looking at a server

[Zak Smith]

My recommendation for a modern ZFS server is to use SSD SATA drives
and put them in one of these:  

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G46V2C5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077Z7FQ43/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and then run them off an LSI SAS/SATA controller (IT mode), in a
current minus 1 or -2 generation tower.  

This is what I do now.   I used to hang a bunch of SAS and/or SATA
drives in an external SAS/SATA enclosure from PC Pitstop,
  https://www.pc-pitstop.com/sas-expanders-enclosures
and use external SAS/SATA connection from a similar LSI card
(Infiniband cable).

Rack machines for home kind of suck because they are loud as hell.
Typically you'd source the drive caddies from ebay or such and then
populate the drive bays.





On Mon, Oct 03, 2022 at 09:01:54PM -0600, Phil Marsh wrote:
> Hi all,
> I was looking at getting some older servers to beef up compute power here
> and also for a SATA server (ZFS).
> I've found a Dell Compellent SC8000 at CSU surplus for $250 which has
> 2XE52640 Xeons and 64GB RAM. It seems OK for what I need but I think it
> requires an external SAS storage caddy if you want to add drives. I'm
> thinking it would be cheaper and better to also get the Proliant DL
> 120G6 which appears to take four SATA drives for 50 bucks from CSU Surplus
> as well?
> I like the dual E5-2640 Xeons and this server does appear to have an
> internal SATA data connection. I would likely just add one internal SATA
> SSD drive to boot it and hold the OS - because I would use the Compellent
> primarily for CPU power.
>
> Not really sure how to add SAS or SATA drives to the internal caddies?
> Any thoughts or suggestions?
> Thanks and best,
> Phil

--
Zak Smith
307-543-7820 office
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