How do you organize your network (storage, backup, server, nas, printer...)

[Amen]

Many people are asking about a workstation configuration - their "frontend"

 

But what about the "backend" of your office? What do you use? What did you try and did not work?

 

I am working in an architecture office and we are using the office server which manages a storage server for all our data. We have a couple computers which are used as render nodes at night and workstations during the day. This is by far an ideal setup.

 

What would be a better or an ideal setup for you? Maybe for a 1-5 person setup, which is a more common size for a visualization office.

Edited March 13, 2015 by Amen

[peterletten]

Yes - I'd be very interested to here peoples opinions on this. I've just taken on a new (first) employee so besides purchasing a new workstation we're also looking at the best way to share project files/assets libraries and backup. And potentially use the NAS/fileserver as a rendernode when necessary??

[RyderSK]

And potentially use the NAS/fileserver as a rendernode when necessary??

 

I would always advice against doing this sort of utility merge. File server (in any form) is backbone of the whole work environment, it's worth to keep it in most stable, risk-free state. Also necessary to consider perhaps more practical feature, if you'll use its performance for rendering, there won't be enough for accessing the files in comfortable manner from workstation, and it would slow down the access for nodes as well. Any possible freeze-up would jeopardize ongoing rendering tasks across network.

 

I went from DS213 through DS214+ (still run both, mostly as backup solutions), to repurposing my first workstation i7 2600 as file-server since I wanted to run TBs of SSDs through sataIII with eventual possibility of swapping in 10Gbit network card. This was excellent budget solution since NAS devices that had optional network card slot for 10Gbit had started from 1k euro, with another 500 for card itself and even than the performance wouldn't match full-fledged windows server.

 

I use multiple 2p xeon nodes to render out through day and night, I rarely even add workstations over night. I don't really think there is anything smart you can do or change around. Only important part is to never get blocked from use, or waiting for something. I need to do previews doing a day, therefore dedicated nodes are absolute must, never use workstation for anything more than 5 minute tests at best.

[numerobis]

I also think it is essential to keep your data separated from the nodes.

 

I'm using a self build server. Core i3 4130 with 8GB RAM on a ASRock Z97 board with 10 SATA ports, two 3TB disks at the onboard controller in RAID1 for projects and materials. (+ one separated 2TB disk for additional, unsorted stuff Backup on removable disks in a cartridge. One SSD for the system and i'm testing SSD caching for the RAID on a separated SSD. ~30W in idle mode incl. the disks if i remember correctly. I'm using standby mode and Wake On LAN (on folder access). The reaction is a bit slower than with me previous server, maybe because of the deeper standby or the HDDs, i don't know.

But i think i will add a bigger SSD (250-512GB) in the near future for ongoing projects and the materials.

The network consists of 1 Workstation and 10 nodes. I'm using win7 pro because i don't need any domain controller for different user accounts.

Works for me.

I have looked into 10G for the connections from server to switch and switch to workstation a few months ago, but i decided that it is still a bit too early. There are several new and cheaper 10G switches that have been announced for this year (from D-Link, using Base-T). This is what i'm waiting for now.