I’m working on building a compact, efficient, and budget-friendly home server to centralize my scattered data and host a few lightweight services.
Currently, my data is spread across multiple hard drives, and accessing it is a hassle. A while back, I set up a home server using an old netbook running Debian and a few Docker containers. It was a fun Linux learning experience, but not a long-term solution (its RAM can’t be expanded beyond 2 GB, and its CPU is too weak). So, I guess it’s time for an actual dedicated server machine!
Budget: Around €500, including storage (I’m in Europe, btw)
Requirements:
Centralized storage for data, photos, and phone backups
Run lightweight containers for web services like Immich, Paperless-ngx, Pi-hole, and custom services I’ve developed
Occasionally download Linux ISOs (I use and delete them; the whole *arr stack would be overkill for my needs)
No need for virtualization (so no Proxmox, TrueNAS, or Unraid); a plain Debian install with Docker should suffice (or maybe I could use OpenMediaVault)
No closed OS: I’m not interested in Synology, QNAP, or similar. I want full control to install and customize my OS
Goals:
Low power consumption: ≤10 watts idle without HDDs would be ideal (this is my number-one priority)
Low noise
Compact size: space is limited, so it needs to be small (I also don’t need a huge case for just a couple of drives)
SSD (for OS and containers): Patriot P320 128GB NVMe PCIe Gen 3x4 (€15.99)
PSU: LEICKE PSU 19V, 4.74A, 90W (€19.99)
Case: Sharkoon QB ONE (€50)
Total: ~€257
Concerns: Will the 4-pin connector on the board be able to power two HDDs? ASRock includes a cable to power 2 HDDs in the package, so it should be fine, and I don’t plan on adding more drives
SSD (for OS and containers): Patriot P320 128GB NVMe PCIe Gen 3x4 (€15.99)
PSU: LEICKE PSU 19V, 4.74A, 90W (€19.99)
Case: ODROID H4+ Case Type 4 (€44.90)
Accessories: 2x SATA data and power cables (€14.00)
Total: ~€340
Concerns: I’m unsure about reliability and updates, and with 2 HDDs, it’s out of my budget
Prebuilt Option (AOOSTAR R1):
Specs: N100, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB NVMe
Total: ~€238
Concerns: Power consumption might be higher than the ASRock and ODROID boards; I’m unsure about its reliability and updates; I’ve read that it can get noisy and heat up
Storage:
For storage, I’m planning to use two 4 TB HDDs (Seagate IronWolf, ~€120 each) in a mirrored configuration. I’m considering ZFS for its compression, deduplication, snapshots, and bit rot protection. However, I’m unsure if I really need RAID since I’ll perform regular backups.
Questions:
Which of these options would you recommend?
Are there better hardware options within my budget that meet my power/noise/size goals?
Do you have other suggestions for hardware or software I might have overlooked?
Any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated!
You have listed some good options there👍 One additional possibility: what about repurposing an old enterprise workstation, like Dell Optiplex, HP Elitedesk, Lenovo Thinkcentre etc.? They can be bought for around 50-100 e/$. For a similar use case I’ve been running an Optiplex 7010 SFF (Small form factor) with i5 3XXX and 16G of ddr3 and it has been plenty of powerfull for the purpose.
Don’t forget, disaster recovery with a 7010 is a bobble, as you pull the disks out of one and pop them into the next and you’re likely back up and running.
Thank you! How much power does your Optiplex draw when idle? Also, how many 3.5" drives can it fit?
One concern I have with repurposing old enterprise workstations is the lack of warranty. As I mentioned in another comment, if something breaks, buying new hardware means I can easily send it back for a replacement…
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You have listed some good options there👍 One additional possibility: what about repurposing an old enterprise workstation, like Dell Optiplex, HP Elitedesk, Lenovo Thinkcentre etc.? They can be bought for around 50-100 e/$. For a similar use case I’ve been running an Optiplex 7010 SFF (Small form factor) with i5 3XXX and 16G of ddr3 and it has been plenty of powerfull for the purpose.
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Don’t forget, disaster recovery with a 7010 is a bobble, as you pull the disks out of one and pop them into the next and you’re likely back up and running.
Or, hell, run two with gluster. ;-)
Isn’t gluster in end-if-life phase now?
I seriously doubt those stay below the desired power usage
Thank you! How much power does your Optiplex draw when idle? Also, how many 3.5" drives can it fit?
One concern I have with repurposing old enterprise workstations is the lack of warranty. As I mentioned in another comment, if something breaks, buying new hardware means I can easily send it back for a replacement…