File Server - Why a Backplane?

I already run a home file server - basically a linux box stuffed full of drives - nothing fancy like RAID as all important data is backed up and other data can be lost. Also runs as my desktop machine etc.

Looking at build a new dedicated low power file server (as well as SSH server for getting out of work firewall, squid proxy, print server etc etc) with the new AMD low power CPU such as the 605e.

Question really is why would you want to use a backplane such as

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Icy-B...to-2x-525-bays

and what benefits it gives apart from hot swapping. Can't see cooling being an advantage as I can buy something like this for cheaper

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...source=froogle

It only makes it more convenient to add/remove hard drives from the machine when it's running. For example, if you're running LVM you could remove the PVs for the drive from your VG, and remove it, slap in a new drive, and away you go. No pre-shutdown fiddling, only to find out you forgot something and possibly mess things up. No messing around with unscrewing drives, and screwing them back in, etc..

Why are there 6 sata connectors for 3 drives?

It says dual channel but what does it really do?

That's for multipath I/O. It adds redundancy to I/O controller<->disk connectivity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by aidanjt

That's for multipath I/O. It adds redundancy to I/O controller<->disk connectivity.

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So essentially you could stick a PCIe sata controller into your box and have redundant connectivity to a 3 disk RAID 5 array (for example)? Or do you need special SATA controllers to take advantage?

Wish I'd seen one of those *before* I ordered my new Dev box / test server at work... ;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by scaryjim

So essentially you could stick a PCIe sata controller into your box and have redundant connectivity to a 3 disk RAID 5 array (for example)? Or do you need special SATA controllers to take advantage?

Wish I'd seen one of those *before* I ordered my new Dev box / test server at work... ;)

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It needs to be supported in either hardware, or software. So pair of big pricey SATA RAID controller for Windows users, or Linux for us skin-flints.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alexkoon

and what benefits it gives apart from hot swapping

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Drive density in a case is the main thing for me.

I have tree of these:
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Icy-D...ap-Best-Seller

and one of these:
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Icy-D...h-Hot-swapable

In one of these:
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Akasa...-Panel-w-o-PSU

I'll probably replace the case with a Sharkoon Rebel 12 and get a fourth 5-in-3 cage at some point. Probably when I build the server cupboard into my hall. There aren't a lot of options when you want to put that many drives in a PC and still be cost effective.

They are also much, much easier to deal with than having that many drives screwed into a non hot-swap cage, I also haven't seen anything better than 4-in-3 configuration with them either. When I do move my server, I can quickly pull all the drives out (maintaining their order obviously) significantly reducing the weight of the case and install them again once everything is positioned.

^^Indeed

As SSD decrease in price, the 1 x 5.25" > 4 x 2.5" bay converters will hopefully ship as standard with a lot of cases.

Then you really will be able to pack drives in!

Being able to remove and replace hard drives from the front is invaluable on a server. You also have less of an issue figuring out which on has failed if you can see them all with their status LEDS from the front of the case.