Storage Solutions Need to build a single storage with multiple disks

nRiTeCh

Skilled
I want to do some sense with lot of disks I got.

I plan to combine all the disks into one single storage but all disks got different sizes and some disks are PATA as well.

Can I build a combined single NAS storage. It will be approximately 3tbs if all disks get combined.
 
Get rid of the PATA disks.

Get a RAID controller like M1015 - you can get it for as cheap as 8K, crossflash it to a SATA controller, use Storage Spaces in Windows or LVM in Linux I guess. If you do want to do it cheaply, get a SATA port multiplier OR a mobo with enough SATA ports.

Do not use any hardware solution, as if the hardware fails, you may not be able to recover the data as it might be tied into that hardware type only.
 
Just saw that it is 3TB combined. For that much data, I would recommend selling off all the disks, putting in money and picking up a single 3TB or 2x 3TB and doing a RAID1 if needed. Each HDD you add increases you chance of failure.
 
@vivek.krishnan Is there a way to JBOD multiple disks, but still be able to access each disk's data independently if required, say directly connected to a SATA port or usb-to-sata?
 
I believe that if you do via software JBOD using Windows or Linux, you should be able to do it, except for the file which might span 2 HDDs. I think when using JBOD SPAN, the data is stored sequentially in the first disk, and so on, unless using something like Storage Spaces which might write to different HDDs to speed things up, as it is supposed to be smart.
 
I want to do some sense with lot of disks I got.

I plan to combine all the disks into one single storage but all disks got different sizes and some disks are PATA as well.

Can I build a combined single NAS storage. It will be approximately 3tbs if all disks get combined.

@vivek.krishnan Is there a way to JBOD multiple disks, but still be able to access each disk's data independently if required, say directly connected to a SATA port or usb-to-sata?

Have you explored unRAID? https://lime-technology.com/what-is-unraid/
Addresses most of the requirements you have. And is easy to scale as well, with different sized disks.
 
^ unRAID is a good option, except for one issue - its not free. If you can look beyond that, then well OK. I cannot comment on Windows, but its not like its useless for other things.
 
So basically, some kind of software JBOD is the only/preferred way to combine multiple disks into a single volume, yet access each disk's data independently, in case of 'raid' failure etc. ?
 
You can use FreeNAS (opensource) to create a JBOD or ZFS pool if you have a old computer with enough sata ports or you can also build a new cheap storage box just for achieving data.
 
M short of sata ports..only 1 free off 6. I don't wanna buy a sata cum ide pci card though this will be my last resort. I want to build external NAS type box.. something which can house 6 hdds with ease but cross platforms...ide cum sata. And then after raid on that box will i connect it to my pc strictly for backup purpose.
 
I recently set up something like this at my home as I particularly and decadently wanted to do away with the constant swapping of drives over a USB docking station. Having to deal with delicate handling of the platters when carefully slotting them into a dock, removing them post work and storing them safely in a cushioned box compounded with pesky USB wires just made me rather tired.

This is what I built...

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Specs:

i3-2120 | Gigabyte GA-H61M-WW | Cooler Master 212 Turbo (Red Shroud Edition - Push Pull) | 2 X 2GB G.Skill RipjawsX | 60GB Mushkin Callisto Deluxe SSD (OS & Softwares Only), 2 X IO Crest SY-PEX40039 2 Port SATA III Cards | 1 X IO Crest SY-PCI40010 PCI RAID 4 Port Host Controller Card (Used as SATA Expander Only) | Corsair GS800 (Passive) | PC BX600C-IN

Case: Corsair Obsidian Series 750D Airflow Edition Full Tower (With additional drive cages).

Cooling: 3 X Thermaltake Riing 12 Ultra Low Noise Hydraulic Bearing [CL-F038-PL12BU-A] Fans, 2 X CM XtraFlo 120mm Fans, 1 X CM SickleFlow 120mm Fan, 2 X Corsair AF140 Quiet Edition Fans, 1 X Antec Gooseneck Spotcool 100 Fan (For cooling the 3 SATA Expansion cards).

Storage: 16TB (Mix of WD Green & WD Blue platters).

Display: Dell ST2320L (Mostly used for maintaining/ updating PLEX libraries and HDD Temperature monitoring).
 
Have you combines all the disk sizes into a single 16TB storage? I hope all disks are sata. (ranging from sata 1 to 3rd gen). Mix breed of ST, WD & Toshiba.
In all I got 10 satas and 5 ide disks.

I will get them fitted into my case using sata/ide cards but I think I either need to combine all satas into 1 raid and all patas into 1 raid but the mix mode wotn work, correct me though. ( As even if thats possible iot might affect the transfer rates due to obvious interface/channeling)

I'm also worried that if one the older sata disk drives how much will be impact on my data(loss). Right now I'm sure that all my disks are healthy, in good condition with no temperatures or performing issues even if some of them are as old as 5 yr, some might be occasionally used while some regularly.
 
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