Suggestions for a good, relatively small, file server case?

[Tiembo]

First post in this forum, hope I don't break any rules! 🙂

I've been searching around for a good case to house a file server computer. At the moment, it will need to hold 5 HDs and 2 5.25" optical devices, but will probably grow to include 4 or 5 more HDs and another optical drive. I'd like to have fans cooling the HDs constantly, as this machine will be on 24/7.

The Kingwin KT-436S is a great case, with the lower HD rack in the patch of two fans. However, I can't seem to find this case for less than $200. I have no need for aluminum, and this case won't be moved around.

On another note, this case would be an ideal solution, with a whopping 12 bays down low. But the price is even harder to swallow.

Is there a steel case out there that would be comparable to the Kingwin case (or possibly the Lian Li case)? It doesn't matter what the case looks like. <$100 a possibility?

Another questions - are there any drawbacks to mounting a HD vertically? I know for some optical devices (the PS2 comes to mind), mounting vertically can disrupt the rotational balance of the disc, causing anything from longer seek times to the laser actually scratching the disc (I've seen this happen a few times).

Thanks!

 

[Kingofcomputer]

I suggest Compucase 6919.

 

[jarsoffart]

In regards to the vertically mounted harddrives, I've read somewhere that it doesn't matter if you mount them horizontal or vertical as long as it isn't moving or it isn't mounted diagonal.

 

[mechBgon]

Compared to the price of five to ten hard drives, the price of the PC76 is trivial, even at $300. I think you should get that one because it has direct fan cooling for all the drives you're planning to have. I was checking out Antec's server-cube cases, the 14xx and 1500 series, which have great ventilation capabilities (8 x 92mm fans included), but the fans don't blow on the hard drives... it's built on the assumption you'll have SCSI drives in hot-swap 5.25" trays with their own individual cooling fans.

Random thought: you may need an extremely powerful PSU to get ten hard drives rolling at boot-up. Starting draw may be around 1.8 amps per drive on the 12V line, and the rest of the system is going to want some too.

Also, have you considered using higher-capacity drives, instead of using larger numbers of drives, maybe the Maxtor Maxline II Plus IDE models (5-year 24/7 warranty, 250Gb+ capacities, 8Mb cache) or is this going to be a SCSI RAID, or what?

edit: if you're using SCSI, remember to literally "think outside the box." You can have an external SCSI drive enclosure of practically any size you'd like.

 

[Tiembo]

Thanks for the replies, guys!

mechBgon - this box will primarily house uncompressed video clips. It leans more on the archive side, so speed isn't essential. I'm using IDE drives, various 80gb and 120gb models - some have a 8MB cache from the recent deals Maxtor and WD offered. I think I have enough storage space for now, but when growth is needed, I'll keep those Maxline products that you mentioned in mind. As for the power supply, I plan on having one that's at least 400W.

As for "thinking outside the box" - I have a couple 1394/USB 2.0 IDE enclosures. An absolute must, considering the size of some of my group's video projects!

 

[mechBgon]

Interesting! 😀 I was looking at the specs on some PSUs, looking for something with piles of amperage for the startup scenario. Delta makes a DPS-465AB with hordes of power. Can't seem to find it on the market, however! 🙁 I would get the gnarliest PSU I could find, anyway, probably an Antec TruePower550 or an Enermax 651-series. Ten hard drives' worth of data is a lot to have riding on it, might as well spend the extra $50 or so on the best PSU you can find IMHO.