Please help me find a 6 or more external 2.5" bay unit connected by USB-C

[shoult]

This might be a weird one..... We'll see.

What I'm trying to build is an ultra low power, very small, DC powered infrastructure server/NAS for #vanlife. I already have the server part running on a Beelink 12th gen N305 box. It runs ProxMox 8, pfSense 2.70 CE, Pihole and TrueNAS Scale. What I want to add is a SMALL DC powered USB-C enclosure for 6 or more 2.5" drives. I've seen 3.5" enclosures that match this but I don't want to give up the unused space. And before you suggest starting over with a 2.5" file server, let me just remind you that it's about the SPACE as much as it is about saving power. Two small boxes are MUCH easier to tuck away than 1 large box when you're looking at #vanlife.

This unit would be AWESOME if it were for 2.5" only. Any help would be appreciated.

https://www.amazon.com/ORICO-Bay-Enclosure-Type-Enterprise/dp/B08LN1ZXF3/ref=sr_1_22_sspa?crid=TYTYHMV2KQ61&keywords=jbod%2Benclosure%2Busb-c%2B2.5%22%2Bssd&qid=1693871483&sprefix=jbod%2Benclosure%2Busb-c%2B2.5%2Bssd%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-22-spons&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.ac2169a1-b668-44b9-8bd0-5ec63b24bcb5&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGY&th=1

 

[shoult]

Bump

Failing that, does anyone know how to get a ThingVerse project printed without going through the process of calling some commercial company that wants huge sums for a prototype?

 

[BlueFox]

Maybe not the answer you're looking for, but why not say a Synology DS620slim? RAM can be upgraded to 16GB on it, which isn't particularly high, but is usable. That would be enough to run a few VMs and it still has 2 NICs for the likes of pfSense, letting you consolidate down to a single system.

 

[shoult]

Maybe not the answer you're looking for, but why not say a Synology DS620slim? RAM can be upgraded to 16GB on it, which isn't particularly high, but is usable. That would be enough to run a few VMs and it still has 2 NICs for the likes of pfSense, letting you consolidate down to a single system.

Thanks for the suggestion but I'm not looking for a full fledged NAS. I have a much more powerful yet low power server running ProxMox with the VM and CTs I want. I'm looking for a drive enclosure that ONLY handles 2.5 inch slim SSDs. The whole thing needs to run on 12vdc ONLY. NO AC required, no AC to DC power pack. The bonus would be to connect all the SSDs to the server by USB3.

I'm probably looking at getting a 6+ drive 2.5" ONLY enclosure 3D printed, and coming up with some sort of 6pt SATA to NVME in a NVME to USB-C enclosure. Then powering the drive enclosure with something like the ASHATA DC to DC ATX PSU 12V 300W 24Pin ATX. It'll be a rig job for sure, but at least it'll be a prototype I can haul around to shown prototypers what I'm trying to do.

The reason for the 12vdc and requirements AND for as small a package as I can get is that I'm trying to come up with a low power but large storage system to become a Router with dual 2.5 nics, media server, and file server for #vanlifers. All easy to tuck away and all running off DC power so there is no need to turn on the AC inverter which just sucks down power in your #vanlife home. And vanlife vehicles can be anything form a Prius to a full blown Class A RV. If they're going to get something like I'm proposing it needs to be untra small and easy to tuck away and litterally sip on DC. The server I'm using idels at about 8-10w and about 30-35w at fuil chat with all the VMs and CTs cranking away.Right now I just have 4 SSDs plugged in through sererate USB->SSD adaptors and yet still running them in ZFS.

 

[BlueFox]

Just for reference the Synology doesn't need AC. Every computer component ultimately runs off DC, so you don't need an AC to DC brick either. Input is 12V DC on it.

If you really need it to be USB-C, then I doubt what you're searching for exists if you have yet to be able to track it down. It's a bit of a niche thing. Ultimately if your goal is absolute smallest possible with lowest power draw, the Synology will meet that better than your proposed 2 device setup, albeit with 1gbit NICs.

Maybe consider fewer larger SSDs? If you aren't using 8TB ones already, you could potentially halve the number of disks.