Can a 36bay server be converted to detached storage?

[dejectedj]

What I curious about is removing my old dual AMD motherboard from my server and plug the two back plane arrays (think that is what they are called) into an adapter that then is connected to my new gaming pc via another adapter. Then run Unraid from it. Hope this makes sense.

[The Flying Sloth]

Easy answer,
No, those storage backplanes are almost always proprietary, unless you want to buy lots of PCIE storage controllers and use really long SATA cables..... well, that's technically possible.....

[Jarsky]

Yes, you can use HBA Expanders. And then use SFF8087 to SFF8088 adapters, then run SFF8088 miniSAS cables to a SAS HBA/RAID Card in your PC. 

 

These Intel ones in particular, can just be powered off a Molex connector: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-RES2SV240-24port-6G-6Gbps-SATA-SAS-Expander-Server-Adapter-RAID-CARD/192928337759

 

You could possibly need 2, just depending on your backplane....and then connect it to one of these to get external miniSAS (SFF8088) https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Ports-Mini-SAS-SFF-8088-To-36Pin-SFF-8087-PCBA-Female-Adapter-PCI-Bracket/143300442731

 

You'd need someway to bridge the PSU's 24 PIN ATX plug to be able to power it up without a motherboard. 

 

You cant run an OS (UnRAID) on a system with no motherboard/cpu though.....you'd have to virtualise your desktop within UnRAID, which starts to become really complicated if you have anything go wrong....

[dejectedj]

After I hit submit I realized the rest of system wouldn't power on without a motherboard. I wonder if you can remove the two cpus and memory and still get power on? My reason for this thinking out of the box is it is a 4u chassis but the motherboard is in a 2u due to the 12 drive bays underneath.

[Maticks]

you can run something like a Netapp DS4243 using external SAS connectors.

But you will need to buy a LSI Controller to run it that supports the disks you want to plug into Unraid.

This is what Steve at Gamers Nexus had rolled out by Level 1 Tech but its also a very popular combo because it just works.

 

 

With one of these cards there are a few to choose from

https://forums.unraid.net/topic/58286-recommended-sata-card-for-24-drives/

 

In theory you can add as many netapp storage drives as you want provided you keep up with the expander cards.

But Unraid at this stage doesn't support more than 30 Drives in the array, however the Beta is currently looking at doing Disk Pools to allow that to be endless.