# Custom RAID Storage Solution

## Motivation

The server that runs tobiastime.xyz and various services I utilize daily is actually a SFF PC from 2012. Due to it's tiny size I can't fit harddrives within the machine's case, they must exist outside of it. 

Previously I utilized an external USB drive bay for mass storage, however I wanted to implement redundancy and fault tolerance for my disks. Due to my device's relatively weak CPU software level RAID via mdadm was out of the question, I needed a dedicated hardware controller. 

From what I researched there does not exist a consumer-grade external USB drive bay that supports RAID and can house as many drives as I wish to connect (8). Consequently I began to blueprint my custom RAID storage solution. I had two demands from the solution, #1 that it functions, and #2 that it is affordable.

## Overview

```
ATX PSU and SFF PC receive power from mains
            ↓
ATX Breakout Board activates PSU 
            ↓
6 pin power supply cables provide power to SATA drives from ATX PSU
            ↓
SATA breakout cables connect from drive data pins to external facing SAS ports on RAID card 
            ↓
USB fan plugged into PC port and bound by silicone adhesive to heatsink cools RAID card 
            ↓
RAID controller / array is managed from within the Linux OS utilizing MegaCLI
```

## Hardware
- 8x 4TB WD HDDs
- 1x LSI MegaRAID SAS 9286-8e PCIe card
- 1x Semi-Modular ATX PSU
- 1x ATX Breakout Board
- 2x Mini-SAS 26 pin to 4X SATA 7 pin breakout cable
- 2x ATX PSU 6 pin to 4X SATA 15 pin power cable
- 1x 40mm 5v USB fan
- 1x 3.5 inch HDD enclosure holding 8 drives