The choice of equipment, the question is always very complex. We never know in advance what we are going to turn on the server.
Options may be several:
Houses lying sistemnik old, weak toy, but also can serve as if to put Linux on it.
We have certain goals we want to experiment (to produce virtual machines), store information, your telly feed dlna, engaged in trans-coded video well, and much more. There probably have to buy iron for the first time may not be very steep (about 2 years, someone like you could be smaller) while you study the system under which your server will run.
I overlooked the old system unit on the basis of processor intel core i5 (with virtualization) with 8 Gb of memory, the screw 150 Gb, it's more than enough for the system CentOs, it was her, I opted for the home server, the reason is obvious, if not yet, then further I will think.
Now, identify the server, it is necessary to think about disk space, where we will keep the fruits of our eksperimentov.Na this servachke I tried many versions of internal and external connections:
to push the screws into the SATA, will mean a problem with the cooling, the server handles barely, but steadily, it is not necessary to break.
USB 2.0 after a while began horribly slow down and I did not understand Google, it is talked about feature of the system and the propeller was covered in a year, the server requires around the clock operation.
your choice stopped on e-SATA, bought the card, the price at the time of selection of 17 $. Now 30 $, in my opinion penny.
Many advantages, speed IO screws are arranged outside a lot of screws :) (if multiple docking stations) can be easily additionally priladit ventilation in summer.
Where to stick the screws (they have SATA) I bought a docking station on the 2 screws just such, then it was worth $ 50, are now twice as expensive, but still cheaper than some realties QNAP TS-469, and gives us the opportunity to realize similar QNAP.U her external power, USB, e -SATA, you can use the screws 2.5 and 3.5-inch hot-swap!?!
Now about themselves screws right thing, do not chase cheap screws, they work the warranty period (1 year), but it ends, the screws are covered :(, tested two sets of screws of the troubles with the (start to appear as soon as the speed drops, it is necessary to change ) 1 dull mertvyy.Poetomu better take the screws SE and 5-year warranty, they will not be 2 times more expensive, we can say a little more expensive, but 5 years will not be a headache if covered me for garantii.Seychas I use here such .
A little about the network and network cards.
I use one gigabit network the old-fashioned on utp cables, cable vayfay not soon leveled, and my wife to the waves is bad, the speed of the network when copying large files high.
Something like that.
It's all easy going, cable approximately 50 cm (maybe less)., The positioning will be no problems.
How to install our server CentOs read here .....
How to format the drive in the docking station read here ....