Using Server Backplane in PC?

Fantom · 31 Jan 2018 at 21:24

Im looking into building a new NAS at home and wondered what it would take to install a server backplane, I know Ill need a Raid card etc, but does anyone know about all the molex plugs.

Im thinking it must have been done?

I was thinking of something like a dell F313F

skyripper · 31 Jan 2018 at 21:35

Even if you can solve the controller and connections, how are you going to have the drives physically slot into just the right place without using the relevant chassis and drive trays?

Fantom · 31 Jan 2018 at 21:38

skyripper said:
Even if you can solve the controller and connections, how are you going to have the drives physically slot into just the right place without using the relevant chassis and drive trays?

I can make the mechanical side of things work, it would just be great if someone else has done this before and I can shamelessly copy

skyripper · 31 Jan 2018 at 21:42

Startech do some decent drive bay chassis, a few of them, a decent raid controller with multiheaded SAS cables and you've effectively done the same thing.

Fantom · 31 Jan 2018 at 21:44

skyripper said:
Startech do some decent drive bay chassis, a few of them, a decent raid controller with multiheaded SAS cables and you've effectively done the same thing.

Yeah, but they are still quite expensive, especially compared with a £15 server backplane

skyripper · 31 Jan 2018 at 21:57

If you're considering building your own enclosure then the effort involved is going to be high.

Unless you're thinking of taking a Dremel/multitool to an old server I can't see it being much cheaper to fabricate your own.

Be fun to build mind you.

Fantom · 31 Jan 2018 at 22:52

skyripper said:
If you're considering building your own enclosure then the effort involved is going to be high.

Unless you're thinking of taking a Dremel/multitool to an old server I can't see it being much cheaper to fabricate your own.

Be fun to build mind you.

I think the Dremel route might be possible, the electrics are the difficulty...

BongoHunter · 1 Feb 2018 at 18:43

It you don't need hotswap then I dont see why you couldn't do what you propose quite easily, would be a good idea to try and find a chassis that is going to need the least work possible though!

What backplanes are you looking at? Many will be SAS - do you have a controller? How many drives?

4 or 5 bay hotswap enclosures (pure SATA) seem to come up cheap secondhand, will fit any chassis with 3 5.25 bays

Fantom · 1 Feb 2018 at 19:41

BongoHunter said:
It you don't need hotswap then I dont see why you couldn't do what you propose quite easily, would be a good idea to try and find a chassis that is going to need the least work possible though!

What backplanes are you looking at? Many will be SAS - do you have a controller? How many drives?

4 or 5 bay hotswap enclosures (pure SATA) seem to come up cheap secondhand, will fit any chassis with 3 5.25 bays

Hi,

I’m thinking around 8-10 drives, I will get an LSI RAID or hba card.

I will likely fabricate a chassis but the power connections worry me, I could wire up a 10 way splitter? but it would be great if I could find a pinout for one of the cheap backplanes Dell f313f for example