Storage for Nas

[Yous34]

Hello, i have made a post last week and i got my nas pretty much configuerd, now i'm planning my storage, i would like to use some m.2s as storage, the only is that high capacity m.2 s have bad $ per gb prices, so i'm looking for a low profile pcie 4.0 x16 to 4 m.2 card (either gen 3 or 4 doesn't really matter since i would get gen 3 m.2s anyway) i did some digging and i couldn't find any, or like something that could just split the x16 to x4 and then some x4 to m.2 adapters i could double sitded tape somewhere, the limitation in size comes from the fact that i'm using a dual chamber case (MetallicGear Neo Qube) and an itx board (Aorus z590-i ultra with an i 5 11600k)

[Electronics Wizardy]

Is there a reason why you want nvme drives? Id go sata ssds, typically cheaper, and speed won't matter as your normally network limited.

 

 

11 minutes ago, Yous34 said:

Aorus z590-i ultra

That board will only let you do x8 x4 x4, so 3 drives if you don't want to get a splitter with a pcie splitter.

 

 

10 minutes ago, Yous34 said:

MetallicGear Neo Qube

Seems like a odd case, esp with itx. Are these parts you already have?

[Yous34]

 

On 7/7/2022 at 1:34 AM, Electronics Wizardy said:

Is there a reason why you want nvme drives? Id go sata ssds, typically cheaper, and speed won't matter as your normally network limited.

 

 mainly for cable management and space, my 2.5" ssd slots are already full, my storage for now is 500gb ssd sata for truenas, and a 1tb sata ssd for storare, i have another 2tb sata that i need to empty out so i can use it on the nas, i have 1 empty 2.5" bay, unless i get custom cables made, i don't think i can fit more satas, on the other hand, i have a free gen4 m.2 slot on the itx board and a pcie x16 gen 4 slot

On 7/7/2022 at 1:34 AM, Electronics Wizardy said:

That board will only let you do x8 x4 x4, so 3 drives if you don't want to get a splitter with a pcie splitter.

I'm a total newbie in pcie splitting,can you explain this to me? from what i know i thouhg thst a x16 could be always split equally,tho that raises a quation,can i split  an x16 in 2 x8 and get 2 low profile x8 to dual m.2s ?

 

On 7/7/2022 at 1:34 AM, Electronics Wizardy said:

Seems like a odd case, esp with itx. Are these parts you already have?

Yes those are parts i already have, and the nas is up and running 

[Electronics Wizardy]

2 hours ago, Yous34 said:

'm a total newbie in pcie splitting,can you explain this to me? from what i know i thouhg thst a x16 could be always split equally,tho that raises a quation,can i split  an x16 in 2 x8 and get 2 low profile x8 to dual m.2s ?

The cpu and mobo has to allow the lanes to be split, they can't just be split without the board being setup for it. Intel limits the consumer socket to x8 x4 x4 splitting on supported chipsets, so your combo can do x8 x4 x4 max. If you get a 4x m.2 card you can only use 3 ssds on it.

 

The other option is to get a pcie to m.2 card with a pcie switch chip. This allows for it to work on boards without bifurcation support, and allows 8 drives on one x16 adapter. Here is an example. https://www.highpoint-tech.com/gen4-nvme-m2. Problem is there pricey.

[Yous34]

20 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

The cpu and mobo has to allow the lanes to be split, they can't just be split without the board being setup for it. Intel limits the consumer socket to x8 x4 x4 splitting on supported chipsets, so your combo can do x8 x4 x4 max. If you get a 4x m.2 card you can only use 3 ssds on it.

 

The other option is to get a pcie to m.2 card with a pcie switch chip. This allows for it to work on boards without bifurcation support, and allows 8 drives on one x16 adapter. Here is an example. https://www.highpoint-tech.com/gen4-nvme-m2. Problem is there pricey.

mmm i see, but those cards are overbudget for me, i guess i'll just get some satas and if i have space, i might get a hogh capacity hdd for redundancy, i will probably still need a pcie to sata card but from what i've seen low profile one are more common than m.2 cards

[Electronics Wizardy]

5 minutes ago, Yous34 said:

mmm i see, but those cards are overbudget for me, i guess i'll just get some satas and if i have space, i might get a hogh capacity hdd for redundancy, i will probably still need a pcie to sata card but from what i've seen low profile one are more common than m.2 cards

You can use the asus hyper m.2 and other cheap pcie to 4 m.2 but you can only use 3 of the m.2 slots.

 

If it was me, Id just stack sata ssds below the board in that case, but thats kinda ugly.

[Yous34]

8 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

You can use the asus hyper m.2 and other cheap pcie to 4 m.2 but you can only use 3 of the m.2 slots.

 

If it was me, Id just stack sata ssds below the board in that case, but thats kinda ugly.

i'll see, it will all depends on how fast i'm gonna fill the space i have atm, thanks i'll close the thread you've been very helpful