Mark Knecht wrote: > > > On Sat, Jun 1, 2024 at 10:38 PM Dale <rdalek1...@gmail.com > <mailto:rdalek1...@gmail.com>> wrote: > > > > Howdy, again, > > > > Hi Dale, > As part of a little AI project I'm working on I ran across a > relatively > inexpensive ideo you might want to look into. The basic idea is to > use a PXIx -> M.2 E Key card and on that card load an M2. E Key > to SATA adapter. > > First, an E Key adapter card: > > https://www.amazon.com/Ableconn-PEXM2150E-Express-Adapter-Socket/dp/B07D6ZCBHY > > And second, a 6 port E Key to SATA adapter: > > https://www.amazon.com/SATA3-0-Adapter-Expansion-Interface-Indicator/dp/B0B75JWXXS > > I have NO NO NO idea if this would actually work, or how well it would > work, but > for roughly $60 it might give you a path to the silly number of hard > drives you want > to run. ;-) > > In my case I'm looking at this same card, but loaded with a neural > network processor > running Tensorflow Lite. > > Anyway, I thought you might be interested. > > Cheers, > Mark
I have some PCIe cards that go up to 12 SATA ports. In a X1 slot, they not exactly speedy but they do work pretty well. I try to balance the number of drives to help with speed as much as I can. I also put all drives in one LVM on one card. That way if one card stops working, the whole LVM goes instead of just one or two of three drives. You have a idea tho with those two. I was digging around Ebay. Ran up on a used combo and then had a crazy idea. I found a ASUS B550-plus AC-HES mobo that is AM4. I took that idea and started building a combo with new parts. CPU, Ryzen 7 5800X and my little 4 port video card if CPU has no video support. AMD says it does. The mobo has three PCIe X1 slots and a X4 slot. A SAS card would work just slower than when in X8 slot but the little PCIe 10 or 12 port cards would work fine. Gives me 30 drives total at least on the cards plus the four on the mobo, two goes away with using one of the PCIe slots most likely. Bifurcation I think they call it when they share roadways. My thinking. Build above now. In a year, or two, I can build either the rig I was working on a lot cheaper or a even newer rig that is even faster if say AM6 socket CPUs have arrived. Then the rig above with some hard drive options can become the new NAS box. I can then move some drives out of the main rig, newer one a year or so down the road, and not need so many PCIe slots in the main rig, hopefully anyway. I may even warm up to the idea of using USB for hard drives. I'm surprised hard drives don't come with USB connections instead of SATA already. The only downside, the NAS box will have to run 24/7 as well. Then I have two puters running all the time. To offset that, the combo above does pull a lot less power than my current rig. Not a huge difference but fair amount. Odds are the build a year or so down the road will also pull less power than current rig. I could end up with same amount of power usage or less, even with two running instead of one. I said it was a crazy idea. LOL This time tho, I'm sort of planning ahead instead of just coming up with a temporary fix all the time. This is also a little cheaper but still faster. Another big thing, newer as well. My current rig is about 10 or 11 years old. It may run another 5 or so years but could go out anytime. At least I'll have a newer rig not likely to let the smoke out. Plus have a path to a more sane setup. I just need to get one of those chia harvester cases that holds 40 or so hard drives. ROFLMBO Dale :-) :-)
