New Build - MiniSAS Confusion

[iveoles]

Hi all,

 

I'm currently running Unraid on an old PC, running 6 x 8TB HDDs in a standard array with 1 parity. I'm new to Unraid, but working in IT for years including Linux and RAID.

 

I'm loving RAID and using Docker for Game Servers (just for friends) and the *arr/plex stack. I'd like to upgrade to some modern hardware and NVMe drives for Docker and Caching.

 

https://www.servercase.co.uk/shop/server-cases/rackmount/2u-chassis/2u-server-case-w-12x-35-hot-swappable-satasas-drive-bays-12g-hd-mini-sas-sc-2312/

 

I'm looking at the case above to give me room to expand. However I'm not familiar with MiniSAS and the connector types/cards required. The case has "3x HD MiniSAS (SFF-8643) Connectors" for the 12 SATA drives. I'm assuming I need some PCIe cards to connect the drives up. Can someone point in the direction of good hardware and confirm I have the right idea?

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/IOCrest-SI-PEX40119-SFF-8643-Connector-PCI-Express/dp/B06VSRVJSQ/ref=sr_1_16?crid=2CXGON6WQCPLQ&keywords=Sff8643+card&qid=1689458997&s=computers&sprefix=sff8643+card%2Ccomputers%2C56&sr=1-16

Single port host card SFF-8643.

 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Expansion-Adapter-SFF-8643-Indicator-Windows/dp/B0B7S6HMC7/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2CXGON6WQCPLQ&keywords=Sff8643+card&qid=1689458997&s=computers&sprefix=sff8643+card%2Ccomputers%2C56&sr=1-5

Expansion card for the extra 2 SFF-8643 connections. From what I've read these are "dumb" cards and do nothing on their own without the controller mentioned above. 

 

My hope is that I just plug the 2 cards above into the MB (not decided on MB yet, very open to advice), plug the harddrives into the hot swap, run SFF-8643 cables between the backplane and the cards and voila everything will "just work". Am I on the right track at all?

 

Thanks!

[JorgeB]

Those expansion cards are for connecting U.2 NVMe devices, you need a HBA, like an LSI 9305-16i (or two 9300-8i).