*Official* Norco data storage products thread

Separate post (separate question): I see Norco sells a metal 3x120mm bracket for the "new" RPC-4020. I definitely have the "old" one...would it still work (aka, anyone tried it?). I'm not averse to drilling a few holes if I have too.

My room is awful toasty (even though it's plenty cold outside...) and my Yates (DM80-12s) aren't doing as well as they could be IMO. Granted temps are a bit higher right now because I'm in the middle of shuffling files around (so lots of I/O), but 3 120s would be quieter and better performing I think.


I ordered a couple last week. I'd be happy to take as many pictures as you'd like for estimation purposes.
 
Separate post (separate question): I see Norco sells a metal 3x120mm bracket for the "new" RPC-4020. I definitely have the "old" one...would it still work (aka, anyone tried it?). I'm not averse to drilling a few holes if I have too.

My room is awful toasty (even though it's plenty cold outside...) and my Yates (DM80-12s) aren't doing as well as they could be IMO. Granted temps are a bit higher right now because I'm in the middle of shuffling files around (so lots of I/O), but 3 120s would be quieter and better performing I think.

The old RPC-4020 with its 5 midplane 80mm's was fairly adequate in terms of airflow, I'm not sure that trying to crowbar in a 120mm bracket wouldn't just be a lateral move. There was a greater argument for the newer cases with their 4 midplane 80mm's to be replaced with 3 x 120mm's at least in setups where noise is a concern.

You may simply want to replace your 80mm's with something quieter and more efficient.
 
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I ordered a couple last week. I'd be happy to take as many pictures as you'd like for estimation purposes.
Appreciate the offer, but after reading odditory's suggestion below, I may investigate new 80mms.

The old RPC-4020 had its 5 midplane 80mm's was fairly adequate in terms of airflow, I'm not sure that trying to crowbar in a 120mm bracket wouldn't just be a lateral move. There was a greater argument for the newer cases with their 4 midplane 80mm's to be replaced with 3 x 120mm's at least in setups where noise is a concern.

You may simply want to replace your 80mm's with something quieter and more efficient.

Hm, yeah...I don't think these Yates are doing as well as they could be when it comes to static pressure. Then again, now I have all 5900rpm drives and my insane vdev <-> vdev copy is almost done, so temps are beginning to drop low, which is nice. I'll stick with 'em and see how things go.
 
Doesn't look like a 4224 with 4020 backplanes. Not sure what to say. Perhaps a "RPC-4024"? Got a link to the eBay listing?
 
Ordered 2 RPC-4224 yesturday, cant wait!
Also while browsing ebay I came across this...any idea?

http://imgur.com/a/N0nxX/norco_4224_revision

EDIT: added ebay listing, http://goo.gl/KXDbu

What do you want to know about it? It's not a "revised" RPC-4224, it simply has SATA backplane boards instead of the SAS ones that it usually comes with. The boards are modular and easily interchanged, AFAIK Norco will swap the SAS ones for SATA ones if someone requested it, there may or may not be a small fee to swap them. But I don't see what the upside would be to going with the SATA board with all the extra cable clutter.
 
What do you want to know about it? It's not a "revised" RPC-4224, it simply has SATA backplane boards instead of the SAS ones that it usually comes with. The boards are modular and easily interchanged, AFAIK Norco will swap the SAS ones for SATA ones if someone requested it, there may or may not be a small fee to swap them. But I don't see what the upside would be to going with the SATA board with all the extra cable clutter.
It is also missing the little feed-thru channel and box for power/reset/USB.
 
It is also missing the little feed-thru channel and box for power/reset/USB.

That is the new design of the 4224's they removed the power box and usb connection at the front.

Looks pretty normal to me besides the 'custom' backpanes
 
Well i don't think its an official Norco product, it just happens to be from the same fab where Norco sources their cases, evident by the fact its a guy shipping it from HK.

However I *think* there's a silent revision of newer RPC-4224 stock whereby they did away with the surface mount box at the front and made the power/reset flush, underneath the handle. The DS-24E expander I just picked up is like that.

This stuff is really much ado about nothing.
 
Agree with odditory re the 80mm fans, just replace all 5 fans (and the 2 fans in the back) with quiet but still effective Panaflos and you're golden.
 
Does the fan divider on the new design look like that too?

So it's a new chassis with a new 5 year old motherboard, two new 5 year old dual core CPUs, and two new 5 year old 3ware cards, 1kw dell psu? /boggle. I guess that's one way to get rid of older NIB hardware.
 
However I *think* there's a silent revision of newer RPC-4224 stock whereby they did away with the surface mount box at the front and made the power/reset flush, underneath the handle. The DS-24E expander I just picked up is like that.

Can you post a picture? I don't see any flush buttons on the ebay pictures, but maybe I am not looking in the right place?

The ipcdirect and newegg photos of the 4224 still show the little box for power/USB. I'd be upset if I got one that had no feedthru for power. I could live without USB. I don't care if it is flush or in a protruding box.
 
When I wrote I *thought* maybe there was a silent revision is because I looked at those pics of the case on ebay late at night and just didn't look close enough. In fact the guy selling those boxes on ebay looks to be using an earlier case, maybe a prototype, or excess stock from a cancelled factory run, who knows. Regardless, with that guy's case is two steps backward rather than forward, given all the missing bits like front panel power/reset/USB, the midplane fans not being hot swappable and the backplanes coming with SATA connectors.
 
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Correction - they went with flushmount power/reset buttons on the newer expander chassis like the DS-24E, because there was no need for a USB connector up front. They haven't revised the RPC-4224 and its still a surface mount box with USB.

IMO having a USB port on front has been clutch for me. I dont have any ODDs in my systems, except for my main workstation to do BD-Rips. I use USB for my installations not only for convenience but its way faster too.
 
Well I got both of them in today
One was damaged so I didnt even bother opening the box, but the other...low and behold

AQVHf.jpg
 
Yes told ya the new ones have no USB Box at the front.

All the Australian stock that was recieved in a new batch had this new design.

Personally I find it sorta crap but in terms of looks it is better.
 
And that is definitely a plain RPC-4224, not one of the newer expander models?

Because ipcdirect.net still has the pictures of the protruding box on the RPC-4224 page, and it even says
"Connector:One front accessible USB port," in the detailed description.

http://www.ipcdirect.net/servlet/Detail?no=252

One interesting thing is that the protruding box has a power switch and USB, but no reset switch. It looks like the flush mounted controls has a power switch and reset switch, but no USB.
 
The two I received from mWave last month had the flush power/reset and no USB.

IMG_6017.jpg


More pictures and build details here.
 
Hi Guys,

I just took delivery of a Norco 3216 case (3U, 16 drive) for my SAN buildout.

I'm having an issue routing my SFF8087 cables from the backplane so I was wondering how others have handled this.

The problem is that the bar of 4 fans is too close to the backplanes so the cables aren't able to bend quick enough before hitting the fan bracket. I'm scared to force bending them as it may break the cable or put too much pressure on the backplane connector and eventually break it loose.

I'm using the stock Areca 8087 to 8087 cables that came with my 1880i.

Any advice? Has anybody else ran into these issues? Are there more flexible cables out there that I can use? From online pictures they all pretty much look the same.....

One other thing, I tried removing one of the 4 fans and routed the cables through the void. That works, but I'm wondering if its safe to do that with 16 drives in the case? Would the HDD's directly in front of the fan that I removed run too hot? Would the other fans compensate?

Help :)

Cheers
 
I removed the fan assembly and flipped the fans over so they are on the other side.
 
I removed the fan assembly and flipped the fans over so they are on the other side.

Hey thats a smart idea... so you mean you turned the whole fan assembly around and then mounted the fans on the other side? I'll give that a shot tomorrow and report back.

Cheers
 
No i just moved the fans to the opposite side of the board.

Doh! Unfortunately my fans are already on the other side (motherboard side), so that doesn't help :(

Hmmm... this seems really bizzare.... maybe my cables are too stiff?? Is the area close to the connector usually very tough to bend?

If I remove a fan, how bad would that be for the column of HD's directly infront of that fan?
 
i wouldnt remove a fan, and if they are already on the mobo side that wont do anything for you.

Can you take a picture? Im having a hard time visualizing all of this.
 
i wouldnt remove a fan, and if they are already on the mobo side that wont do anything for you.

Can you take a picture? Im having a hard time visualizing all of this.

OK, here are 3 pics. Sorry they're slightly blurry, my phone camera sucks.

Back of the case looking forward:
san1.jpg


Back of the case looking forward where I've removed the fan and thinking about routing cables. This lines up with the SFF8087 connector on the backplane:
san2.jpg


Top view of how close the backplane is to the fan bar. My areca 8087 cables cant bend quick enough before hitting the fan bar:
san3.jpg



Thoughts?

Thanks!
 
Yea i see what you mean now, that is pretty tight. I would probl just try to bend the cables some more.
Are you trying to route the cables under the fans or to the side? I would try the opposite and see if its any better.
 
Yea i see what you mean now, that is pretty tight. I would probl just try to bend the cables some more.
Are you trying to route the cables under the fans or to the side? I would try the opposite and see if its any better.

I cant go under because the bar goes all the way to the bottom of the case and is actually screwed down to the bottom of the case. I can only go to the side.

How have others dealt with this? Its freakin crazy...

I've emailed Norco to see what they have to say...
 
Something like this maybe?


Hi Sweloop64,

I thought about that, but the only problem is that all the SFF8087 connectors are lined up vertically on the backplane so I wont be able to plug the connector in below it. i.e. if the black heatwrap after the plastic connector is like the cable I currently have its quite stiff and wont be able to bend away quick enough for me to plug in the connector below...

Grrr....
 
its almost like I need a 90-degree cable that turns out horizontally instead of vertically... anybody seen such a thing?
 
SoN][c;1036861512 said:
Whoa - that second link is golden! Thank you! I've contacted them to see if they can help out... thank you! :)
Me too! I have a similar issue with a couple of Norco RPC-4224 cases and that lower image would be perfect. Let us know what you find in terms of vendor, etc.
 
what do you guys use for rails for the rpc-4224? I bought the norco RL-26 but they are total crap, the case feels like it's gonna fall out at any second. I need something sturdier
 
Me too! I have a similar issue with a couple of Norco RPC-4224 cases and that lower image would be perfect. Let us know what you find in terms of vendor, etc.

I've been talking with the manufacturer and am waiting on pricing for custom length cables. If you want to get in on it let me know what you want and I'll get him to price it out.

Anybody else interested in custom length SFF8087 cables/connectors?
 
I found some foxconn OEM cables on ebay for like 6$ each...they worked perfect for the RPC-4224 and IBM M1015 setup
 
SoN][c;1036864955 said:
I've been talking with the manufacturer and am waiting on pricing for custom length cables. If you want to get in on it let me know what you want and I'll get him to price it out.

Anybody else interested in custom length SFF8087 cables/connectors?
Keep us updated how this works out, price/quality etc as this is probably something that is of interest to many...

Though these kind of cables is something that Norco should sell...
 
Though these kind of cables is something that Norco should sell...

I've been thinking the same thing ... I'm really surprised that they're not doing it.

They already sell 'straight' SFF-8087 cables through their online store, so it's not like they don't care or can't be bothered with it.
 
what are that the look like a fan power on the right side of the sas connector in the first picture in #46 use for ?
 
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