Hephaestus Server

Custom-built headless server providing centralized network storage, media streaming (Jellyfin), Docker container hosting, and home automation services. Designed for 24/7 operation with emphasis on storage capacity and power efficiency. 

• Network Attached Storage (NAS) - 168TB raw capacity

• Jellyfin media server (personal Netflix alternative)

• Docker container host (Portainer management)

Compute:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-10400 (6-core, 2.9GHz base)

  • Rationale: Balance of performance, efficiency, and QuickSync for hardware transcoding

• CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO

  • Quiet operation for always-on server

• RAM: 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR4-3200 (2x16GB)

  • Sufficient for multiple VMs and Docker containers

Storage Architecture:

• Boot Drive: 1TB WD Blue SN5000 NVMe PCIe 4.0

  • Fast OS and container storage

• Data Array: 168TB total raw capacity

• 4x 20TB WD Red Pro (7200 RPM) = 80TB

• 2x 24TB WD Red Pro (7200 RPM) = 48TB

• 4x 18TB WD Red Pro (7200 RPM) = 72TB

Storage Controllers:

• 2x LSI 9211-8i HBA Cards (flashed to IT Mode)

  • 16 total SATA/SAS ports (8 ports per card)

  • 6Gbps per port throughput

  • IT Mode (HBA passthrough, not RAID)

Infrastructure:

• Motherboard: MSI MAG B560 Tomahawk WiFi

  • 6x SATA ports (motherboard) + 16x SATA (HBA) = 22 total ports

  • Multiple PCIe slots (2x HBA cards installed)

  • WiFi backup connectivity

• Case: Fractal Design Meshify 2 XL

  • Supports 18x 3.5" drives (10 drives currently, room for 8 more)

  • Excellent airflow (critical for drive temps)

  • Tool-less drive bays

  • Dust filters

• PSU: Corsair RM1000 (1000W, 80+ Gold)

  • Headroom for 10 spinning drives + 2 HBA cards + expansion

  • Efficient at low loads (typical server operation)

  • Fully modular cabling

Total Build Cost: ~$700 (base components) + ~$2,800 (drives) + ~$100 (2x HBA cards) = ~$3,600

Why LSI HBA Cards?

• The Problem:

  • Motherboard has only 6 SATA ports. With 10 drives + boot drive, needed 11 ports minimum (currently 10 data drives).

• Solution: LSI 9211-8i HBA (IT Mode)

Why This Specific Card:

• • Industry Standard: LSI 9211-8i is legendary in homelab/NAS community

  • IT Mode Firmware: Flashed to "Initiator Target" mode

  • Card acts as simple SATA/SAS expander (no RAID processing)

  • Direct drive access for software RAID (ZFS, mdadm, SnapRAID)

  • Full SMART data passthrough for monitoring

  • Lower latency than hardware RAID mode

Proven Reliability: Enterprise-grade card, common in datacenters

• • Cost-Effective: Used/genuine cards available $40-60 each

  • 6Gbps per Port: Full SATA III speed (no bottleneck)

  • 16 Total Ports: 2x cards = room for 16 drives (currently using 10)

Synology/QNAP Alternative:

• Similar capacity: $3,000-5,000 (just the NAS, no drives)

• Limited to 8-12 bays (expansion units required)

• Limited compute for additional services

• Proprietary software/OS

• Vendor lock-in

Custom Build Advantages:

• 60-70% cost savings

• 16+ drive capacity (with HBA expansion)

• Full hardware control

• Unlimited expansion options

• Standard PC components (easy repair/upgrade)

• Run any software/OS

• Learning opportunity

Drive Selection Strategy:

Why WD Red Pro over WD Red (standard)?

• 7200 RPM vs 5400 RPM (better performance)

• CMR vs SMR technology (critical for parity arrays)

• 5-year warranty vs 3-year

• Higher workload rating (550TB/year vs 180TB/year)

Mixed Drive Sizes: Cost optimization over time—purchased drives as needed/on sale rather than all at once. Flexibility to expand with largest available drives as technology improves.

Why Intel CPU?

QuickSync Hardware Transcoding: Intel iGPU essential for Jellyfin—can transcode 10+ simultaneous 4K streams with minimal CPU usage. AMD alternatives require dedicated GPU for equivalent performance.

Power Efficiency: 65W TDP CPU keeps power consumption reasonable for 24/7 operation.

Challenge 1: HBA Card Configuration

Problem: LSI cards ship in "IR Mode" (RAID mode) which doesn't work with ZFS/software RAID.

Solution: Flash firmware to IT Mode

• Downloaded LSI IT Mode firmware

• Created bootable FreeDOS USB

• Flashed both cards to IT Mode P20 firmware

• Cards now act as simple SATA/SAS expanders

• Full drive passthrough to OS

Learning: Understanding HBA modes critical for NAS builds. IT Mode = passthrough, IR Mode = hardware RAID.

Challenge 3: Drive Temperature Management

10 spinning drives generate significant heat. Fractal Meshify 2 XL chosen specifically for airflow:

• Front intake: 3x 140mm fans (direct drive bay cooling)

• Top exhaust: 2x 140mm fans

• Rear exhaust: 1x 140mm fan

Result: Drives maintain 30-35°C under load (well within safe operating range <45°C).

Challenge 4: Power Supply Sizing

Power budget calculation:

• 10x HDDs @ 10W sustained = 100W

• 2x HBA cards @ 15W each = 30W

• Motherboard, CPU, RAM = ~100W

• Startup transient (drive spin-up) = +200W peak

Total: ~130W sustained, ~400W peak during boot

Solution: 1000W PSU provides comfortable 2.5x headroom and operates efficiently (80+ Gold most efficient at 20-50% load). With enough connections for drive expansion. 

Media Streaming (Jellyfin):

• Handles 5+ simultaneous 1080p streams

• 2-3 simultaneous 4K transcodes via QuickSync

• <5% CPU usage during typical streaming

• Instant start times with NVMe cache

Storage Performance:

• Sequential read: 200-400 MB/s (per drive, HBA not limiting factor)

• Sequential write: 150-250 MB/s

• Random I/O: Improved with ZFS ARC caching in RAM

• Network bottleneck: 1GbE = 125MB/s (planning 10GbE upgrade)

HBA Performance:

• Zero performance overhead (IT Mode passthrough)

• Full 6Gbps per port available

• SMART data accessible for all drives

• No RAID cache or battery concerns

Power Consumption:

• Idle: ~90W (10 drives spinning, 2 HBA cards)

• Under load: ~150W

• Monthly electricity cost: ~$9 - 15

Uptime: 99%+ uptime—only restarts for kernel updates or hardware maintenance.

Immediate Capacity:

• Space for 11 more drives

• Maximum 21 drives (both HBAs fully populated)

Long-term Expansion Options:

Option 1: Add More Drives (Current Hardware)

• Fill the remaining 11https://www.eporner.com/video-GxURuNcmbov/i-wish-i-could-milk-her-busty-redhead-spoils-her-man-lilly-mays/ HBA ports

• 21 drives total = up to 504TB raw (with 24TB drives)

Option 2: Upgrade to SAS Expander

• Add SAS expander backplane

• 24+ drive capacity

• Daisy-chain to existing HBA

Option 3: Upgrade Drives

• As drive progresses, upgrade current drives to offline backups.

Other Planned Upgrades:

• UPS (uninterruptible power supply) for graceful shutdowns (Done)

• Off-site backup server (3-2-1 backup strategy) (Done)

1. HBA Cards Are Essential for >6 Drives Motherboard SATA ports insufficient for serious NAS. LSI 9211-8i is gold standard—reliable, cheap used, well-documented.

2. IT Mode vs IR Mode Matters Spent hours troubleshooting before realizing card was in wrong mode. Always verify HBA firmware before assuming hardware failure.

3. Buy Drives on Sale Mixed drive sizes from opportunistic purchasing. ~$100 saved per drive during sales adds up ($1,000+ total savings).

4. Plan PCIe Slots Early 2x HBA cards require 2x PCIe slots. Motherboard selection should account for expansion cards, not just initial build.

5. Cable Management at Scale 10 drives + HBA breakout cables = cable nightmare if not planned. SFF-8087 breakout cables (1 to 4 SATA) clean up significantly vs individual cables.

6. Monitor Drive Temperatures Even with good airflow, regularly check drive temps. Added extra front intake fan when temps crept above 40°C.

7. Label Everything 10 identical drives become confusing fast. Physical labels + logical mapping (serial number tracking) essential.