5-in-3 Drive Cages Advantages of Tray over Trayless

[kolepard]

Hello

 

I'm interested in learning what, if any, advantages a 5-in-3 drive cage with trays may have over a trayless equivalent.  For my next build, I'm considering using these some iStarUSA 5-in-3 trayless drive chages from the BPN-DE350SS series.

 

http://istarusa.com/istarusa/products.php?series=HDDCage⊂=SATA/%20SAS&model=BPN-DE350SS

 

In the past I've used the Norco 5-in-3 cages with trays, and they've worked well.  I've also looked at the similar iStar 5-in-3 models with trays and although I've not used them they do appear well made.

 

I cannot think of a good reason that having a tray offers any advantage, and it's obviously less convenient.  Can anyone suggest significant advantages a tray offers?  And if anyone has experience with the BPN-DE350's I'd love to hear about that, too.

 

Thanks.

 

Kevin

[vl1969]

how is having a tray "less convenient"?

the obvious reason to have tray is less work when need to add/replace a drive.

as you would only need to put drive in the cage and plug it in.

 

but that is only if the cage have a backplane.

if it is not, than the convenience is a moot point as you still need to open the case to connect the drive to power and MB.

 

I have 2 cages in my current build that have an optional backplane.

it is an add on that you can buy and add to the cage for hot-plug option.

now that is a good option to have if needed.

[kolepard]

how is having a tray "less convenient"?

 

No matter how you do the internal wiring, having to attach and remove trays from drives during the installation or replacement process is additional work, and in that respect less convenient.

 

Those cages have backplanes, and I generally do the wiring for them when I do the initial installation so I don't have to open the case to add a drive.

 

Kevin

[BobPhoenix]

The only thing I would worry about with the trayless designs is do they hold the drives in as well as those using a tray.  If they do then I would go for the trayless model.  I have not used a 5x3 trayless cage but I have used a single drive trayless 3&1/2 to 5&1/4 bay converter.  Actually I have 2.  One has a problem with the door not latching completely/correctly and therefor less reliablity when used then the other one that DOES latch correctly.

[vl1969]

I haven't seen this kind of cages before.

this are nice, and yes in case of using this cages tray-less is better.

last time  I looked at tray-less  cages with in a reasonable price they were simple converter cage where you had to screw the drives from the sides, so you had to open the case anyway.

 

 

[theone]

I am using 14 of the following in my build:

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2pcs-lot-New-SATA-HDD-Rom-Serial-ATA-Hard-Drive-Disk-LED-Indication-Mobile-Rack-With/880102977.html

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=27485.0

 

[vl1969]

@$27  a pies it steep.

 

I have 2 form silverstone  using  one right now

will be selling it soon as I got myself a supermicro 24 drive case.

and it would only cost me around $70  to host 5 drives instead of $140.

 

yes they are not tray less but very nice, and even have a fan in-front

I should add some pictures to my profile :-)

 

 

 

[Influencer]

The biggest flaw of trayless cages is some don't hold the drives as good as trays, especially lower quality (lower cost) versions. Convenience vs security.

[theone]

@$27  a pies it steep.

 

I have 2 form silverstone  using  one right now

will be selling it soon as I got myself a supermicro 24 drive case.

and it would only cost me around $70  to host 5 drives instead of $140.

 

yes they are not tray less but very nice, and even have a fan in-front

I should add some pictures to my profile :-)

 

It is $27 for a couple.

 

I bought 14 and they had a sale so I got each for ~$10 or even less.

 

[vl1969]

@$27  a pies it steep.

 

I have 2 form silverstone  using  one right now

will be selling it soon as I got myself a supermicro 24 drive case.

and it would only cost me around $70  to host 5 drives instead of $140.

 

yes they are not tray less but very nice, and even have a fan in-front

I should add some pictures to my profile :-)

 

It is $27 for a couple.

 

I bought 14 and they had a sale so I got each for ~$10 or even less.

 

sorry missed that it was price per/2

 

[PeterB]

And if anyone has experience with the BPN-DE350's I'd love to hear about that, too.

 

I have three of the previous generation iStarUSA trayless 5in3s, and am extremely happy with them - I am not aware of any disadvantages of going trayless.  Indeed, the trayless design makes it very easy to pop a drive in for pre-clearing/whatever, without having to take the array offline.

 

You can find my write-up in the 5x3 Cage Review thread.

[cassiusdrow]

From what I have read, trayless drive cages may not hold drives as securely leading to vibration and contact issues with the SATA data and power connectors.  Also the trayless units tend to have smaller fans which may not cool the drives as well as larger fans on the units with trays.

 

If you plan on swapping drives frequently (several times a day), trayless would save time, but otherwise my opinion is the trays are a minimal inconvenience.  I have three iStarUSA 5-in-3 and one 4-in-3 unit and I rarely swap drives.  Adding or removing the tray only takes a minute or so.

[vl1969]

there are also cages where tray are screwless.

it's just snaps onto the drive using small pegs that go into the screw holes

taking the tray on or off takes few second than.

[BobPhoenix]

there are also cages where tray are screwless.

it's just snaps onto the drive using small pegs that go into the screw holes

taking the tray on or off takes few second than.

The only problem I have is that the ones I have experience with (like this) are plastic trays and plastic pegs - so easy to break.  Otherwise this would be my ideal method.

[PeterB]

From what I have read, trayless drive cages may not hold drives as securely leading to vibration and contact issues with the SATA data and power connectors.

 

Well, mine have been in use for more than two years and I've never experienced a problem.

 

Also the trayless units tend to have smaller fans which may not cool the drives as well as larger fans on the units with trays.

 

True, and they tend to be more noisy.  My solution to both these disadvantages has been to remove the fans from the units altogether.

 

One, possibly significant, advantage of trayless units is that they tend not to be as deep as the trayed designs.