Rackmout Chassis Recommendationa

[BongoHunter]

Hi all

I'm currently rebuilding all of my machines

- Every day desktop
- AI server
- NAS
- Virtualisation host 1
- Virtualisation host 2

My every day desktop and AI machine are in decent cases that I like and I'm happy to leave these out of any future rack, but the NAS and the two Virtualisation hosts would save me a decent amount of space and mess if I could rack mout them with my 10GB ethernet switch.

Ideally I'm looking for cases that can take ATX PSU' + short depth if possible + reasonably decent looking front bezel. No more than 4u if poss.

I need 3 cases, and the one for the NAS needs to have at least 6 external 5.25 bay OR 1 external 5.25 bay and 8 * 3.5 inch hotswap.

What brands and cases should I be looking at? The ATX PSU requirement appears to limit me to 4U cases which is ok, but struggling to find anything with a lot of 5.25 bays for my existing hotwap racks to use as a NAS.

Any ideas or recommendations?

 

[hawker1986]

I would have a look at Silverstones rack mount cases. They offer 4u options with 6x 5.25 bays but also up to 20 hot swap bays.

I recently bought a 3u rack mount case from them as I already had a SFX PSU and it was the only option I could find in a short depth and that would take full size PCI cards. They are pricey but the build quality is top notch.

 

[Avalon]

Slightly late to the party on this one, but if you want to rack mount chassis, you are entering a world where realistically the target market doesn't want, or require ATX PSU's and tend to favour the full depth format. Any quality server case will have redundant/load balancing PSU's, OCUK's parent company used to list a few options for budget/home builds, but honestly if you want to do storage properly, i'd suggest a decent backplane and more drive bays from a decent OEM with a proven track record and decent spare availability is probably a better bet. A lot of NORCO cases were sold to enthusiasts over the years, and the backplanes were garbage, and if you were lucky it was just them that died. Something like a used SC833 will do your stated NAS role perfectly with direct SATA for drives, but no ATX PSU as expalined above, and no 'decent looking bezel' because nobody in the target market is looking at the rack once the door's shut. An 836 (3U/16x3.5") or SC846 (4U/24x3.5") would give you more expansion in futiure, where as my go-to storage server, the SC847 (4U/36x3.5") drops the motherboard chamber to 2U, so only half height cards, which may or may not be an issue for you.

As you already have a rack, i'm sure you're aware, but rails, PDU's, UPS and shelves quickly add up in terms of cost ontop of the case, and a board with IPMI (or a decent after market option) is not just a quality of life improvement, it's realistically a non negotiable as you scale up.

Obligatory sanity warning: A Fractal Designs Define XL (or whatever the current equivilent is) will give you ATX PSU and more than 8 bays/be cheaper and easier to work on without the need for a rack etc. Don't be tempted with the Node 802, it's less fun than it looks.

 

[HoneyBadger]

I like the Silverstone cases, I have them. Currently have tbe RM31, 32 and 52. Have owned the 502, RM44 and RM51. They are expensive but are good quality. Rack rails are extra, sadly.

 

[whitecrook]

curve ball but could you just get any case that works , in 19” or shorter and just get a rack shelf and put it on.

 

[DotA]

Also Sliger cases are what some people have used.