The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/SfanatiK on 2024-08-05 19:40:46.
I want to start hoarding media I find on the internet. Mainly video games, music, images and shows. I already have ~15TB of stuff spread out in different HDD/SSD/USB sticks. I am kind of second guessing on which path I should take. Make a dedicated file storage PC or just go for a simple DAS.
PC Build:
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- Easily run Unraid, TrueNAS or Proxmox.
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- Upgradeable for other usage, like Plex or hosting VMs if I ever want to use those.
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- Can add more HDD storage by just buying SAS HBA cards
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- ECC
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- Can get really expensive (~$800+)
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- Used parts might not work out of the box
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- Limited documentation to troubleshoot problems
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- Higher power consumption than a DAS and needing a separate UPS.
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- Bigger footprint means it will be under my desk which is a dust trap.
DAS Route:
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- Much cheaper than building a new PC (~$150)
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- Can turn off when not needed so drives aren't on all the time reducing wear and tear.
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- Small form and can fit on my desk
- +- An enclosure with a backplane means using my motherboard's SATA ports and it's limited to 4 drives but avoids USB connection.
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- USB connection which I read is not recommended with Snapraid
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- More HDD bays gets expensive and can reach the same prices as building a used PC.
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- No ECC
Which would you guys think is better for me?
I do not need fast transfer speed. I do not need 24/7 access to my files. However I do want data resiliency; a song I downloaded now should still be the same 5+ years in the future. Kind of leaning towards a DAS setup because I really, really don't want to deal with the headache and the cost of building a PC with used parts.
If I go DAS route has anyone had any problems using Snapraid and Drivepool with a USB-C/B connection? I would probably buy a 5 bay HDD, 1 parity and 4 raw storage. Or is it better to find one with a backplane and use my motherboard's SATA ports rather than USB, 1 parity and 3 raw storage? 10 bay HDDs exists but those almost cost the same as building a PC so there's no reason for me to get those. These DAS also has some form of hardware RAID so I need to avoid those.
What are some DAS you guys would recommend? I also read that some DAS enclosures don't play well with others. Removing HDDs and plugging it in a different enclosure or directly to the motherboard's SATA ports doesn't show the drives. I am not sure if this is true or a common thing.
Or just bite the bullet and build a PC; deal with the noise and heat it comes with constantly (I read that turning a server PC on and off multiple times can wear it down faster), along with a higher electricity consumption which leads to a higher electricity bill.
Lastly my backup solution is pretty rudimentary. Just files in a different HDD in cold storage at the moment. There's no RAID applied to them so it's not protected against bitrot and other silent corruptions. But once I get either the DAS or the PC I'll just make a second copy in the same format (Drivepool and Snapraid) and put them in cold storage.