What's your case & cabinet?

[Nindustries]

As i'm getting ready to order my first freenas build (I feel like a kid during christmas), I was wondering if everyone had the same problems as I had; finding a suitable case and cabinet for home use.

So I ask you; what do you use for case and cabinet, and what do you prefer? (Rackmount / tower)

I will be using a Ri-vier 2U 12bay chassis with SAS backplane - S2-06A case and a mighty mo 12u 26" wallmount cabinet.

- Sent from mobile.

 

[Z300M]

As i'm getting ready to order my first freenas build (I feel like a kid during christmas), I was wondering if everyone had the same problems as I had; finding a suitable case and cabinet for home use.

So I ask you; what do you use for case and cabinet, and what do you prefer? (Rackmount / tower)

I will be using a Ri-vier 2U 12bay chassis with SAS backplane - S2-06A case and a mighty mo 12u 26" wallmount cabinet.

I started off with a mid-tower case that I happened to have sitting around, but I very recently switched to an Antec Twelve Hundred v3 case. This is advertised as a "Gaming Case", but I picked it because it has space for 12 x 5 1/4" drives. I have a total of nine 3 1/2" drives in two iStarUSA BPU-350SATA-BPL cages, so I am still using only six of the available twelve bays and can still add another of those cages (I will not be able to add two more, because I have two bays occupied by an optical drive and a multi-format card reader). The case has plenty of fans, and everything is staying nice and cool.

 

[Nindustries]

Just wanted to say that I found THE perfect case for me; 12 drives, rackmount and rather short depth!
It's from a Norco importer: Ri-Vier. (located in the Netherlands.)
https://ri-vier.eu/rivier-2u-12bay-chassis-with-sas-backplane-s206a-p-323.html?cPath=1_3_5

Greetings

 

[cyberjock]

Before you click buy read up on Norco. They've had some issues in the past. Poor engineering, poor manufacturing, etc. You will also have to deal with other potential hidden costs. For example, I had to buy better fans for my server to keep my drives cool. As you have roughly the same density as me, you will probably need to make the same choices...

I had to buy better fans or let my drives overheat.... http://forums.freenas.org/threads/norco-rpc-4224-and-hard-drives-that-are-too-hot.13022/

 

[Nindustries]

Ahh well, the case has a couple of good reviews on Tweakers.net. (dutch site)
The support after sales is also excellent I heard from a friend, so meh.

It is the only case with 12 bays and such depth I dont care to buy some fans. :D

- Sent from mobile.

 

[cyberjock]

Well, good luck!

 

[Nindustries]

Thanks, I'll be sure to post about it when I get it. Someone has got to be the first ;)

- Sent from mobile.

 

[Ri-Vier / Richard]

Hello guys, the S2-06A case is not manufactured by Norco. It is a Ri-Vier-brand case.

I want to wish you good luck in building your NAS, Nindustries!

Regards,
Richard
Ri-Vier Automatisering

 

[Mr_N]

I chose the Lian-Li case PC-D8000 for its number of native HDD bays and space for extra drive cages, allowing me to expand in the future without annoying or disruptive rebuilds :)

 

[Z300M]

I chose the Lian-Li case PC-D8000 for its number of native HDD bays and space for extra drive cages, allowing me to expand in the future without annoying or disruptive rebuilds :)

NewEgg shows that Lian-Li case as "discontinued." And although it has space for a lot of drives, I don't see any way of having ready access for hot-swapping.

 

[Mr_N]

looks like i got it just in time then, and you can buy backplanes which make all the 20 bays hotswap if you want, plus any extra drive cages you added could also be hotswap you'd just have to take the side of the case off to remove the drives from them ;)

 

[jyavenard]

Ahh well, the case has a couple of good reviews on Tweakers.net. (dutch site)
The support after sales is also excellent I heard from a friend, so meh.

It is the only case with 12 bays and such depth I dont care to buy some fans. :D

- Sent from mobile.

There are plenty of 2U 12 bay case.
http://www.supermicro.com/products/chassis/2U/?chs=826

I got that one:
http://www.supermicro.com/products/chassis/2U/826/SC826TQ-R500LP.cfm

much more than 109 euros though..

 

[Nindustries]

Ofcourse, but none of them have such a shallow dept as the S2-06A. That's the problem; I will be using a wallmount rack cabinet to keep things neat. (Nas+switch+patch panel)

- Sent from mobile.

 

[jyavenard]

I feel so silly.. I didn't even think of measuring the depth of the case... Only to realise it won't fit on my current rack... not deep enough.. @#$%@#$

 

[Nindustries]

I feel so silly.. I didn't even think of measuring the depth of the case... Only to realise it won't fit on my current rack... not deep enough.. @#$%@#$

I feel you man, been through the same problems myself
There is also an ultra-short Chenbro chassis with 8 bays if you want: http://www.chenbro.eu/corporatesite/products_detail.php?sku=173

 

[jyavenard]

too late; already ordered my system...
Will have to rethink on where and how I'll be able to place my new system... that's a major pain...

 

[vegaman]

Yeah, I'm having a lot of trouble finding a rack deep enough to fit my NAS (650mm deep). There's plenty if you go full height, but I don't have the space for that, really planning on around 12u - 4u NAS, 1u router, 1u switch, 1u patch panel and a bit of room if I decide to add more gear. I'll possibly put my UPS in there too, but it's not rackmount so it might just sit beside it.

I'm contemplating just buying some rack rails and building a wooden frame to attach them to, unless I can find someone to weld a frame.

 

[JimPhreak]

I was originally going to trade my Switch 810 full tower gaming case to a friend for his Lian Li A76 but when I saw his case it just wasn't in the kind of shape I had hoped for. So instead I went with the Corsair 750D and will be buying 2 extra HDD cages so that I can mount 12 3.5" HDDS in it. Here's a quick pic of what the inside looks like.

 

[Nomad]

Antec 900 with additional drive cage for a total of 9 drives. Only Using 4 ATM.

 

[sheepdot]

I bought this case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147165
I wanted something with good air flow and hot swappable drives, and below $250. I don't plan on hot-swapping drives, but I like the idea of not having to open the case to pull drives out.