A broad question about SATA/SAS backplanes

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SaleB

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As some of you know I am in a process of gathering components for a NAS build. I am also planing to build a case around it because a classic server case does not do it for me (too much noise in high temperature environment). So, I came to some relative sketch.

Question is, would it be possible to use server backplanes in a computer build? Do they need any special connections to work. I have found cheap on ebay some Chenbro backplanes (80-103214-005 and similar), but I am trying to find some backplane that has SFF-8087 input and SATA outputs.

I know that my question is broad, but is there any characteristic on which I can determine if the backplane would work in regular computer or not? Any connectors that should let me conclude it?

I am hoping to have two vertical columns of 8-10 drives, so many combinations of backplanes are possible, but the best would be four disk backplanes, one beside another and another two on top of them for 16 drives and an option for third column if needed in future.
 
The only problem I see is mechanical (you need the drives to be lined up to the backplane).

but I am trying to find some backplane that has SFF-8087 input and SATA outputs
Click to expand...

That would be better for cabling.
 
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That should not be a big problem, aligning. I have not yet got to drawing phase, but I am thinking of aluminum side panels between each row of drives, with mounting points for fans and some kid of rails for drives. It is will most probably be made of 5mm aluminum with some aluminum strips as guides on disks. I also would add some kind of spring lock behind each of the drives. It wont be a problem for some machine shop to make the cuts according to my drawings.

Someone has also given me the idea to take something like SAS836TQ, construct a drawer, put it on the bottom of the drawer, and put the drives vertically into the backplane and push the whole drawer inside the case.

My problem at this point is more electrical in nature. All the managed backplanes have i2c connectors and something called sideband header. But, the part that I could not find is, if all those connections are not connected, that only disables status leds and other informative tools or the backplane cannot work at all without these connections?

I have found something called Supermicro SAS-743TQ. I like the dimension (eight drive stack-up) and second hand prices, but I do not know would it work without various telemetry supports or not.
 
If your only issue with a server chassis that can hold the number of drives you require is the noise they make wouldn't it still be easier and cheaper to replace the noisy cooling solution on such a case with something that's not as noisy instead of building your own?
 
I like server chassis as such, but I have issues with cooling in general. Server chassis is designed to be able to cool the components inside in environments where climate control exists. In my case during the mid summer temperatures are around or over 30 degC, so I do not know how would the server chassis cope with that, even more concerns arise when there is a some more silent cooling solution applied. My goal temperature is max 38 degC at idle and max 44 degC when busy so it gives me Δ8-14 degC for the effective cooling solution.

Same problem I have with regular pc case. In a good case (CM690v3) with with eight coolers, four hard drives, CM212evo and clean filters, 125W tdp processor barely ever got under 59 degC.

Another problem with server chassis is depth of the case. For some time I have thought about taking a 3HE case and cutting of the front 20-25cm, where the drive carriages and backplanes are located and discarding the rest. But, then I calculated that making a case of solid aluminum should not cost more then 300-350eur so I opted for that solution, that would include much more free space around the drives to move the air (absence of drive caddies). Plus point is also that I can constrain it to fit in space that I am not able to use in some other manner.
 
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Wait.

So you're going to be placing this "server" in an environment that gets up to 30C during the summers and you don't want the components (CPU also?) to reach above 44C during load? Hell even 38C idling?

I am running an AIO water cooler on my 4690K processor. My ambient room temp is 22C and my processor is idling at 30C - 32C across four cores. That's 8C - 10C over ambient with a water cooler at idle.

Not even doing much on the PC (loading photoshop to paste a screenshot) and the CPU spiked to 40 - 42C across the four cores. Then I loaded a game (Killing Floor, old UE2 game) for about 5 minutes and the CPU got as high as 55C on one core and as low as 44C on another core.

Also you had a 125W TDP processor that hardly ever got under 59C during idle with a CM 212Evo cooler? I think you installed that thing incorrectly unless the ambient temp was really, really high.

Exactly what are you planning to do for cooling on this custom case you're building that wont be loud?
 
I see that I have not written understandable enough. Sorry. I do not want drives above 44C in any condition. For other components (there is a 54W cpu in Supermicro MB), I do not care much. It should not be over 65, but exact temperature does not concern me.

The correctly mounted CM212Evo with push-pull coolers, at this moment with, with FX6200, 26C ambient is arround 60C with 40% load. GPU is at 44C with 4% load. The filters are slightly dirty.

Exactly what, I am not sure yet. I am hoping that if I make a wind tunnel with coolers on every 13cm between disk stacks and have enough air movement between drives, using as much space as possible. If I would use a backplane it would obviously dictate the raster of drives, but if I would position them myself I would leave more space in between.

For example a case insert that uses three 5.25 positions and has plastic caddies has a push cooler, 120mm silent one and it gets drives a few degs more than I want. If the air would be from side to side, with push and pull coolers and without the caddies I suppose that I could have enough air to keep them at desirable temperatures.

My concern is that if the same air goes over two or more groups of drives, that I would have high accumulation of hot/used air on one side, but I may be able to solve it with slightly stronger final pull cooler. These are the ideas, when I come to the planing phase I'll post some sketches.
 
60C @ 40% load on a FX6200? Isn't the max recommended temp for that CPU something like 70C? Yet you're within' 10C at 40% load? Something doesn't seem right there. Even with a 26C ambient temp that's 34C difference. What kind of thermal compound are you using on that 212+ and did you apply too much?

You intend to have two columns of drives, correct? So you want to blow air from the outside of Column A to the outside of Column B? Why not blow the air from the front of the drives to the back? Have a column of fans going down Column A in the front as well as a column of fans going down column B in the front that blows air across the front of the drives to the back and out the back of the case? This way you wouldn't need to worry about air getting warm over the first drive and hot air reaching the drive next to it.
 
I will check the cpu to be sure, when I open it for cleaning on the weekend.

That is a valid point, but the case should be wall mounted. That is the main reason for side to side air movement. Also the building is all concrete and the walls are always on the cold side, so I hope that some portion of heat will go into wall too.

The idea is to have a case, outer shell, that incorporates (from left to right), two 120 push coolers one above the other, open frame mATX board, psu that pushes the air in same direction (bottom side to left and top side to right), some space below the psu for the ssd's, another two coolers, one stack of drives, third set of coolers, second stack of disks, fourth/final set of coolers. With all the cables moved away from the air path and fine tuning of speed differences (slowest to left, fastest to right) there should be enough air movement to keep all the temperatures and noise on desirable levels.

Chamfered or rounded edges on the plates that hold the coolers should help reduce the noise further. I approximate the width of the case about 75cm, height about 26cm and depth about 18-20cm. I would put an automotive flat air filter on the left intake and tie all the cables to one outer shell entry point on the left side.

Now when I think it would be even better if I change the air direction to right to left and flip the psu then I can add one or two exhaust fans above the motherboard too, and there is less chance that I need to fine tune the speed differences.

I would really like to hear your thought about this
 
You should consider using 140mm fans instead of 120mm. Not only are they quieter, but they're wider than a 120mm fan and closer to the same length of a 3.5" hdd. So you'll cover more surface area as well.
 
Yes, you are right. I have been thinking about rising the height of the case to accommodate two 140's and widening the gaps between the drives accordingly. That would make the height around 30cm.
 
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