Hi,

I'm building a new camera server, with Blue Iris, for the first time.
I'm wondering how I'll configure the drives.
We have around 20+ cameras.

The new motherboard has :
•3 M.2 :
∙∙•1 PCIe 4.0 x4
∙∙•2 PCIe 3.0 x4
•4 SATA 6 GB/s ports

Here's my plan until now:
•Windows OS: 250 GB M.2 PCIe 3.0
•Database: 250 GB M.2 PCIe 4.0
•New: 2 TB M.2 PCIe 3.0
•Store: 10 TB SATA WD Purple Pro

Does it sound good?
Is it a good idea to put the database on a different drive? Or is just silly?

All I see above are a load of dots?

There is no need for the DB to be on a different drive if it's still local. It's important but doesn't need THAT heavy of dedication. Also it doesn't need anywhere near that amount of space. For comparison, I only have 9 cameras but my storage is still around 7TB so I hold about 3 weeks worth of continuous video. My db is all of 150MB (MB not GB). I think you could very easily keep it in a folder on the 'New' drive or just keep a folder on the 'OS' drive - though I do totally get for system stability wanting it partitioned out. If you really wanted to go to that level of separation, I would maybe carve out a 5GB partition from your OS drive and dedicate that to the database. 5GB is still IMHO overkill but you don't want to run out either - and it's not like it's going to break you having a 245GB OS partition.

Other than that, I think it sounds great. Your New -> Store looks good.

IAmATeaf wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:43 am All I see above are a load of dots?

Don't let the dots distract you buddy!

Matts1984 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 1:46 pm There is no need for the DB to be on a different drive if it's still local. It's important but doesn't need THAT heavy of dedication. Also it doesn't need anywhere near that amount of space. For comparison, I only have 9 cameras but my storage is still around 7TB so I hold about 3 weeks worth of continuous video. My db is all of 150MB (MB not GB). I think you could very easily keep it in a folder on the 'New' drive or just keep a folder on the 'OS' drive - though I do totally get for system stability wanting it partitioned out. If you really wanted to go to that level of separation, I would maybe carve out a 5GB partition from your OS drive and dedicate that to the database. 5GB is still IMHO overkill but you don't want to run out either - and it's not like it's going to break you having a 245GB OS partition.

Other than that, I think it sounds great. Your New -> Store looks good.

Thanks for that.

So I could put OS and DB on same drive, OR, DB and New on same drive right?

I'll have one NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (verrrrrry fast : Up to 5000 MB/s Write). What should have the highest priority and go on that SSD? NEW and DB maybe? OS and DB? Else?

I'll also have one NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD (Also quite fast: Up to 2500 MB/s).

KoreyVincent wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:45 pm So I could put OS and DB on same drive, OR, DB and New on same drive right?

Correct, you can put the DB anywhere you want - you just have to specify a folder. The recommendation is that it's on local and fast storage - I would note that ALLLLL of your storage option plans are "fast", it doesn't have to be NVMe PCIe X.X fast I just wouldn't put it on a remote SAN with 5400 RPM IDE drives.

KoreyVincent wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 3:45 pm I'll have one NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD (verrrrrry fast : Up to 5000 MB/s Write). What should have the highest priority and go on that SSD? NEW and DB maybe? OS and DB? Else?

I'll also have one NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD (Also quite fast: Up to 2500 MB/s).

Thats a hard one as by all intents and purposes, both are ridiculously fast. Assuming storage capacity being the same, on one hand putting the OS/DB on the fastest would result in a faster boot up. On the other hand, having the fastest for New/DB probably makes the most sense as in reality - you're going to be watching/recording video a lot more often than you'll be booting your server up. If boot time takes 5 seconds instead of 4 - but you only reboot once a month.... you're not missing much. You do have the option to move the DB around without sacrificing your system so don't feel completely set in stone if you make the "wrong" choice.

To ultimately answer you, I think as a overall best practice the DB should NOT be on the same drive as your OS. The OS drive/partition is the most critical to your system running and you do not want any part of the application risking that. If there is some random bug that causes the DB to grow without stopping - it needs to be contained so that you do not lose access to your OS. All a very big 'IF' but it's still the right path forward.

If it were me, I think I'd do the following but I think based on your storage amounts in your original post, I may be contradicting myself now. The PCIe 4.0 is not a 2TB drive so I think ultimately you can do this without the 250GB PCIe 3.0.
OS - 250GB PCIe 4.0
New/DB - 2TB PCIe 3.0
Stored - 10TB SATA

I mean if you just have money to blow I'm sure we could figure out ways to increase this further, implement RAID, etc.... or give me some of the parts, but I think you're already on track to a great system. What CPU are you looking at and what Windows version?

As an old timer who has built and broken many pc's over the years, I would advise keeping Windows away from any files that you actually want to keep. In my main BI5 system, Win10 has its own SSD, and then I have a 250GB SSD just for the database and New folders, then I move files out to mechanical hard drives in storage folders. It's been rock solid for years.

KoreyVincent wrote:

IAmATeaf wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 9:43 am All I see above are a load of dots?

Don't let the dots distract you buddy!

This is what I see in Tapatalk

IAmATeaf wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 8:31 pm All I see above are a load of dots?
This is what I see in Tapatalk

LOL OK thanks for letting me know. I've fixed it.

Matts1984 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 4:37 pm You're going to be watching/recording video a lot more often than you'll be booting your server up.
...
The DB should NOT be on the same drive as your OS. ... If there is some random bug that causes the DB to grow without stopping - it needs to be contained so that you do not lose access to your OS.

TimG wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 7:39 pm I would advise keeping Windows away from any files that you actually want to keep. In my main BI5 system, Win10 has its own SSD, and then I have a 250GB SSD just for the database and New folders, then I move files out to mechanical hard drives in storage folders. It's been rock solid for years.

It makes a lot of sense. The main job of the machine is to be a camera server. Might as well give the fastest drive to the camera system. I didn't buy any of the parts yet. So still got lots of flexibility.

I'll probably go with:
OS - 250GB PCIe 3.0
New/DB - 2TB PCIe 4.0
Stored - 10TB SATA

Now that I'll have 1 SSD less than I thought, I'll have money for the 2TB 4.0. And the price difference between the 2TB 3.0 and 4.0 isn't that bad.

Matts1984 wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 4:37 pm What CPU are you looking at and what Windows version?

I was thinking about a Xeon W-1350, W-1370 OR W-1370P. Supermicro X12SCA-5F motherboard. 32GB ECC DDR4 3200 RAM.
Windows 11 Pro.