A home server move from a Dell R730 to a lower-power custom build
A setup moved from a Dell R730 server to a self-built server after two years of 24/7 use. The old server had been practical because spare power from solar panels reduced the cost concern, but the new goal was much lower power use. The storage plan changed from 2.5-inch SAS disks to 3.5-inch SATA .
The build used free parts from work, including 128 gigabytes of memory and eleven 4-terabyte , mostly HGST and Seagate Constellation models. To keep the option of reusing a CPU from the old R730, the build needed a with an LGA2011-3 socket. The chosen setup was a Supermicro X10SRI-F with an Intel Xeon E5-1620 v4 CPU bought from an eBay seller in Canada.
A reused Gigabyte 1660 Super OC handles video and light AI work. Extra SATA power cables, splitters, and a Noctua NH-U9DX i4 cooler were added to support all the disks and allow heavier CPU loads.
Key points
- The setup moved away from a Dell R730 server that had run 24/7 for two years.
- The main goals were lower power use, 3.5-inch SATA drives, and easier use of a normal .
- The build used 128 gigabytes of server memory and eleven 4-terabyte obtained for free.
- The choice kept open the option of using an older R730-compatible CPU.
- A reused supports video and light AI tasks.