Easier and more efficient would be to DIY a DS-24D by getting a Norco RPC-4224, Intel 36port expander, ATX JBOD powerboard (Supermicro, etc) and PSU.
I have the following setup and I can't seem to find the most cost-effective way to expand my home storage capability. Should I buy the DS-24D or the RPC-4224?
CURRENT:
Phineas
ESXi 5.1 Server
HP ProLiant DL360 G7 1U server
300GB SAS drives x 8
48GB RAM
Ferb
FreeNAS 8.3 Server
Dell Precision 390 tower
2TB SATA x 3
1TB SATA x 4
8GB RAM
iSCSI & NFS datastores, media server, PC backups
Because Phineas is more powerful and has more RAM, I want to add the HP SAS Expander and passthru the p410i controller to a FreeNAS VM. I will attach 2 expander ports to the internal SAS drives and the remaining 4 to a Norco case. This FreeNAS VM will hold all datastores, media shares, and PC backups, etc.
Phineas will then replicate to Ferb via iSCSI. Since it is only for backups, performance is not an issue as much as capacity.
If I use the Norco RPC-4224 I'll need to buy:
6 mini-SAS cables (internal)
4 mini-SAS cables (external)
Power Supply
120mm fan wall
120mm fans
(I could also move Ferb's hardware inside the Norco and direct attach the remaining 8 drives. However, the Dell motherboard is BTX and I'll need all new hardware)
If I use the Norco DS-24D I'll need to buy:
4 mini-SAS cables (external)
I now have 15 1TB drives and nowhere to put them. The DS-24D looks like the cheaper, no-hassle choice on the surface. A deal breaker may be the loudness of the 3 80mm fans in my home setup.
The RPC-4224 has space for a motherboard and I like the idea of moving Ferb to the Norco in the future. This will eliminate an entire case in my rack which is attractive, but not necessary. But having to purchase so many additional pieces to get me up and running doesn't sit well.
Sorry for the lengthy post. I've been a fan of this site for a long time and I like the builds other users have done. I guess I'm asking if you had my stuff, where would you go with it? What would you choose?