September 30, 201015 yr Looking to build my first unRAID and I am looking at this case and this backplane. Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133180 Backplane: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994028 I want to be able to drop 3 of these backplanes in so that the drives are sideways allowing me to put in 15 drives. Would 3 fit sideways?
September 30, 201015 yr Looking to build my first unRAID and I am looking at this case and this backplane. Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133180 Backplane: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994028 I want to be able to drop 3 of these backplanes in so that the drives are sideways allowing me to put in 15 drives. Would 3 fit sideways? The Icy Dock 5-in-3's have flat sides (no groove). The case has metal tabs (most do) that the drive bays that come with the case will slide onto. You will have to flatten those by bending them in order to slide the Icy Docks in. It's pretty common to have to do this.
September 30, 201015 yr By the way, the SuperMicro 5 in 3s are a bit cheaper and just as nice as the IcyDock models. Also, the CM 590 is the more 'tried and true' case option, but the Thermaltake case you are looking at should work just as well. You will have to flatten the tabs on either one. My technique is to use a small hammer, not to actually pound the tabs, but to 'slide' across them using the hammer handle as a lever. I'm not really sure how to explain this, maybe I can post some pics or a video if you need guidance. Finally, you might consider that a Norco 4220 will be cheaper than the build you are looking at, and it has 20 bays instead of 15. Even if you never use those last 5 bays, it will be cheaper (albeit far more bulky, ugly, and loud unless you replace the fans).
September 30, 201015 yr Author Actually I was looking at all of those too. I figure the Thermaltake is nicer looking over the CM 590 but I think I may go with the Norco. I just noticed that last night and comparing the prices, it's about the same and like you said, already has 20 bays. But I am going to wait on a case. I'm only going to have 6 drives right now and the current case I have holds 8. I just wanted it out from under my TV but I really can't put it anywhere else in my condo so going any bigger means even a bigger server under or next to my TV.
September 30, 201015 yr By the way, the SuperMicro 5 in 3s are a bit cheaper and just as nice as the IcyDock models. The Supermicro's are noisy and you will have to replace the fans. They are oversized (wider) by a few mm and that makes them difficult to force into many cases without jumping on them. And they are also 2 inches longer making them hog up space inside the case. I have two Icy Docks. The stock fans are very quiet. The Supermicro's are an old design, installed in multitudes of production environments and are rugged. What you get is bragging rights to using serious data storage hardware that isn't really designed to be in pedestrian style cases like we all use.
September 30, 201015 yr I have and like iStarUSA BP-35-RED 3x5.25" to 5x3.5" SATA2.0 Hot-Swap Backplane, It is solid for my use and it is a little bit cheaper. do have to know that it has on/off switches per bay (some people have RMA'd them becouse they did not see the switches). Kind of nice if you dont have a drive in the slot it will use less power.
October 1, 201015 yr I'm using the Thermaltake V5 case (almost identical to that V6 - but it has an esata connector in place of the docking station). I'm very happy with it.
October 2, 201015 yr Author Shameless plug: I'm considering selling a fully configured Norco 4220 server Looks like it would be worth buying, I couldn't do it right now. I think I probably will buy that case from NewEgg though once the time I out grow the server case I have now. I'm just not wanting to spend money on it right now, plus the WAF.
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