Key insights

• 💰 Recertified drives are cheaper but with similar specifications to new drives
• ❓ Uncertain about the quality and reliability of the recertified drives
• 💸 Purchased $10,000 worth of recertified drives from Seagate
• 📦 Received drives in trays and look new with recent manufacturing dates
• 🔧 Emphasis on cost savings and hardware reuse for on-prem servers
• ⬆️ Considering upgrades for old server hardware
• 🌀 Dealing with cooling using a Noctua industrial fan
• 🔍 Discussing long-term reliability of recertified drives and warranty comparison

Q&A

• What insights are shared regarding the reliability of recertified hard drives?

  The speaker discusses the long-term reliability of recertified hard drives, sharing personal experiences with their performance over months or years without errors. Additionally, the comparison of warranties between new and recertified drives is offered, along with a recommendation to explore a sponsor's news filtering service.

• How reliable are the drives from different time periods and batches in the setup?

  Despite the drives being from varying time periods and batches, they perform well in the setup. The performance is impressive, and despite some initial issues, the refurbished drives ultimately offer substantial value compared to the cost of new drives.

• What are the steps for setting up hard drives for storage and configuring RAID for data protection?

  Setting up hard drives involves exploring NAS software options, testing drive health, and configuring RAID for data protection, such as RAID Z2, to ensure data redundancy and integrity. It's essential to choose suitable NAS software, organize drive storage, and implement RAID for data protection.

• What are the considerations for upgrading hardware for a home network server?

  When upgrading hardware, it's crucial to consider compatibility, thermal management, and workload requirements. This includes updating the BIOS, ensuring proper cooling, evaluating genuine and knockoff components, and expanding storage and network capabilities based on specific needs.

• Why consider on-prem servers over cloud services?

  On-prem servers offer cost savings, control, and customization compared to cloud services. They enable the reuse of existing hardware, emphasizing cost-effectiveness while providing greater control and security over data and infrastructure.

• What should be considered when purchasing recertified drives?

  When buying recertified drives, it's important to verify their condition, warranties, and compatibility with the existing setup. It's also essential to understand the refurbishment process, any included warranties, and potential performance differences compared to new drives.

• What does 'recertified' mean, and are recertified drives actually used?

  Recertified means that the drives have been returned, inspected, and restored to like-new condition. While they are technically used, they undergo thorough testing, refurbishment, and inspection, and often come with warranties, ensuring their quality and reliability.

• What is the quality and reliability of recertified drives compared to new ones?

  Recertified drives are used drives that have been inspected, repaired, and restored to a like-new condition. Their quality and reliability are comparable to new drives, and they undergo rigorous testing to ensure performance and durability.

• 00:00 A tech company needs more storage, so they bought recertified drives that are cheaper but with similar specifications to new drives. They're unsure about the quality and reliability of the recertified drives as it's uncharted territory for them.
• 03:21 They purchased server parts deals from eBay for 20TB drives, which they believe to be a great deal. They plan to reuse hardware to save costs, and emphasize the cost effectiveness of on-prem servers compared to cloud services. They are considering upgrades for their old server.
• 06:35 Upgrading hardware for a home network server with a new processor, RAM, and network cards. Facing issues with old equipment and using a mix of genuine and knockoff cards. Adding a 100 Gig network card and a Dell Gen 4 nvme SSD for read caching. Dealing with cooling by using a Noctua industrial fan.
• 09:35 Troubleshooting a computer system, exploring NAS software options, setting up hard drives for storage, and configuring RAID Z2 for data protection.
• 12:26 The drives are most likely from different time periods and batches, and they are working well in the setup. The performance is impressive, and despite some issues, the refurbished drives seem like a good deal.
• 15:14 The speaker discusses the reliability of recertified hard drives, mentions personal experiences with them, talks about warranties, and recommends checking out a sponsor's news filtering service.