I have an 11th gen Framework mainboard which I would like to repurpose as a server. Unfortunately, (unless I do some super janky stuff) I can only connect 1 drive to it over M.2 and any additional ones must be over USB.
I am thinking of just using some portable hard drives and plugging them in over USB. I plan to RAID1 them and use them as boot drives and data storage, and use the M.2 slot for something unrelated.
In your experiences, is USB reliable enough nowadays to run a RAID array for a server like this? If it is, does it depend on the specific drive used?
There should be an m.2 port for the wifi chip,you can buy sata expansion cards there, sthg like this:
Search for “m.2 key e sata”. Use wired net on a usb dongle, if it doesn’t have an ethernet port
Any way to power the drives if you don’t have any more free power cables? Just have to buy a new PSU?
You can get splitters for power cables.
Friendly reminder: Molex to SATA, Lose all of your data
Molded plugs are dangerous, crimped plugs are fine.
Thanks, bought one!
You can find an external SATA power supply
