I want to expand my storage beyond the 12 drives I have now. 

 

Will this work in the unraid ecosystem? Is it a matter of just plugging in the USB? Before I search for these type of solutions I want to ensure it will work. 

Thank you in advance for your expertise. 

 

Syba 8 Bay Tool Less Tray Hot Swappable 2.5" and 3.5" SATA Non Raid Hard Drive External USB 3.0 Enclosure
by Amazon.com
Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MD2LNYX/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_0wOFCbKZEE4BK 

It should work, but not really recommended, for a variety of reasons, like bad performance, possibly no SMART, and it might no even work if the devices have same or similar identifiers, if you really need external use SAS enclosures, more expensive but very reliable.

To make a USB 5 bay enclosure work, I have do many thing. UnRAID USB won't run in UASP ( in fact speed increase not that much ).

 

Even the 8 bays enclosure work, if put it in array, then your write speed ( reconstruction mode ) will reduce to an unusable speed. Max USB3.0 ~300MB/s and all drive share that.

 

That's why I also change to SAS expander solution.

Edited March 6, 20197 yr by Benson

OK, so that makes sense.. So I am replacing a bunch of 2TB drives with 6TB drives. I have an older case with Unraid PRO license on it. I was hoping to just add more to the big beefy unraid server I have running with that previous box. I was starting down the path of buying a new case and putting the 8-9 2TB drives in there. I'd really rather have them in the same array.. 

 

Benson, do you have a suggestion on the SAS expander? Cheapest workable solution?

Cheapest would be something like this, using an existing ATX case:

 

 

You can get an used Intel SAS2 expander for around $60.

As @johnnie.black pic show, those are typical cheapest solution, buy a SAS HBA + SAS expander, usually were LSI base.

I got Lenovo expander ( also LSI base Maxim base, may be MAX72044B ) in ~USD 40 and 10. Depends on card's firmware, Intel one will be more smaller in size and can power by PCIe slot or molex. You can connect in 1 uplink to HBA and remains 5 port for 20disks or 2 uplink and remains 4 ports for 16 disks. Just ensure at least SAS2 speed level.

 

If HBA controller also cheap, you may plan 2 HBA instead expander.

 

Edited January 3, 20206 yr by Benson

On 3/6/2019 at 8:48 AM, johnnie.black said:

Cheapest would be something like this, using an existing ATX case:

 

 

You can get an used Intel SAS2 expander for around $60.

Could I ask what the card on the back plane is?     I believe that the card in the back is a SAS expander card using molex for power but I'm not sure what the other card in the picture is.    I got here because I was looking into an external USB enclosure for unraid but agree that SAS is best and using external cases would work great.    

 

I read the message under yours but am still confused.    I am completely unfamiliar with SAS technology and how the drives eventually make it to the actual host in this case.    I've found external SAS cables that are 6' long and assume that's what you're using to connect the boxes. 

 

Thank you.

 

1 hour ago, Bradleyb127 said:

Could I ask what the card on the back plane is? 

The expander in an Intel RES2SV240, the other is just an adapter from SFF-8087 to SFF-8088, like this:

https://www.amazon.com/SFF-8088-SFF-8087-Female-Adapter-Bracket/dp/B071D5XTVJ

 

Because a SAS expander is being used, cables form main box HBA and SAS expander can be up to 10 meters total, including the cable from adapter to expander, but you want to keep the as small as possible, from SAS expander to SATA disks you're limited by SATA max cable length (1 meter)

 

Awesome!    So you have two (or could have similar) Intel RES2SV240 cards, one in the actual host machine that plugs into a "hot" SAS port, use a cable out the back to the second Intel RES2SV240 card in another machine where this is pictured?     

 

Thank you.     I'm not familiar with SAS equipment, but am learning.    

 

The expander connects to a SAS HBA, though it could connect to another expander if needed. 

 

10 hours ago, Bradleyb127 said:

Awesome!    So you have two (or could have similar) Intel RES2SV240 cards, one in the actual host machine that plugs into a "hot" SAS port, use a cable out the back to the second Intel RES2SV240 card in another machine where this is pictured?     

 

Thank you.     I'm not familiar with SAS equipment, but am learning.    

 

There are no need 2 expander connect each other, each port have 4 pair link ( that's why a 2 internal port will name 8i ), so it may connect 4 SATA/SAS device or host to host. SAS could connect in different way.

 

Few days ago, I got another non-LSI expander, it is Adaptec AEC-82885T ( same as Intel RES3FV288 ). It is a SAS3 expander have 2 external port and 7 internal port (8e28i or 36port), ready for future build.  Below are some example.

 

 

Edited January 2, 20206 yr by Benson