wayner Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I am considering buying an equipment rack and putting my unRAID server on the rack. Are there any recommendations on what case to go with? And are there solutions that have the hard drives in a separate case than the PC? If so how do the drives get connected to the PC? With longer SATA cables? Or is there some other type of cable? Quote Link to comment
Tybio Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 This is the big boy, but most people use this family: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811219038 I have a little rolling rack that I put mine on, just be warned, you are buying the case and the SATA backplane/hotswap, expect to have to swap the fans out as they are LOUD and not very good by default. Also, these things suck up dust, no filters..they are prosumer version of datacenter systems. So it's an odd balance between loud and in an unfinished basement with dust, or not. I'm actually considering going back to a tower myself, with drive sizes I don't need something that big anymore. Quote Link to comment
wayner Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Wow, that is a big boy! I don't need that many drives probably 6 would be the absolute max. There is also a Rosewill case that looks more like a traditional PC case: https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147263 . Quote Link to comment
MyKroFt Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I would stick with Norco - I use the 20 bay version - and have never looked back - very high quality cases here is a good 8 bay case - https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811219024&cm_re=norco_cases-_-11-219-024-_-Product Myk Quote Link to comment
ashman70 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I don't know if I would call Norco cases 'high quality' there is a ton of plastic in them and their drive trays leave a lot to be desired, not to mention the loud cheap fans they include with their cases. For more money I would go with a Supemicro case, sure they cost more, but you get real quality compared to other brands. https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811152478&cm_re=8_bay_rackmount_case-_-11-152-478-_-Product Quote Link to comment
wayner Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Thanks - for power supply that one says - standard 2U ATX power supply. Does that mean that a standard ATX power supply would fit or do you need a smaller one? What makes the SuperMicro case worth $400 more than a cheapo Rosewill case? This will be in my electrical room so I won't care about noise. It will be on a rack with a bunch of other equipment like Home Automation Controllers, Matrix amps and/or switches, etc. And I don't know that I will need hot swapping. Quote Link to comment
ashman70 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 No it's a special rackmount power supply, it should come with the case. It's not so much that the supermicro case is 'special' it's more about build quality, and it's difficult to put into words but I'll try. The supermicro cases are solid, they are heavy, they are not flimsy. Other cases are light, flimsy, not built as solid. If you are on a budget and price matters then it's up to you, however having owned both a supermicro and Norco, I can tell you that without question, I will choose supermicro every time. That is not to say one is better, just in my opinion, I prefer supermicro because they are more solidly built. I've bought my fair share of cheap cases over the years, I don't waste my money on them anymore. Quote Link to comment
JonathanM Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 48 minutes ago, wayner said: What makes the SuperMicro case worth $400 more than a cheapo Rosewill case? Thicker gauge metal, rolled or softened edges, better engineered layout. Probably more, but that's off the top of my head. Quote Link to comment
Tybio Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 They are cases for life, while the Norco is more like a case for now. I've never in my life seen the Norco I owned as a great case, it is just what I could afford. Kind of like when you buy a used pinto...it works, but you can't picture yourself in it in 5 years without bursting into tears. Quote Link to comment
TUMS Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 Supermicro rack mount cases really aren't that badly priced if you figure what all you get standard. redundant psu hot swap pwm fans built in expander high quality rails better drive bays better thicker gauge metal Figure you're paying at least $400 for a stock norco then you have to spend a lot more just to make it functional. Plus you can never really rack it properly because norco rails suck. Quote Link to comment
mikela Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 11 hours ago, wayner said: Wow, that is a big boy! I don't need that many drives probably 6 would be the absolute max. There is also a Rosewill case that looks more like a traditional PC case: https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147263 . Here is another Rosewill case that will hold 12 HDDs. I removed the front cover and the unit slides out on drawer rollers. Quote Link to comment
pengrus Posted January 28, 2018 Share Posted January 28, 2018 Would something like this work too? 2U, wonder if it's too short for the LSI 9201-8Is... Quote Link to comment
sgibson001 Posted February 3, 2018 Share Posted February 3, 2018 i have been running this for a few years and love it https://www.amazon.com/Rosewill-Rackmount-Computer-Pre-Installed-RSV-L4412/dp/B00N9CXGSO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1517640679&sr=8-6&keywords=rosewill+4u Quote Link to comment
surfshack66 Posted October 23, 2018 Share Posted October 23, 2018 (edited) On 1/23/2018 at 5:05 PM, ashman70 said: I don't know if I would call Norco cases 'high quality' there is a ton of plastic in them and their drive trays leave a lot to be desired, not to mention the loud cheap fans they include with their cases. For more money I would go with a Supemicro case, sure they cost more, but you get real quality compared to other brands. https://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811152478&cm_re=8_bay_rackmount_case-_-11-152-478-_-Product Why such a big case? Would you recommend a short depth chassis? EDIT: This has been recommended on Reddit, but curious if any Supermicro cases exist. Edited October 23, 2018 by surfshack66 Quote Link to comment
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