Windows Home Server – Making a case for a case.

So, I've been using a test/demo copy of Windows Home Server.  It's available to download right now from Microsoft.

I REALLY like it.  So, I've decided to build my own WHS machine for permanent use.  But there are so many decisions!  Here are my requirements.

• Low power consumption  (This is a high priority to me, as I want to be able to leave it on 24x7)
• Quiet (This is also a high priority, as I already have too much noise in the house from computers)
• Expandable.  I need to be able to add more HD's as my movie and music collection grows – especially if I start ripping Blu-Ray disks in full 1080p.
• Gigabit Ethernet.  It's got to be at least as fast as my DNS-323.
• Not ugly.  I don't want a crappy tan box, I'd really like it to LOOK nice, even if noone will ever see it.  (This is a very low priority)

I think I've found a great motherboard to use.  The Supermicro X7SPA-H motherboard is an Atom D510 based board with lots of Sata drive connectors and a PCI-express card slot.  It has 2 gigabit NIC's but I don't think I'll be able to use both for teaming (that’s a shame), but perhaps in the future I might change to a different server OS, so this may be for future use.  Also, while this board technically does (seem to) have sound features, it doesn't really seem to care about them(MB header, no jacks), which is perfect for my use as a server.  Oddly, it uses notebook style DO-SIMM cards for ram, but I actually have a couple of those laying around, so that's no big deal.  The only thing missing about this board is an eSata port or two.  If it had that, it would be perfect.  My favorite feature of this board is the fact that it uses no fans.  That means it will be quiet.  It's also an indication of it's low power usage.  This thing is a perfect WHS board.

Next is the Case.  I've been mulling this one over for a while.  I want room for lots of hard drives.  Especially considering WHS's ability to expand linearly with as many hard drives as you can give it.

At first, I found this case... This is the Chenbro es34069 mini-ITX tower case.  It's PERFECT for a WHS machine.  It's tiny, but it holds FIVE hard drives.  One of the drives needs to be a notebook 2.5" drive, mounted in an internal non-removable bay.  No problem, I have a notebook drive laying around too.  It also has 4 hot-swap Sata drive bays with individual activity lights for each drive, plus room for a slim DVD-rom drive as well.  It even has room for a flash card reader.  I REALLY like this case.

The problem with the Chenbro case is that I already have 5 drives waiting to go into this thing.  So, that means my future expansion options are already roadblocked.  I would need to either replace one of the internal drives to add another, or attach the next drive as an external.  I've been looking at some external eSata "port multiplier" multiple drive enclosures, which can be had for around $100 or more, but I would also need to deal with adding an eSata port to the server, which in the Chenbro case would require special riser card.  That means more $, and another external power supply, not to mention a second box next to the first.

Now I've stumbled onto this option.  This is the NZXT Whisper case.  This thing features a shocking NINE internal hard drive bays, mounted in a special compartment that is cooled by a HUGE filtered fan, seperated from the motherboard.  And, these 9 bays are in ADDITION to the already ample 6 external 5.25" bays and the 1 external 3.5" bay.  The drive bays all feature sound dampening rubber isolators to keep them quiet.  On top of all that, the case features acoustic dampening material on the sides and top to reduce hard drive noise even further.  This thing is essentially the perfect WHS case.  It features everything a real industrial server case would feature, minus the space for dual power supplies – which I don’t believe I require.

My only problem with this case is this things is freakin' huge.  It's a behemoth full tower case, which is completely the opposite of what I was looking for in the Chenbro case.  Now, I'm evaluating this question:  Did I really want small?  Do I really even need hot-swap drive bays?  (I could add TWO 5-in-3 hot swap external bays to the NZXT case, btw...)  Am I really ever even going to need to look at this thing?  It's probably going to be hidden in a closet anyway...

I have a feeling I'm going to end up ordering this monster case.  It will save me lots of $ in the long run because I won't have to acquire external storage for more HD's in the future.  It’s only flaw, from what I have been reading, is that the bottom mounted power supply is a LONG ass way from the motherboard’s power connector, which will necessitate at least one extension cord to power the mobo.  I wouldn’t really call that a flaw, it’s really just more of a Gotcha! than a flaw.

The silly part is that this behemoth case, plus a needed power supply will cost the same as the Chenbro case.  So, I can’t really figure out why I would lock myself down with the Chenbro case at all.  Sigh.

I have a week left until I have the money to order anything, so I have some time to mull this over.  But, I have a feeling I know what I’m going to do ;)