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 | 2 TB (hdd) | None | — | 1 GbE |
| Recommended | 4 cores | 16 GB | 4 TB (hdd) | None | — | 2.5 GbE |
| Comfortable | 8 cores | 32 GB | 8 TB (hdd) | None | — | 10 GbE |
| Overkill | 13 cores | 52 GB | 16 TB (hdd) | None | — | 10 GbE |
Beyond Comfortable — 13 cores, 52 GB RAM, 16 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 (4 threads, 16GB RAM, 32TB storage) need a custom tower build.
One box or a separate machine?
Keep on the main serverRuns fine on the main system — no reason for a dedicated box.
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 | 2× 4TB hdd | 4 TB · parity1 | ≈ €450 | 10 W |
| Balanced Recommended | 2× 16TB hdd | 16 TB · parity1 | ≈ €1396 | 12 W |
| Redundant | 3× 8TB hdd | 8 TB · parity2 | ≈ €1236 | 15 W |
| Expansion-friendly | 2× 20TB hdd | 20 TB · parity1 | ≈ €1756 | 14 W |
| Performance | 2× 4TB nvme | 4 TB · parity1 | ≈ €1576 | 2 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 4TB 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 8TB across the 3-year horizon — the architecture fits your expected growth.
Within capacity and bays — no new bay needed for 7TB.
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 (4 cores, 16 GB RAM) is the sweet spot: enough for the workload plus the usual side-services, without overspending.
- Pick Comfortable (8 cores, 32 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).
