Small 8-Bay NAS with ECC and Transcoding

[Enquiries]

Considering NAS build with 8 bays x 20TB for videos, photos, and backup. Don't need that much storage now but want this build to last decades and give me space to expand in the future.

Like the U-NAS NSC-810A for its small footprint and volume.

TopTon N6005 seems to be a good low-power match but no ECC memory.

Looking at SuperMicro X11SSH-TF or X11SSH-CTF. X11SPM-TF or X11SPM-TPF also okay but more expensive. At least 8 SATA, 1 m.2 for OS, plus the Intel 10GbE LAN is nice. Could consider other motherboards with less SATA if I get an HBA. Just might be tight for airflow with U-NAS case and riser cable.

What Xeon CPU for above motherboards can transcode 4K yet has low power?

What is max cooler height for U-NAS NSC-810A? Is Noctua NH-L9i + Noctua NF-A9 the best cooler that can fit?

U-NAS has a 1U Flex power supply by Seasonic for their case but it is only 350W. Is that enough power? Any alternative around 500W that is 1U Flex from a reputable brand?

2 x 16GB RAM enough?

Thanks!

[blueberryfreckle]

OP here! Further research has led me to an Intel i3-9300T with 35W TDP, UHD 630, and ECC. Can it be cooled by a Noctua NH-L9i? Is the i3-9300T sufficient for media sharing, transcoding, and general backup? Okay to run a few VMs?

Could pair it with SuperMicro X11SCH-F or X11SCH-LN4F but no 10 GbE here. Alternatively, are ASRock Rack E3C246D4U2-2T or E3C246D4U2-2L2T just as stable and reliable? SuperMicro has an extra m.2 while ASRock has 10GbE.

For the power supply, I found the Enhance ENP-7660B - 600W Flex ATX 1U Platinum power supply from Overtek. Noctua fan upgrade and custom cables make this power supply pricey but I've read that stock Enhance and Silverstone Flex U1 power supplies have screaming fans, building in the U-NAS 810A requires a cable extension, and many wish unneeded cables were removed for better cable management and airflow. So I'd just let Overtek take care of the customizations.

Everything should still come in less than what I'd pay for an 8-bay Synology or QNAP. Appreciate any feedback on the component selection and NAS capabilities. Thanks!

[ed]

Based on your requirements, here are detailed recommendations for your NAS build:

Motherboard and CPU Recommendations
SuperMicro X11SSH-TF or X11SSH-CTF:

CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1230 v6. This CPU supports ECC memory and has a low power consumption while being capable of 4K transcoding.
SuperMicro X11SPM-TF or X11SPM-TPF:

CPU: Intel Xeon Silver 4110. Although this is more expensive, it provides higher performance for 4K transcoding and more advanced features.
Case and Cooling
U-NAS NSC-810A:
Max Cooler Height: The U-NAS NSC-810A supports a CPU cooler height of up to 60mm.
Cooler Recommendation: Noctua NH-L9i with Noctua NF-A9 fan. This combination fits well within the height restriction and provides excellent cooling performance.
Power Supply
Current Power Supply: 350W from Seasonic.
Recommended Power Supply: While 350W might suffice for a low-power setup, a 500W 1U Flex power supply from a reputable brand like SilverStone (model: FX500) is recommended to ensure ample power headroom for future upgrades.
Memory
RAM: 2 x 16GB ECC RAM should be sufficient for your current needs and provides room for growth.
Additional Notes:
HBA Card: If you consider motherboards with fewer SATA ports, an HBA (Host Bus Adapter) can provide the additional ports needed. Ensure proper airflow and spacing if using an HBA in the compact U-NAS case.

[blueberryfreckle]

Thanks, ed, for the detailed recommendations!

Intel Xeon E3-1230 v6 and Intel Xeon Silver 4110 look to be excellent CPUs, especially at the $25 used price. But neither have iGPU nor Quick Sync. Aren't these necessary for 4K transcoding? Also, will IPMI work without an iGPU?

Comparing these Xeons to a i3-9300/9300T, Xeons are slightly slower on single-threaded tasks but much better at multi-threaded tasks. Will TrueNAS work better with slower but more cores/threads?

Seems majority of my budget will be allocated to the motherboard. Ranges around $550 to $700 on ebay, Amazon, and Newegg. Any other sellers I should consider? Like the X11SPM-TF and X11SPM-TPF with 12 SATA. No HBA needed, and I can repurpose a 2.5" SSD for the OS instead of purchasing a m.2 SSD (assuming I want to maximize 8 SATA/bays for storage).

Thanks for confirming the other components! Glad the cooler, 2x16GB, and power supply will work for this build.

[blueberryfreckle]

Noctua site indicates NH-L9i is compatible with Intel Xeon E3-1230 v6 but not Intel Xeon Silver 4110.

Alternative coolers for LGA3647 socket are SuperMicro SNK-P0067PS (1U passive heatsink), SuperMicro SNK-P0068APS4 (2U active cooler) plus similar 2U coolers by Silverstone and Dynatron. 2U coolers are exactly 60mm high so could be a tight fit in the U-NAS NSC-810A.

Given how inexpensive the 1st gen Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs are, could I move up to an Intel Xeon Gold 5118? TDP is also 85W but I understand TDP can be misleading.

For RAM, are there reliable brands? Kingston Server Premier or should I just purchase the cheapest like A-Tech? Will speed matter--2666 vs 2400 MHz?

Thanks!

[blueberryfreckle]

2U active coolers will not work. Fan is 60mm high. Heatsink is taller at 64mm.