Homemade RAID 5 Tower

[RailGun88]

I'm looking into a Raid 5 array. However my case does not have enough space, and I've only got an 1 extra 5.25" bay, and 1 3.5" bay. And I have an extra PC case. Is there a way I could fit everything in the other case and just run the drives through 1 e-Sata connection., and a seperate PSU in the case. And yes I'm a little tight on cash. I'm looking at 3 1TB drives, and have the PSU, and case.

 

[WyomingKnott]

The problem is, you need a "port expander" and power for it, which will up your costs a little. Here's a do-it-yourself guide from someone who used a 24-bay case, but you can certainly use a smaller one: http://www.servethehome.com/sas-expanders-diy-cheap-low-cost-jbod-enclosures-raid/

 

[RailGun88]

I have a power supply, so it sounds like I just need a port expander. I also was gonna connect it to the e-sata on the mobo.

 

[WyomingKnott]

And a cheap mobo to supply power to it, and, if you don't already have one, a RAID controller that's capable of using port expanders for the host machine.

 

[FireWire2]

I'm looking into a Raid 5 array. However my case does not have enough space, and I've only got an 1 extra 5.25" bay, and 1 3.5" bay. And I have an extra PC case. Is there a way I could fit everything in the other case and just run the drives through 1 e-Sata connection., and a seperate PSU in the case. And yes I'm a little tight on cash. I'm looking at 3 1TB drives, and have the PSU, and case.

Yes you can do it!

1)_ Install existing PSU to the case
2)_ Get SPM393 - a five drive hardware raid controller
and PCI-SCSI bracket ($4.50)
3)_ Mount this controller in the PCI slot of hte case
4)_ Connect up to five HDD to this SPM393
5)_ Set the knob to raid5
6)_ Press and hold the change mode recess switch
7)_ Turn on the power, if you use ATX PSU, then you may need the paper clip technique
8)_ Wait till it beep, release the change mode recess switch
9)_ Connect eSATA to your system
10)_ You should see a BIG drive in Dish Manager, partition it under GPT (MBR can only go to 2.0TB
11) Format the drive

That's it

Tthis raid won't tax your system CPU, because it is 100% hardware (embedded IO processor)

Note: The built-in eSATA/SATA port may not see a volume greater than 2TB, due to its 32 bit LBA address. In that case buy a new eSATA card that support 48bit LBA

You total cost $125.00

The option using port multiplier, it requires a port multiplier ware host, which will cost 80~110.00, and you end up with software raid. It is slow and trouble some

 

[RailGun88]

Any way I can get a RAID Controller like that from newegg?

 

[FireWire2]

You can get it from the manufacture:

DATOptic Inc.
http://www.datoptic.com/ec/esata-hardware-raid-controller.html

Or DATOptic resellers

 

[RailGun88]

Best answer selected by RailGun88.

 

[WyomingKnott]

You can get it from the manufacture:

DATOptic Inc.
http://www.datoptic.com/esata-hardware-raid-controller.html

Or DATOptic resellers

Very nice device, indeed! Have you actually used it, do you have any experience to share?

 

[FireWire2]

I did use both controllers

SPM394 in 40TB NAS using FreeNAS - my client server, run 24/7 only consumes 180W of power, and on my FreeNAS at home 8TB (10TB RAW)

SPM393 as RAID5 4TB in my Win7 for BD ripping and H264 codec conversion - making MKV, it reads/writes over 220MB/sec in raid5

Both controllers have email notification . I enable it, so if the S.M.A.R.T of the HDD(s) out of order i will get an email, this is nice

What do you want to know about these TWO controllers