Best way to add multiple HDD connections to a motherboard?

[Jud]

Here, from the horse's mouth: https://www.truenas.com/docs/core/gettingstarted/corehardwareguide/#storage-controllers

 

I cannot tell you how many posts in the TrueNAS forums (not running it, but intend to one of these days and doing my advance research) I have read with essentially the message "Don't screw around, get yourself some good reliable HBAs."

[Jud]

5 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

SO basically, I need this, unless I want to figure out how to flash one.

https://www.pc-pitstop.com/9305-24i

 

I don't know enough about TrueNAS to understand why you don't need to flash this. (BTW, I see a 12Gbps 9500 series for only $140 more. 😉)

[Jud]

5 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

Second, I am not going to be using TrueNAS, rather Ubuntu Server. TrueNAS is incapable of running Minimserver. I am keeping my TrueNAS device as pure backup, local and offsite.

 

Makes lots of sense. I have wondered why (besides one-box simplicity, granted) folks want to combine an app server with file storage/backup, rather than just running apps on an appropriate OS and grabbing the media files from a nicely set up NAS.

[Jud]

Unable to come up with pricing on the Netstor products.

[Jud]

Just now, AudioDoctor said:

 

Same, I can't either.

 

PC Pitstop has prices on SAS expander enclosures by other manufacturers. But I'm getting the impression these are storage-only.

[Jud]

Deleted. I realized I misunderstood a quote I'd written about.

[Jud]

Just now, AudioDoctor said:

 

I think you're probably right Jud.

 

I think I may have gotten it backwards, hard for me to tell. 🙂 They're saying they prefer SAS disks rather than SATA disks for SAS expanders, I believe.

[Jud]

10TB SAS drive on Amazon (just for completeness, @AudioDoctor has already mentioned this is probably beyond the scope of what he wants to do):

 

https://www.amazon.com/Ultrastar-HUH721010AL5200-0F27352-Platform-Enterprise/dp/B01GXUR98G?th=1

[Jud]

46 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Thanks Jud, I will look that drive up elsewhere as I intentionally block Amazon and eBay on my network.

 

Another SAS drive example, this one from Newegg:

 

https://www.newegg.com/toshiba-mg06sca800e-8tb/p/1Z4-000B-009N6?Item=1Z4-000B-009N6&Description=sas drives&cm_re=sas_drives-_-1Z4-000B-009N6-_-Product

[Jud]

2 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

Thanks. I should block Newegg too. That is nearly double the price of my intended drive, not to mention other increased costs to accommodate it and it's just too much of everything for my use.

 

You can block the objectionable stuff from these sites with the Vivaldi browser and Privacy Badger. Kind of having your cake and eating it too.  Unless of course you find them objectionable in their totality. 🙂

[Jud]

29 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

On the other hand, Microcenter has never done me wrong. Neither has B&H Photo and Video.

Me neither. OTOH, I‘ve purchased most of the components for several computer builds from Newegg and been very happy.

[Jud]

On 2/6/2023 at 2:43 PM, AudioDoctor said:

 

This one does not include a raid controller, according to the first link shared by David above, and therefore does not need to be flashed into a different mode to turn that function off. 

 

Second, I am not going to be using TrueNAS, rather Ubuntu Server. TrueNAS is incapable of running Minimserver. I am keeping my TrueNAS device as pure backup, local and offsite.

 

I think the way you intend to do it will be much less aggravation for you, but just in case anyone is ever researching this topic again, I ran across this thread regarding a tutorial from the Minimserver developer on the Minimserver forums (linked the last page from late 2022 so we know the information is fairly current): https://forum.minimserver.com/showthread.php?tid=2891&page=13

[Jud]

7 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

 

That's what made me not want to try and run Minimserver on TrueNAS.

I think it’s either increasing age, deja vu, or both that have changed my attitude from “I’m up to the challenge!” to “Seems like more trouble than it’s worth,” when I read a thread like that.

[Jud]

12 hours ago, AudioDoctor said:

Plans are changing due to the difficulty of tracking down DDR5 ECC RAM right now. Looks like i'll step down to a 5600 or 5700x and DDR4 ECC ram, a different motherboard. This means I'll need a separate, cheap, gpu as well as a 10G card.

 

If I plug an NVME into a different computer, install Ubuntu Server on it, and then put it in the machine and boot it, will it work with no GPU and allow me to SSH into it as I normally would to administer it?

 

If you have sshd running on the Ubuntu Server you have installed (I haven't used Server, guessing it comes with sshd included), and if the NVMe/Server is indeed the drive/OS you're booting from (as you'd ensure from the BIOS/EFI), then I see no reason why it shouldn't work.  Why don't you try it out as a test with a spare drive if possible, not only to be sure it works, but to get accustomed to the drill?