Introduction

I've been running an UNRAID server at home for media, photos, and utilities for the past year now. Before that I had only Plex running on my gaming PC for 5 years and then on my personal laptop for 5 years before that. To preface this article, my only experience with Linux and self-hosting is entirely a side hobby—I have zero career experience in IT or computer science. When I first built my server, my main goals were to have a setup that would be extremely reliable but also budget conscious. At the time I had never seen a server rack in person (actually I still have never seen one in person now that I think about it) so I wanted to stick with what I was very comfortable with: building PCs in towers as is commonly done for a gaming PC. That's when I set my eyes on the ultimate NAS budget tower PC case available at the time: the Darkrock Classico Storage Master NAS Case. I didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for the Fractal Define R7 so I decided to make it work. And it paid off very well.

Server Specs

DIY Server Tower Build: Darkrock Classico Storage Master PC Case

This case is a super large tower PC case that can support up to ATX motherboards, (10x) 3.5" HDDs, and (4x) 2.5" SSDs/HDDs at the same time. It also ships with 4x decent quality Darkrock 120mm fans that get the job done. It is fully vented from the front and sides and has okay cable management. It does all this for $90 brand new from Amazon. Obviously it won't have insane quality metal and build quality, but for the price that it offers, it is unmatched. It will get the job DONE. And what more can you ask for.

To be fair my server was running absolutely fine in the Darkrock case. But as you can see, everything was unorganized and a bit too congested with the rest of the items in the room. I wanted to dedicate more space towards the setup, lift it off the ground to protect from any water damage, and ensure it remains securely standing even if bumped into by someone. Although I had the server lifted off the ground a few inches, I had some other essential gear just thrown on the ground near it: (1) a very old laptop setup as a backup NAS, (2) a network switch, and (3) a NanoKVM. I also wanted to move (4) my Home Assistant Green and (5) Raspberry Pi Zero 2W running my Pihole backup setup downstairs too. I was due for an upgrade that protected my gear, looked nice, and also housed at least the 5 other things I mentioned.

Original unorganized server setup

More info here: Darkrock website Amazon: Amazon non-afflilate link

4U Server Chassis Build: Rosewill RSV-R4012

This server chassis fits in a standard 19" server rack, is 4U tall, and is exactly 19.88" (505mm) deep meaning it is compatible with probably 99% of standard 19" server racks. Naturally this was my first choice since Rosewill is a great budget brand, this model supports USB-C front panel (my favorite), it's taller than other 4U cases = better CPU cooler clearance, and is shallow enough that I do not have to buy an expensive rack. It didn't have many reviews since it's a newer case and also has less cooling than the ever popular Rosewill RSV-L4500U since it's not as deep (spoiler: the shallower depth made cable management so much harder but ultimately I saved a lot of money so I do not mind).

I originally was using the Noctua NH-U12S chromax.Black since it is 158mm tall and the RSV-R4012 supports a maximum clearance of 158mm. However, they don't tell you that the 158mm of the Noctua does not include the thickness of the CPU, motherboard, and the height of the standoffs in the case. So I pivoted and got the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 Mini instead (135mm tall) and was able to successfully close the top of the case.

More info here: Rosewill website Amazon: Amazon non-afflilate link

Server Rack: VEVOR 15U Open Frame Adjustable Depth Server Rack

Since this was my first time ever using a server chassis, I had to get a server/network rack so that I could place my chassis somewhere. This VEVOR rack was the cheapest small-medium sized server rack I could find and it seemed to be decent quality from the reviews. It is a standard 19" rack that is 15U tall and adjustable from 23" to 40" depth. I also got an insane deal of $57 on AliExpress (not including tax) so I had to jump on it. It was very easy to setup as well because I was prepared with the proper tools. I used an Impact Drill with a #2 phillips head and was careful as to not strip any screws. It was important I provided a proper amount of force as the screws were self-tapping and none of the holes in the rack were pre-threaded. Since all of my components fit, I decided to keep my rack at 23" so I could also fully screw down the top panel that came with the rack. It also came with a 1U shelf and a 2U shelf that extend about 18" back. The casters are okay and will get the job done for now.

Newly built VEVOR 15U Server Rack

More info here: Vevor website link Amazon: Amazon non-affiliate link AliExpress: AliExpress non-afflilate link

Other Things I Bought

The sliding rails were not absolutely necessary but they are so fluid and were not insanely expensive. I highly recommend them. I opted to 3D print my patch panel with keystone inserts and put in couplers because it was a lot cheaper than buying a premade one on Amazon. I printed in PLA due to limitations but I would definitely recommend PETG. The network switch mounts were a beautiful fit. I didn't test the original fans myself but I opted to go for a budget but high performance fan upgrade right out of the box. These Arctic fans have very high static pressure which is exactly what you need for a server rack build! I left the bottom 3U for a future UPS upgrade that will complete the server rack until I inevitably find something else to add later.

Total Cost of Upgrade

Total = $232.13

Conclusion

Overall, I learned: It was very fun! Things I would do differently: