How are you using your unRAID server?


Living Legend

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I didn't see a thread like this, but I'm always interested in hearing the types of things people are doing with their unRAID servers.  When I first started with mine 5+ years ago, it was simply to store my movies and to be able to serve them to different client devices throughout my house.  I have expanded quite a bit since then, and lots of that is due to reading and contributing to different threads on these forums where members discuss things they're doing with their own servers.

 

Here's a rundown of what my server does.  Hopefully others will post their own server jobs so other readers of this forum can be inspired to try out some new things they may not have thought of!

 

Data storage - Your standard parity protected storage of data.  Mine includes movies, tv shows, music, pictures, and other documents and files.

 

Syncronized databases - Through the use of dockers such as MariaDB, I have my unRAID server hosting a database which all my client devices such as Chromeboxes and Raspberry Pi's throughout my home can read from and share data when accessing and displaying media.

 

Virtualization - After upgrading my server, I decided to better utilize it's power by now virtualizing instances of Kodi with LibreELEC.  Now, rather than running off of Raspberry Pi's, a couple of my TVs are connected directly to video cards on my server which are running virtual instances of LibreELEC.  I plan to create another workstation, likely Windows 10, through the use of a VM on unRAID.

 

Dockers for media - Through the use of a stack including Radarr/Sonarr/Headphones downloading torrents and nzb files and sending them over to Deluge/NZBGet, I have a pretty automated system for keeping my media in check and up to date.  I'm running Plex and Kodi Headless to organize and distribute this media locally and remotely.

 

Dockers for home automation & security - I'm running other dockers such as Zoneminder & Home Assistant in an effort to centralize the pieces working together to provide a secure & automated home environment.

 

Other Dockers - I'm also running other dockers like NextCloud, OpenVPN, MQTT and others which provide more specific tasks for my needs.

 

With that said, how are you using YOUR unRAID server?

 

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One server hosts a couple vm's with physical GPU outputs to hdmi/usb over cat5e (one does photoshop editing,) pfsense firewall for the network, data storage, duckdns, managing backups via crashplan, and plex transcoding.

 

Another one hosts a single vm for doing dedicated 4k editing/transcoding and backups.

 

Another does off site backups with a vm for remote management.

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41 minutes ago, 1812 said:

One server hosts a couple vm's with physical GPU outputs to hdmi/usb over cat5e (one does photoshop editing,) pfsense firewall for the network, data storage, duckdns, managing backups via crashplan, and plex transcoding.

 

Another one hosts a single vm for doing dedicated 4k editing/transcoding and backups.

 

Another does off site backups with a vm for remote management.

 

Hmm, interesting!  So the second one you mention that hosts a single vm for doing dedicated 4k editing/transcoding.  Why create an unRAID server and use a VM rather than use whatever hardware you have and have and dedicated the primary OS at the bare metal level rather than on top of a VM?

Edited by Living Legend
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22 minutes ago, Living Legend said:

 

Hmm, interesting!  So the second one you mention that hosts a single vm for doing dedicated 4k editing/transcoding.  Why create an unRAID server and use a VM rather than use whatever hardware you have and have and dedicated the primary OS at the bare metal level rather than on top of a VM?

 

Because windows 10 won't recognize more than 2 processors (need windows server for that) and apple never made a 4 processor, 48 core computer that can be upgraded to 80 cores.

 

 

Edited by 1812
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12 hours ago, ashman70 said:

I have four unRAID servers.

 

1.Primary Media server Movies

2.Primary Media server TV Shows

3.Backup server, Plex Server, other dockers

4.VM host for Windows 10 VM for gameplay.

 

Similar question here to the other one.  Rather than 4 servers, any reason you're not combining your servers to maximize resources on one?

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Lol, wish I could. I already have a 36bay monsters server.

 

Server 1 has 10 hdds in it and is maxed out.

Server 2 has 8 hdds in it and is maxed out

Server 3 is the monster server and until Lime-tech allows for more hdds in the array, its maxed out with 30 ( I know about unassigned devices)

Server 4 has unique hardware suited for game play.

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     A. My Primary which is in my Signature 

1. Plex Server

2. Data backup of my network, (essential data backed up offline and to a toaster style nas)

3. I rip lots of Movies and then use a HandBrake Docker to rip on a schedule

 

     B. Backup than Faster than Primary Machine - Xeon E3-1225

1. Backup Plex Server

2. Ripper for Movies that isn't on a schedule more or less constant that dumps to Primary and allows primary to keep a low CPU and do other things

3. Soon to be used for Security Footage when I finally decided on system

4. I'm sure more and more eventually. 

 

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Well one thing I'm noticing is that people employ numerous unRAID systems!  Outside of having a backup, I can't imagine why I'd need a second system.  I'm running a  Dual Xeon E5-2670 which is 32 cores, and also have 64GB RAM with the ability to upgrade.  I find myself hard pressed to think that I'd need to be running a second system in parallel anytime soon.

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5 minutes ago, Living Legend said:

Well one thing I'm noticing is that people employ numerous unRAID systems!  Outside of having a backup, I can't imagine why I'd need a second system.  I'm running a  Dual Xeon E5-2670 which is 32 cores, and also have 64GB RAM with the ability to upgrade.  I find myself hard pressed to think that I'd need to be running a second system in parallel anytime soon.

2

 

That's because we foolishly start out on consumer gear and did not know that they made Dual Xeon E5-2670 Motherboards that fit inside a Standard ATX tower case, or we get it in our blood and think that our consumer gear might as well be a server too!

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My first system was a 2 core Pentium Processor with 8 GB RAM that actually served me quite well for 4-5 years.  But once Plex started to become used a bit more, things were much flakier.

 

Now that I'm running with a more commercial level system, I'm trying to find extra ways to better utilize the power it has.

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My first unRAID server was a dual core i5 system  with 16 hard drives. I had been running it with two dell Perc 5i raid controllers each one with 8 drives in a raid 5 array, but I ran out of space and decided to try unRAID. I bought a second hand 16 port Areca SATA RAID controller that could do JBOD and way I went.

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I have 4 working unRAID servers and one disassembled server:

1) 67TB on 20 drive array 2 parity drives - 14 TB free - SageTV docker recording HD on Colossus card from DirecTV and ATSC & QAM tuners - 10 total tuners.

2) 72TB on 20 drive array 2 parity drives - 21TB free - SageTV docker recording from ATSC & QAM tuners - 10 total tuners.

3) 100TB on 16 drive array 2 parity drives - 22 TB free - SageTV docker recording HD on 2 HDPVRs from DirecTV and ATSC & QAM tuners - 15 total tuners.

4) 90TB on 17 drive array 2 parity drives - 42 TB free - Backup location DVD/BluRay rips multiple VMs used to have a VM with ATSC & QAM tuners - 4 tuners (not used now).

5) 48TB on 17 drive array 1 parity drive - 9TB free  - This one is disassembled and still on v5.0.6 the last I knew - been 2 years since last running.

 

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On 8/2/2017 at 10:47 AM, Living Legend said:

My first system was a 2 core Pentium Processor with 8 GB RAM that actually served me quite well for 4-5 years.  But once Plex started to become used a bit more, things were much flakier.

 

Now that I'm running with a more commercial level system, I'm trying to find extra ways to better utilize the power it has.

Because my Primary machine is my machine I'm currently running and then I'm transitioning to my Secondary and I will be retiring Athlon. 

I don't have time/money to throw into this newer machine at the moment so its baby steps. So in the mean time I'm utilizing my second machine for things so I don't hammer the tar out of my primary machine. What am I doing? I'm ripping 1400 movies. lol

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On 8/2/2017 at 7:53 PM, ashman70 said:

Wow Bob, is that all running in a rack in your basement? What's your power bill like?

$200+/- 20 a month gas and electric on budget billing.  I wouldn't call it budget billing since they change it (up or down) every 3 months it seems.  Yes it is all in a rack in my basement.

 

I should have also mentioned I have an electric car (Volt) that I also plug in every night that is part of the $200

Edited by BobPhoenix
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On 8/3/2017 at 4:38 PM, ashman70 said:

What do you have for UPS's?

I have several UPSs one for each server and one for network, DirecTV boxes.  One for livingroom desktop and laptop and TV.  One in bedroom for my SageTV extender and TV.  One in other bedroom/office for other desktops that are off 99% of the time now that I have a laptop in the living room.  Grand total 6 in basement 4 1500 and 2 1000s. 1300 in living room 2 1000s in each bedroom.  All are desktop varity as I had tower cases in basement with same UPSs until just over a year ago.  When batteries are done I plan on getting a rack mount variety designed for multiple boxes and consolidate UPSs as well.

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On 8/2/2017 at 6:23 PM, BobPhoenix said:

I have 4 working unRAID servers and one disassembled server:

1) 67TB on 20 drive array 2 parity drives - 14 TB free - SageTV docker recording HD on Colossus card from DirecTV and ATSC & QAM tuners - 10 total tuners.

2) 72TB on 20 drive array 2 parity drives - 21TB free - SageTV docker recording from ATSC & QAM tuners - 10 total tuners.

3) 100TB on 16 drive array 2 parity drives - 22 TB free - SageTV docker recording HD on 2 HDPVRs from DirecTV and ATSC & QAM tuners - 15 total tuners.

4) 90TB on 17 drive array 2 parity drives - 42 TB free - Backup location DVD/BluRay rips multiple VMs used to have a VM with ATSC & QAM tuners - 4 tuners (not used now).

5) 48TB on 17 drive array 1 parity drive - 9TB free  - This one is disassembled and still on v5.0.6 the last I knew - been 2 years since last running.

 

 

329TB (assembled) !! Man !!

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42 minutes ago, jbrodriguez said:
On 03/08/2017 at 0:23 AM, BobPhoenix said:

I have 4 working unRAID servers and one disassembled server:

1) 67TB on 20 drive array 2 parity drives - 14 TB free - SageTV docker recording HD on Colossus card from DirecTV and ATSC & QAM tuners - 10 total tuners.

2) 72TB on 20 drive array 2 parity drives - 21TB free - SageTV docker recording from ATSC & QAM tuners - 10 total tuners.

3) 100TB on 16 drive array 2 parity drives - 22 TB free - SageTV docker recording HD on 2 HDPVRs from DirecTV and ATSC & QAM tuners - 15 total tuners.

4) 90TB on 17 drive array 2 parity drives - 42 TB free - Backup location DVD/BluRay rips multiple VMs used to have a VM with ATSC & QAM tuners - 4 tuners (not used now).

5) 48TB on 17 drive array 1 parity drive - 9TB free  - This one is disassembled and still on v5.0.6 the last I knew - been 2 years since last running.

 

 

329TB (assembled) !! Man !!

 

Damn! That's my kind of hoarder ;)

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1 minute ago, CHBMB said:

How much TV are you watching @BobPhoenix 35 tuners?!  Why so many?

The way that SageTV works does not allow you to have back to back shows recording on the same channel and have padding.  So I have to have two tuners to record those back to back shows on the same channel.  Plus I don't have bit perfect backups of a show I have multiple recordings on different boxes.  Plus with signal problems like multi-path I need multiple recordings of each show to sometimes get just a single acceptable recording.  Plus I like to archive shows for watching later.  I have every episode of Game Of Thrones recorded I think but I haven't watched any of them yet.  This lets me record everything and then only watch shows that last more than one or two seasons.  Although one of my favorite shows only lasted 2 seasons so I've yet to delete much at this point.  I have deleted some after having watched some episodes and deciding the show wasn't worth it - but there haven't been many of those.

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