Hardware requirements by tier
Three tiers for every workload: the minimum that works, the recommended sweet spot, and the comfortable headroom level. These are the same tiers the WisePC decision engine uses when it plans a build around your goal.
| Tier | CPU cores | RAM | Storage | GPU | VRAM | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 2 cores | 8 GB | 8 TB (hdd) | None | — | 1 GbE |
| Recommended | 6 cores | 16 GB | 32 TB (hdd) | None | — | 2.5 GbE |
| Comfortable | 12 cores | 64 GB | 64 TB (mixed) | dedicated | 4 GB VRAM | 10 GbE |
| Overkill | 20 cores | 103 GB | 128 TB (mixed) | dedicated | 4 GB VRAM | 10 GbE |
Beyond Comfortable — 20 cores, 103 GB RAM, 128 TB (HDD): headroom you will never use for this workload alone. Put the difference into storage, backup or silence.
Recommended system shape
Derived by the decision engine from the recommended tier — the same logic that plans full builds.
Requirements (6 threads, 16GB RAM, 48TB storage) need a custom tower build.
One box or a separate machine?
Consider a separate machineCan grow past 64TB of storage — a dedicated NAS keeps the disk array and its redundancy separate from the compute that must stay up.
Whether this workload deserves its own system or should live on the main server.
Storage arrays, priced
Five physical strategies for the recommended capacity — the same planner, drive model and reference prices as the storage planner tool.
| Strategy | Drives | Usable | Cost | Idle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheapest Recommended | 3× 16TB hdd | 32 TB · parity1 | ≈ €2142 | 18 W |
| Redundant | 6× 8TB hdd | 32 TB · parity2 | ≈ €2238 | 30 W |
| Expansion-friendly | 3× 20TB hdd | 40 TB · parity1 | ≈ €2754 | 21 W |
| Performance | 9× 4TB nvme | 32 TB · parity1 | ≈ €7137 | 9 W |
The balanced strategy gives you parity protection for a modest cost per TB — the right default for a family archive.
Backup is not storage
The extra copy that survives drive failure, deletion and ransomware — the same engine as the backup planner.
For 32TB of irreplaceable data, go straight to the full 3-2-1 — a local NAS plus an offsite copy.
Add a second copy outside the building — cloud or a drive at a friend's house.
Use a versioning-aware tool (restic, borg, Backblaze) that keeps history.
Schedule backups automatically and monitor them.
Keep the backup on separate hardware or offsite.
What will it cost?
Market-neutral EUR bands from the reference drive model (≈ = estimated street price). Live component prices resolve on the build page for your region.
Compute (CPU, board, RAM, GPU) is not included — see the recommended build for live prices.
Growth outlook
What happens when the data keeps growing — the same engine as the growth simulator.
Storage stays within 64TB across the 3-year horizon — the architecture fits your expected growth. Add ~1428€ and 2 bay(s) to reach 62TB within 64TB.
Add 2× 16TB hdd (~1428€) — Cheapest strategy, 5 bays total for 62TB.
Which tier do you need?
- Pick Minimum (2 cores, 8 GB RAM) only for a single-purpose machine on a tight budget — expect little headroom.
- Recommended (6 cores, 16 GB RAM) is the sweet spot: enough for the workload plus the usual side-services, without overspending.
- Pick Comfortable (12 cores, 64 GB RAM) when this workload shares the machine with others or will grow — you pay for headroom, not for anxiety.
- GPU rule for this workload: None.GPU rule for this workload: None (no discrete VRAM needed).
Also covered in this guide
10GbE network
10 gigabit connectivity, usually SFP+ or 10GBase-T.
