Media Server Case Recommendation

[rifken2]

I am looking to update my media server. I have a hodgepodge of 2TB hard drives in my system now, a total of 11 drives. The case that I have now is an older Rosewill that has no business holding that many drives. I plan to switch over 4 4TB drives and use 4 of my 2TB drives. It will certainly give me more capacity using fewer ports. I would like to be able to go up to 10+ drives.

I have searched quite a but trying to find a case that will hold all of that with room to expand, I have a total of 14 ports. I would like something that doesn't use 5.25 adapters. I looked at the Fractal Design Black Pearl XL, I really like this case but cannot find it anywhere, save for eBay.

I like the Silverstone Raven R03 as well but the drives that go behind the motherboard tray concern me... lack of airflow (I would imagine).

I like the Lian Li PC-D8000 but it is about $100 more than I want to spend. However it does have room for plenty of 3.5" drives.

I like the idea of a tower case that has quiet cooling properties. I also need plenty of bays for drives.

I am looking to spend around $200 but can bump that for a good reason.

Any recommendations?

 

[dma0991]

I'd say spend an extra $100 on a Norco case with 20 hotswap bays. It isn't something that you'd want it on display in your living room but it does well as a server case. I definitely would want one myself.

 

[_Rick_]

Take a look at Chenbro's SR112 series for something slightly more classic. 8 Hotswap + 2 internal is not going to take you beyond ten disks, but it's significantly cheaper and more usable than a rackmount case.

 

[aigomorla]

im thinking possibly... very possibly.. since ur scaling so much, maybe a full blown rack would be ideal.

setup a U2 as the main server... then a san box right below it for your drives which u can scale at any time?

Otherwise ur only option is a full tower, and adding drive cages in the front bay to support it.

Im using a Rocketfish case which is a LL knockoff doing a simular setup of 4 x 2TB drives in R5 and 4 x 2TB as own catalog drives.

So a total of 8 drives in a full tower with the option of adding another 5 drives in a drive cage.

So id say a total of 10... 2 x 5 drive cages... and the built in 6... that gives u 16 drives possible using a standard full tower,
and the option to add a second PSU to power that many drives.