i am in the process of moving my home server/backup machine to a bit faster machine (honestly, i just wanted to build a new machine...) and was using a xp2000 and looked for a xp-m 35W 2400 for about a year for a decent price - less than $50 but couldn't find one. in addittion to backups, the machine will also handle multiple http/http-ssl sites, ftp/ftp-ssl transfers, mysql, php and whatever needs i have. i have a few sites that are more just for friends so we can all communicate at a certain place and not worry about emailing when stuff is going on. the ftp items are needed by my wife when she is doing business on the laptop - this way she will have access to any file she doesn't have but doesn't need to worry about having the laptop filled w/ tons of sensitive data in case of theft. we have a cingular wireless card for it that get ~ 50-100KB/s, and we are connected via a 12/1Mb/s cable connection at the condo. figuring that the files she needs are never more than 50MB, she can have them in 10mins or less.
so i picked up a new m/b that is pci-e (16x, 4x & 1x), 4x sata and is a nf4 m/b since the old m/b didn't have sata at all or pci-e. wouldn't you know it as soon as i found the m/b & and got an excellent deal on the 3000venice i am i see a xp-m 35W 2400 for $25...typical.
anyway here is the rest of the deal/plan - 3x500GB in a raid 5 array w/ a highpoint 2310 (i think that is the model #) pci-e4x card, a main hdd somewhere in the neighborhood of 60-120GB (basically whatever is left over from other rigs i have around here), a pci gpu and am going to use a zalman hsf for the cpu and will probably switch the nf4 mcp to a passive zalman hs because a lot of sound does come from that little ass fan.
i picked up a ultra case that was ~$7 ar & tax, and am into this build for ~$75 out of pocket between the m/b, cpu, case, hsf and a fsp ~80% 300W psu. i still need to find a deal on the pci-e raid card and pick up 2x 500GB hdds and i will be done. in the mean time i need to mod the case and make room for a 120mm fan up front and cut the grille out of the back of the case. that should move enough air and i will have active cooling on all the hddds.
this setup gives me GbE speeds for my acronis backups and 1TB of semi redundant data (i know raid 5 is parity, but i don't see 3hdds failing at once - 2 for the raid and then the original).
my goal is to not put out more than ~$250 more for the hdds and card, so i am waiting for the 1TB hdds to come out and hopefully the 500GB will drop quite a bit in price.
all onboard items not needed will be shut off.
just keep a eye open for good deals and even to a wtb in the fs/ft section as there are many 3000s out there that people are now moving away from going to dcs, so they are cheap
when i build a new main rig, i will put my x2 3800 in the machine, not that it is needed though.