High avaibility NAS File Server

 I will be building in the next few days my own Network Array Storage (NAS) monster:

• RAID 6 , instead of RAID5, so 2 disks can fail in the array. A 7 Hot spare is planned
• Hardware RAID because the cheap motherboard (NVIDIA) only support in best case software RAID5
• GIGABIT network…
• Linux powered of course: FreeBSD for security or OpenFiler (RedHat) for it’s ease of use…
• Crypto loop (Linux kernel 2.6 dmcrypt), private keys on USB stick, only 20GB will NOT be encrypted
• FileSystem: XFS or ReiserFS because I will be storing big files

The hardware will look as follow:

• 6 Maxtor 7L300R0 MaXLine III, 7200rpm, 16MB, 300GB, IDE, 24/7 server : 60 Months garanty! 104€/each = 624€
• AMD Athlon 64 3000+  BOX, Socket 939, Venice, the least expensive Athlon 64     99€
• Asus A8N-VM CSM, mATX, Nvidia 6150/430 Video, socket 939, SATA RAID, because I need PCI-E for the hardware RAID  70€
• Promise SuperTrak EX8350, SATA2, 8 SATA port, Raid6 Controller, because Promise support #Linux   297€
• Thermaltake Armor (bought previously)
• Zalman CNPS9500 LED, Socket 754/939/940/478/LGA775  53€

I will explain later why I did not bought a SOHO NAS, but briefly because:

• For the price of my complete system, I have an empty SOHO NAS box or with 250GB (Raid0)
• I have 8 + 6 = 14 SATA ports!
• SOHO NAS are only RAID5 in best case
• Bad performances of SOHO NAS

More pictures, howto, and benchmarks soon…