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Not backing up will cost you!

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JavaJones:
Hmm, why do you need 10 drives? And why swappable? I'm not invalidating your needs, but I always feel like it's less productive to start with a partial solution and try to make that happen, rather than starting with basic needs and trying to address those in the best way possible. So what is your *most basic need*, the root of why you feel you need 10 drives and swappability?

For my part, for example, I have 6 internal SATA 2TB drives in my media machine. I have therefore 12TB of internal storage (it's not handled as a RAID). And it's hard to fill that up unless you're a major media hound like I am. :D 10 drives just seems insane when 2TB drives are available so inexpensively, it's hard to imagine needing 20TB.

Also, do you have an existing system that you would want to attach your storage to, or would you want to build a new system anyway to act as a "server"? If the latter, then although 4wd's suggested external array cases are good, I might just recommend a full tower case for your system build, something server-oriented can get you 10 or more externally available 5.25" bays. Then add some swappable enclosures and you're set (some even come with swappable enclosure hardware). Cost might be similar, and the external unit has the advantage of portability if desired, but it's nice to have something all-in-one sometimes. Here's an example server case with 8 hot swap bays: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811192058
or a nice Lian Li with 12 external 5.25" bays:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112159

- Oshyan

Eóin:
Often, if you order them at the same time, it is the same batch. So once one drive breaks, the other one isn't far away. That is what happened to me.-worstje (December 24, 2010, 09:11 PM)
--- End quote ---

I've done that myself so I'm no saint, but doing do is very much wrong. Proper RAID arrays should contain drives from as many different sources as possible.

JavaJones:
The complexity of creating a "proper" RAID array is just one more reason it's not really a very good consumer-level option IMHO. Are there any retailers out there that offer hard drives in RAID bundles, say 4 drives all selected from different batches? Sort of like how multi-channel RAM is sold. Retailers would seem to be in the best position to make such a thing easy. Otherwise you have to find a good price for drives from 3 or more sources.

- Oshyan

Dormouse:
I have to agree with all the concerns about using RAID; reflects my own thinking. I still have a NAS set up with RAID. I'm not especially anxious about it as I have everything duplicated elsewhere (& not had any problems with it so far) but redoing it without RAID is on my list of things to do. I feel that multiple copies, in multiple places is the best way to be sure you don't lose all access to your data.

superboyac:
JJ,
I guess I don't need them to be swappable necessarily.  I just love the cases where you can slide the drives in and out without screws.  Or they are on a rack that you can pull out and deal with just the screwing of the drive in the rack.  My current case is like that.  What I'm saying is that I don't want a box where i have to stick the screwdriver in some funky angles inside.  I hate that.

That Lian-Li one is kind of nice!  That would be fine I think.  I can have all the drives mounted using the bays and whatever enclosure I want, and the motherboard and everything for the server is inside also.  Are there any other models or products like this?  I'd like to compare a few.

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