How to build a DAS (SAS)

TheUsD

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May 7, 2013
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So I'm about to DIY build a DAS and I had a few questions about the controller cards.

In a nut shell I would like to take the win7 machine I currently have and attach a home made DAS box to it for extra storage (no I do not want a NAS box only local storage).

I have read many topics and DIY's but they talk about SAS expander cards on the DAS box and use a cable to connect to the main machine. What they seem to forget is how they connect it to the "server" or "host" machine.

I am assuming that there is a controller card that goes into the host machine but I cannot find a card that explains that or read up on anything that shows you how to connect the two machines.

Any info on this topic would be great.

Thanks for your time.

p.s I do not want a nas box, freeNAS and etc.
 

TheUsD

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May 7, 2013
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Thanks for the response, Emerald, but those were two of the few articles I read and they do not cover the other have (the server/host half).

That's what I'm trying to find out.
 

pdonnelly

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Apr 22, 2011
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You'll need to install a SAS/SATA HBA or SAS/SATA RAID adapter in your host machine. These cards fit into a standard PCIe slot and will give you the SFF-8088 connector that you can then cable to your DIY DAS storage. My guess is that you'd want a SAS RAID adapter - that way you can keep the construction of your DIY storage as simple as possible and let the RAID adapter do the bulk of the work for data protection.

ATTO Technology, LSI and others manufacture SAS/SATA HBAs and RAID adapters.






 

TheUsD

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May 7, 2013
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Thanks for the reply and info, pdonnelly. I will look into what you said and hopefully that will be exactly what I am looking to do. It sounds very promising :)