Hi everyone,
I'm building a budget-conscious storage and virtualization setup and can’t decide between two paths. I’m running a business focused on client backups (small businesses to medium offices), so my focus is capacity and reliability, not raw performance.
Here’s my current situation:
- I own a Cisco C220 M5 server (plenty of CPU/RAM headroom, dual CPU capable)
- Already have one Samsung PM1643 (PCIE SSD) for cache
- I plan to use TrueNAS (Core or Scale) and run about 4 lightweight VMs (Proxmox)
- I want to use 3.5" SATA drives (like Seagate IronWolf 22TB) for large backup storage
- The setup will be behind a firewall, WAN-accessible only through VPN for remote clients
Now, I have an offer for a NetApp DS4243 with IOM3, cables, and Dell H200e HBA, all for ~$200
My dilemma:
- Should I go for this NetApp shelf (cheap, but old tech – SAS-1, 3Gbps limit)?
- Or should I skip it and just build a custom NAS box with a proper case supporting 3.5" disks (e.g. Fractal Define, Node 804, etc.) and re-use CPU/RAM from other hardware?
- Alternatively, should I look into other used server options (Dell, HP, Supermicro) that support more 3.5” bays natively?
My goals:
- ZFS-based TrueNAS storage for backups (with some caching if needed)
- Quiet and reasonably power-efficient
- Expandable long-term to 60–100TB of usable capacity
- Budget is a factor, but I can invest smartly
What would you do?
Is it still worth using these old NetApp shelves in 2025, or should I go a different route?
Thanks in advance for any advice or shared experience – I really appreciate the help from this awesome community!