GLY2
Pico PSU 120W
2x1TB WD Green Power
1Gbit Intel Ethernet
80mm Fan controlled by Speedfan

The case was designed in a 3D CAD system to ensure that all would fit in the small case I had in mind.

Click Image to Enlarge Myspace Image Upload

Click Image to Enlarge Myspace Image Upload

All parts were designed to be easy to produce using normal workshop tools. However, I got help in machining the top plate in a CNC machine...
1.5mm sheet aluminium is used everywhere, except the top plate which is 5mm.

The 80mm fan is controlled by Speedfan to reach about 800rpm which keeps the insides at about 40C. The fan sits roughly 10mm from the passive heatsink on the Celeron processor on the D201GLY2. The cpu temp is about 35C during idle/normal use.

The two WD 1TB Green Power disks are mounted to a bracket using sillicone grommets taken from my Antec P150. The fan keeps the disks at about 40C.

The case is standing on four rubber feet that lets the air in at the bottom. The fan pushes the air upwards through the case and out through the mesh at the top of the case.

I think that the case might even run well without a fan by using only natural convection. This remains to be tested though...

To increase the network speed I also added a 1 GB Intel Network card. The D201GLY2 only has 100MB which is a no-go for me. Unfortunately the card blocks about 1/3 of the cross section area of the air outlet at the top of the case.

The finished product is used as a file and music server (Slimserver connected to my Slimdevices (Logitech) Transporter).

The server pulls 41W from the wall socket during light server duties, and about 45W during "heavy" use.

Click Image to Enlarge Myspace Image Upload

Click Image to Enlarge Myspace Image Upload

/Emanuel

gb115b · Post by **gb115b** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 5:48 am

very nice... couldn't you have gone with a 120mm fan?

BillyBuerger · Post by **BillyBuerger** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:01 am

That's a really nice project. Thanks for sharing.

The 80mm fan seems to be keeping everything cool enough. And it doesn't look like a 120mm fan would fit. And you'd have to run a 120mm fan at probably 400rpm to get it as quiet as an 80mm at 800rpm. Although it looks hard mounted. But at that low of rpm, it probably doesn't produce much vibration. The hard drives would probably make more noise, even with the silicon grommets. You didn't really mention noise at all. So I assume it's quiet enough for you.

pingu666 · Post by **pingu666** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:44 am

nice

, looks like everything *just* fits in

gammelgam · Post by **gammelgam** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:13 am

Regarding the noise, it is really very quiet. In fact, the external WD disks that are placed beside it makes more (vibration) noise when they are spinning than the server.

And yes, the noise that the system produces are disk induced vibration noise. But since I wanted to fit everything in such a small case I felt that a disk suspension solution would be risky without making the case larger.

Anyway, glad you like it!

Post by **MikeC** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:20 am

It's a perfect use of the Intel mIXT board.

Does it work well with your Slimdevices Transporter? (drool...)

Why was 100mbit/s not good enough? I've never seen any need for higher with my SQbox3. Even 54Mbit/s wireless worked fine.

Also, are the WD external drives necessary? Connected via USB, I presume? How much capacity do they add? Perhaps they need silencing too.

gammelgam · Post by **gammelgam** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 10:53 am

Well, the USB disks are there simply because I have no better place to put them... They add only 0.75TB to the already installed 2TB, so I am not keeping them connected at all times. But they do kind of look good next to their "big brother"...

The Transporter works beautifully with the server. Streaming music from home to work is so convenient.

Actually, reading the review of the Squeezebox on this site a few years back was the main reason I bought the SB3. In my book, a good review from a "Linnie" is all I need (having a Linn Hi-Fi myself). After using the SB3 for almost two years I knew there was no going back: Network Music is the way to go. If you didn't know it already, Linn recently announced their first Network Music System...

I am running my Transporter on wire. I've learned to love my wires...

The reason I went for the 1GBit was not due to the music but for the file server part, I need my speed.

pingu666 · Post by **pingu666** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:21 pm

1gig network stuff doesnt cost much more now, few pence on the cable, maybe double on nics/switches, but they cheap

Nick Geraedts · Post by **Nick Geraedts** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 3:39 pm

That's a very gorgeous setup. If I didn't already have my current file server, I'd probably move to something like that.

Very nicely done.

bonestonne · Post by **bonestonne** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 6:42 pm

if i ever had an itx board, i'd be more than willing to pay you to make another one of those cases, it really does look amazing, and makes me look at my Cooler Master Elite 330 in a different way.

its running gigabit, so i have to wonder, is there a large lag in access times from home to work?

SixToes · Post by **SixToes** » Sat Jan 26, 2008 4:57 am

That looks great! Is there any chance you could post the CAD drawings as JPEGs or a PDF? I'm building a D201GLY2 based system with 2 3.5" HDs as well and I can't find a suitable case - maybe I should try building one like this instead!

Thanks,
SixToes

lm · Post by lm » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:14 am

MikeC wrote:Why was 100mbit/s not good enough? I've never seen any need for higher with my SQbox3. Even 54Mbit/s wireless worked fine.

I'll give you a huge reason:

100% diskless systems. I guess you must be a windows-only user because you didn't think of that :p

It works like this: diskless box boots from it's nic, which has small firmware capable of running dhcp. You need to run your own dhcp server on another box. The dhcp server tells the diskless box where it can download it's kernel. The diskless box downloads it's kernel with tftp, so you need to have tftp server with a custom kernel image. Then the diskless box boots the downloaded kernel, and mounts it's root filesystem with nfs, so you need to have nfs server.

After that it's basically a regular linux boot, and no program notices the difference. But with 1Gbps ethernet, you get good performance, because it's pretty much equal to local disk, unlike 100Mbps ethernet which totally loses versus local hard drive.

I've done this in the past, and configured it for a couple friends, and it definitely works. You can keep your noisy disks in the server, and every other box in the house is 100% diskless, but you won't really notice any difference in performance.

However back in the day when I did that, 100Mbps was still equal in performance to local hard drives, but this has changed.

gammelgam · Post by **gammelgam** » Mon Jan 28, 2008 1:25 am

Ok, hit the link for a simplified drawing set. The drawings are to be used as a guideline, not as a "blueprint".

http://rapidshare.com/files/87232131/case.zip.html

I used mainly countersunk pop rivets to fasten the sheet metal parts, but spot welding or glue (Araldit or similar) would probably work as well.

I also used threaded rivets (correct english name I wonder?), but Araldit and nuts will also do the job nicely.

Happy sheet-metal-ing.

/Emanuel