HP Z600 - adding additional drives..

[B-dubya]

I've been looking high and low to find something to use as a home server. As of right now, I'm really leaning towards an HP Z600 - namely something like this - 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172149798390?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

It is dual cpu, 8 cores / 16 threads in total... 12gb ram will be enough to start me off for now... The problem I'm going to run into.. maybe not till down the road... is storage.

It appears to have two 3.5'' drive slots that will require the tray.  The motherboard has additional Sata connectors, but I'm not seeing a way to power any additional drives. 

 

I plan on using freenas, so I can hopefully use a usb drive for boot..

 

Any tips / ideas? Other recommendations?  I know I can go up to 4 drives with the HP Z800, but I'm trying to keep this closer to the 200/300 range, rather than 500+....

 

Thank you for your time.

 

(Usage - storage, plexserver, minecraft server - I am open to both tower and rackmount, I just don't want to have to use 2.5'' SAS drives because of cost to storage ratio...)

[Bigun]

If you can sacrifice the 5.25" bays, they have drive chassis that will hold anywhere between three and five 3.5" drives.

[B-dubya]

On 8/19/2016 at 8:20 AM, Bigun said:

If you can sacrifice the 5.25" bays, they have drive chassis that will hold anywhere between three and five 3.5" drives.

Thank you!

A quick google found this.. - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856999209&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Server+-+Accessories-_-N82E16856999209&gclid=COmG5K-U284CFQgcaQod0ngIzw&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

I'm sure i'll look a lot more... but did you have any recommendations?

[Bigun]

Anything with status LEDs, watch for port speeds when selecting one, and if you have little one's in the house, get one with locking ports.

 

*edit*

 

Ick, just looked at the one you posted.  I wouldn't use it myself, I'd find one with hot swappable ports and a fan myself, especially if you plan on running RAID at any time.  Here are a few examples.

[dalekphalm]

On 2016-08-24 at 7:08 PM, B-dubya said:

Thank you!

A quick google found this.. - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856999209&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Server+-+Accessories-_-N82E16856999209&gclid=COmG5K-U284CFQgcaQod0ngIzw&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

I'm sure i'll look a lot more... but did you have any recommendations?

 

On 2016-08-25 at 7:45 AM, Bigun said:

Anything with status LEDs, watch for port speeds when selecting one, and if you have little one's in the house, get one with locking ports.

 

*edit*

 

Ick, just looked at the one you posted.  I wouldn't use it myself, I'd find one with hot swappable ports and a fan myself, especially if you plan on running RAID at any time.  Here are a few examples.

I was gonna say, ICY Dock makes some good ones:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=icy+dock+5.25+to+3.5&N=-1&isNodeId=1