NAS case recommendations please

TeleFragger

[H]ard|Gawd
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Nov 10, 2005
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Ok so got my 10gb network going.. now onto drive bottlenecks... so ive been needing to put together a NAS.. toying with FreeNAS 11 and 12... 12 doesn't support my 10gb nic so gotta stay 11 for now.


ive got a ton of WD black drives. not going to get in the discussion that I need red drives. I know that.. and gonna start looking but...

ive got and don't need to use all of these... just toying with what could work...
12x 500gb ssd
6x wd black 2tb
6x wd black 1tb

so 24 drives but there are some cool ways to do this...


with a limited budget of $250-$300 (amazon gift cards)... looking for a solution that is not a full depth server case.

My first case choice, will only get me 8 drives but looking for a case like this. I don't care if 4u, 6u, etc... as I like this where the drives sit over the mobo some to condense space...

$190 - Norco 4U Rackmount Components RPC-4308
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...4df-15aac5223b10&pf_rd_r=0M00AVY3HD7F68VJ7K7C



I like this choice... 12 hot swap drive bays...leaving me a bit short....

$239 Rosewill 4U Server Chassis/Server Case/Rackmount Case, Metal Rack Mount Computer Case with 12 Hot Swap Bays & 5 Fans Pre-Installed (RSV-L4412)
https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Rac...l+4u&qid=1548202730&s=Electronics&sr=1-1&th=1



scratch hotswap as I don't really swap drives out all that much and really don't care if it is hot swap or not...
would get me the 12 ssd and 3x 2tb in...

$150 - Rosewill 4U Server Chassis/Server Case/Rackmount Case, Metal Rack Mount Computer Case support with 15 bays & 7 Fans Pre-Installed (RSV-L4500)
https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Rac...l+4u&qid=1548202730&s=Electronics&sr=1-1&th=1


Now I will go a different route... something more on the custom end.

I have an antec 900 still... and been toying with something...
9 internal bays to fit 9x wd drives....
then......

$48 - buy 2 and have 12 bays for the ssd's... Mediasonic 6 x 2.5” SATA/SAS Hard Drive/SSD to 5.25 Drive Bay Mobile Rack Backplane – Hot-Swap/Removable Tray Design/Metal Construction (HT21-106)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KZMH1S...olid=3M25Y96O6OC8S&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it


else

$61.50 - buy 2 for same.. 12 bays..
ICY DOCK 6 x 2.5" SATA /SAS HDD/SSD Hot Swap Mobile Rack / Cage in 1 x 5.25" Drive Bay Comparable to Tray-less Design - ExpressCage MB326SP-B
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0BIPY...olid=3M25Y96O6OC8S&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it




now i thought of doing the internal bay swap to the hot swap tray kits but they are same price and have less drives. typically 4.. so for each one I would loose 2 drives...

can replace all 3 of the internal spots and do 12 (so all SSD)... but then the 3x 5.25" bays.. could fit 3 wd blacks...
it just doesnt make sense to do that....



so help me get my mind on track please?

now i get it, I may not use all of these drives, may start out using them and try and get up coin for red drives or ironwolf... but for now.. need to do something and a case is a big committment for a NAS...

thx for any input...
 
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I think you would have the most flexibility with the Antec 900. Toss 2 x Mediasonic 6 x 2.5" to a single 5.25 drive bay. That will leave you with 7 5.25" drive bays. Slap a couple of https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIADZY5ZD8883 in there and now you have room for 10 x 3.5" HDDs. Even with all that you still have 1 more 5.25" bay left to do with as you please. Could add more storage for 2.5" drives.
 
I think you would have the most flexibility with the Antec 900. Toss 2 x Mediasonic 6 x 2.5" to a single 5.25 drive bay. That will leave you with 7 5.25" drive bays. Slap a couple of https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIADZY5ZD8883 in there and now you have room for 10 x 3.5" HDDs. Even with all that you still have 1 more 5.25" bay left to do with as you please. Could add more storage for 2.5" drives.


Wonder if there is an internal 3.5 kit that isnt hotswap.. so i could still get 5 drives wide... cheaper. Dont have to have hotswap and that kit is $110 each on amazon...

2.5 ...same..hotswap seems cheap at $50 per 6.... still if internal 5 1/4 kit..would be cheaper

But im guessing your really paying for backplanes...
 
Wonder if there is an internal 3.5 kit that isnt hotswap.. so i could still get 5 drives wide... cheaper. Dont have to have hotswap and that kit is $110 each on amazon...

2.5 ...same..hotswap seems cheap at $50 per 6.... still if internal 5 1/4 kit..would be cheaper

But im guessing your really paying for backplanes...


There are a lot of options out there price wise, but I think all of them have a back plane.
 
ok ordered 2 - 6x2.5" bay kits to fit into 2x 5.14 bays... giving me 12 drives that will all be SSD....
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KZMH1SZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Then I found this Adaptec-ASR-52445
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Adaptec-AS...h=item2cc53d7ac0:g:ivIAAOSw8thZnw9g:rk:5:pf:0

and someone said it worked on FreeNAS 8 so I'm hoping still supported on 12. will wait a bit before ordering...

thoughts before I do so?


edited... realized that card is 3gb but found a 6gb..
ASR-72405-ADAPTEC-2274900-R

https://www.ebay.com/itm/ASR-72405-...h=item2abda01548:g:d9YAAOSwAQVcCEmC:rk:9:pf:0
 
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