Jbod solution?

[Digital_Loop]

Budget (including currency): cheap

Country: canada

Games, programs or workloads that it will be used for: plex

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 need a box, main board, ram, psu... 

 

Ideally I would like to cram about 10 drives into this thing and have it locally accessible by my plex server without overhauling the whole dang thing. 

 

Resources to start? Recommendations? Your personal setup/solutions? 

 

[jaslion]

Raid card with external connections, 10 sata cable connections and then some 3d print jbod bays, random salvaged case with heaps of drive bays, a couple of those 5,25 inch to 3,5inch hdd adapter bays,...

 

All cheap.

 

If wanting to do it better. A fractal define 7 xl and well done really or other old cases with heaps of drive bays.

 

11 minutes ago, Digital_Loop said:

I need a box, main board, ram, psu... 

Thats not a jbod. You are wanting a nas. Do you want disks that directly connect to the plex server or do you want a system with a brain that is a nas that the plex server connects to for storing data?

 

2 VERY different things

[Digital_Loop]

22 minutes ago, jaslion said:

Raid card with external connections, 10 sata cable connections and then some 3d print jbod bays, random salvaged case with heaps of drive bays, a couple of those 5,25 inch to 3,5inch hdd adapter bays,...

 

All cheap.

 

If wanting to do it better. A fractal define 7 xl and well done really or other old cases with heaps of drive bays.

 

Thats not a jbod. You are wanting a nas. Do you want disks that directly connect to the plex server or do you want a system with a brain that is a nas that the plex server connects to for storing data?

 

2 VERY different things

Thanks for the information. I have my server on my main pc... And I would like to have another box full of drives that plex can still access so that I can move all my external drives into one box. Save some plugs and such and clean up the area. Plus this would give me room to add more drives. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Digital_Loop said:

Thanks for the information. I have my server on my main pc... And I would like to have another box full of drives that plex can still access so that I can move all my external drives into one box. Save some plugs and such and clean up the area. Plus this would give me room to add more drives. 

How many drives do you have and of what size? 

 

Getting something like a Define R7 case that can fit all of those drives seems like a better idea than a second box to me, and likely cheaper and simpler.

 

Getting fewer bigger drives is also a good idea and may pay for its self in the power savings.

[Digital_Loop]

5 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

How many drives do you have and of what size? 

 

Getting something like a Define R7 case that can fit all of those drives seems like a better idea than a second box to me, and likely cheaper and simpler.

 

Getting fewer bigger drives is also a good idea and may pay for its self in the power savings.

I have probably 12 right now... 

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, Digital_Loop said:

I have probably 12 right now... 

What sizes? If you lets say got 26TB drives could you get the number down?

 

I'd really skip this jbod here, and get a bigger case for your NAS if you want all those drives.

[Digital_Loop]

Just now, Electronics Wizardy said:

What sizes? If you lets say got 26TB drives could you get the number down?

 

I'd really skip this jbod here, and get a bigger case for your NAS if you want all those drives.

Various sizes from 2tb to 12tb. As I buy new drives I sunset the smallest oldest drive and migrate the data. All 3.5 inch rust spinners. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

2 minutes ago, Digital_Loop said:

Various sizes from 2tb to 12tb. As I buy new drives I sunset the smallest oldest drive and migrate the data. All 3.5 inch rust spinners. 

I'd probably just get a few 24TB drives. It would likely be cheaper with the power savings and the no new hardware needed. Then you can keep those older drives for backups.

[Dutch_Master]

Get one of these HDD cages:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005901398655.html

(hunt around for better deals, never used this seller)

 

Then add an external HBA to your plex server:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008934183431.html

(never used this seller)

 

Then some data cables:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005826348244.html

 

And of course power, but you can route that from your plex server using an extender cable.

[mariushm]

Newegg has some computer cases with lots of drive bays that are reasonably cheap

 

for example $139 for  Rosewill 4U Server Chassis Rackmount Case | 11x 3.5" Bays, 3x 2.5" Devices| ATX, CEB Compatible | 2 120mm PWM Fan, 2 80mm PWM Fans | 2x USB 3.0, 1 USB-C 3.1 | Front Panel Lock and Key | - RSV-R4200U - Newegg.com

 

or $119 for Rosewill 4U Server Chassis Rackmount Case | 7 3.5" Bays, 2 5.25" Devices| ATX, CEB Compatible | 1 120mm PWM Fan, 2 80mm PWM Fans | 2x USB 3.0 | Front Panel Lock and Key | Silver/Black - RSV-R4100U - Newegg.com - you could easily use adapters to put 2 drives into the 5.25" bays, so a total of 9 drives.