Want to build a power efficient test server

[crowdx42]

Hi all,

 can anyone give advice on a system that can hold around 8 drives and takes really low power draw. My use case is for doing pre-clears and other testing. Cpu does not have to be powerful. Are there any small factor cases that have 8 hot swap bays that would allow adding and removing drives without having to take off case cover/side.
Thoughts?

[Vr2Io]

You will found many different form factor build in below post.
 

 

 

For SFF and low power usage, you may try buy some obsolete used QNAP then use Unraid OS, I use it as Unraid longtime ago. I believe the cost will be less then you build .

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 1 by Vr2Io

[kimmer]

 

Combine it with a Jonsbo N3 case, it has 8 slots.

The CPU is very power efficient. Casewise - The fans that cool the drives is not super duper. Semi quiet, but it could push more CM³/min, that would help on the cooling.

My 12TB 7200 EXOs runs up at 41C with an ambient room temp of 25C when drives are under load.

If I recall the drives are rated at max 50C, but 41C is hot IMO, they are 35-36C in "idle"

 

Besides that, the case is really nice.

Jonsbo is releasing an N5 case that can hold 12 drives in a cube form factor, and will allow for bigger motherboards and expandability. But the demand for this case will be high, and its not out yet?

/Hope it helps.

[crowdx42]

As an update, I dug around parts I have on hand and ended up putting together a 7700k with 32gig of memory and two Supermicro Hot Swap bays which allows me to run 8 drives.

Overall it is not bad, at idle with no drives installed it idles at 40watts and maxed out with all drives it is running at 140watts.
Being that I wanted this setup mainly for clearing old drives and preclearing new ones, I think this setup will work for me in my limited use case.

Patrick