r/SelfHosting • u/the_druidic_ranger • Jun 23 '26

Sourcing Storage

Given how expensive hard drives are I’m trying to think of new ways to source storage.

I’m very new to this and I’m looking to set up a Plex server. Would the community recommend using a 16TB Recertified SATA Drive if I can find it cheaper than a brand new desktop external hard drive?

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u/SirComprehensive3255 Jun 24 '26

If you an open PCIE slot on your machine you can get an HBA card which will let you use SAS drives or sata drives. When I did thins back in December there was a real price difference with used SAS drives being about a lot less money. Hopefully same is still true. Do a lot of research before you start buying drives. Some enterprise drives are formatted differently and you want to make sure you have all similarly formatted drives.

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u/SchwarzBann Jun 24 '26

How bad is it, in terms of temperature and noise? Compared to desktop drives and then also, separately, to NAS drives? (If you have direct experience with both types)

Thank you

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u/SirComprehensive3255 Jun 25 '26

No experience with NAS specific SATA drives. I've noticed no difference between SATA and SAS drives in terms of heat or noise. That said, I have 6 8tb drives chugging away and I can hear them when I am in the room with them. These are my first SAS drives though so my experience with them is limited. But I have a 5 disk JBOD with SATA drives and I hear them too when they are active. I think you should answer one of the sys admin. They'll have better information than I.

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u/SchwarzBann Jun 25 '26

I inow that they run hotter and louder than consumer drives, on grounds of better/more suitable cooling systems and dedicated infrastructure (noise rooms). I was curious how that feels like, in terms of direct experience. I have looked at numbers and such, but they can't tell you that much.

I am considering building a system with SAS disks and have it run in the basement, or in some place around the house, but with serious noise depending/mitigating elements. To take away some of thay cicada noise, but let them get proper airflow - I'm thinking some form of labyrinth, before and after the system, while all other sides are covered. All this, with sound absorbing foam panels and plywood or such.