Drive Cage Options


Spyderturbo007

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I'm wondering what I can do about adding a drive cage to this case.  I have the Fractal Design Define R4 and it only has 2 x 5.25" drive bays at the top.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352020

 

I also need a expansion card.  I used up the 6 on the motherboard.

 

It looks like people are using the SUPERMICRO AOC-SAS2LP-MV8.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816101792&cm_re=Supermicro_AOC-SAS2LP-MV8-_-16-101-792-_-Product

 

This one is cheaper and I don't need 8 ports, 4 would be plenty to fill the case.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01464550K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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I have a Define R4, and a Define mini.  For the drive cage, I use this in each of them: https://www.amazon.com/EverCool-Dual-Drive-Triple-Cooling/dp/B0032UUGF4

 

Since the Define cases pull air in from the sides, you'll just want remove that front grill off the cage.  It pops right off no problem.

 

For the expansion card, I use the exact Syba 4-port card you referenced in both of my unRAID boxes, and have no issues at all with them.

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You might want to read this thread about virtualization and Marvel chipsets:

 

    http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=40683

 

The problem may not be one that will bother you but if you were intending to use virtualization, you should be aware of it before you buy.

 

I would also recommend that you have a good look at hot-plug plug-in drive bays that allow you to change out the drives without having to open up the box.  The problem is that when you change out a drive from a standard screwed-in arrangement is that you will often disturb the power and/or the data connections to other drives when you are changing out a bad drive.  (The SATA connector system has to be the worst engineered connector system that has ever been used.  You can loosen a connector by looking hard at it!)  Then when you fire up the system, you find that you now have more drive errors.  It might not sound like a big issue at this point but when it happens to you, your reaction will probably be considerably different!

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I can't speak to the supermicro card for virtualization, but I can vouch for the syba card.  I have one in each of my unRAID servers, both running virtualization, with no issues.

 

Regarding hot-swap vs "internal" drive cages, I definitely see the benefit of hot-swap for convenience, and for "cable security", I'll call it.  I do think that the cable security argument is blown a bit out of proportion though.  Maybe I'm just lucky.  I'm very careful when I need to do anything that'll "disturb" my cables, and I make sure they're properly seated when I'm finished.  Maybe I've just gotten lucky over the years, but I've never had a cable seating issue.  I would also argue that the chance of disturbing your cables is also possible with hot-swap cages.  I'd also throw in there, that when using hot-swap cages, you are usually dealing with a backplane board, which carries its own risks.  And then there is the obvious difference in cost.  I hate that those hot-swap cages cost as much as or more than the case they're being installed in.

 

Oh, and I absolutely agree that the sata connector is absolute crap.  Almost as bad as those old "clipping" mobile phone usb connectors with the button release!  Remember those?  Ugh, terrible.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I finally got around to ordering my drive cage and controller.  I went with the Syba card and the EverCool drive cage.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01464550K/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

https://www.amazon.com/EverCool-Dual-Drive-Triple-Cooling/dp/B0032UUGF4

 

When the card arrives, how does it get installed?  Do I just install the card and will unRAID handle drivers?

 

 

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