Upgrading Server/Sim Rig/HTPC

[Tweakk]

Budget (including currency): Not the cheapest, also not the most expensive, something reasonably priced in the middle.

Country: USA

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: Plex Media Server / Sim Rig / HTPC

Other details (existing parts lists, whether any peripherals are needed, what you're upgrading from, when you're going to buy, what resolution and refresh rate you want to play at, etc): 

 

I have a second system running Windows 10, I use it to host my Plex server, a racing sim rig, and HTPC to stream Netflix/Plex etc. Everything is running off the main m.2 1TB drive, while all of my media is currently stored on x4 4TB NAS HDDs. The motherboard I have only has enough SATA ports for 5 drives, I am stuck at an impasse on what to do and looking for some opinions/recommendations.

 

I have been thinking about doing an internal Raid Controller with SAS, connect 4 more drives and run them in raid. Slight issue with this plan is I need to find a way to store all my data while setting up the Raid array and that is about 12-13TB

 

My second thought is just to get PCIe SATA Expansion card and just continue to run the drives normally like I have been doing.

 

What ever route I end up taking, looking to have something that is gonna require little maintenance and I can just leave it running in the background and use it whenever needed.

 

I would appreciate any advice, recommendations or thoughts on this.

[Donut417]

28 minutes ago, Tweakk said:

I would appreciate any advice, recommendations or thoughts on this.

For expansion you might look in to a NAS. They are pretty maintenance free. I know from personal experience that Plex will work just fine if the media is stored on a NAS.