Disk Re-Design After Data Loss (Cache / VM / Docker)

Yes, I have backups - thank you CrashPlan, and only one SSD drive failed, a Samsung, used for VM's and dockers.

The gotcha I didn't think about, is CrashPlan is on the drive that failed, where also the dockers are, so I've had to set up CrashPlan again, which requires a very large file sync, then a block sync meaning I can't get the data back for probably 3 or 4 days.  Design change number one - specify CrashPlan docker to run off the mirrored cache drive at very least.

So, on that, for my cache drive I use 2x500GB Samsung Evo's.  Not the flashiest, but all good for file cache.  However VM's and dockers are a different story, given they do an awful lot of writes continuously which consumer SSD's don't like.

So what I'm thinking is buying two new SSD's with decent IOPS and a decent endurance rating, breaking out the shell and making my own SSD mirror, because as I understand it Unraid won't do it unless it's for a cache which I already have and don't really think it would be cost effective to change.  Besides, I'd then have to replace my 2 500GB Ssd's and I'd have no use for them given unraid won't take them except as an unassigned disk.

My data disks are all good in a unraid array, so I'm just leaving that out of this conversation.

Intel S3700 seems to be the King of endurance out there, but would have to get second hand from eBay due to the price and then even with robustness you don't know where they've been.  Could be good though.

Out of interest, the drive that died, which shouldn't have really is an Enterprise Samsung SM863 960GB.  As of this morning it thinks it's a 1GB and smart doesn't detect the drive and who knows what - seems like the firmware got in a knot and I've tried before and haven't been able to get firmware for the drive - so I don't think I can try refreshing it.  Should be under warranty but Samsung are being a right PITA placing the burden of service on the customer as per here.  Go Samsung!  My next drive will not be Samsung, reading all the other complaints around about their service.

So how would you set it up if you used VM's and dockers and had two existing 500GB drives in a mirrored unraid cache that you didn't want to use for VM's and dockers?

Thanks.