[Review] Procase (Chieftec) SNT-2131 SATA Backplane

[tHe_BiNk]

I could not find a review of the Procase (Chieftec) SNT-2131 SATA Backplane Raid 0,1,5 (this is the smaller brother of the Procase (Chieftec) SNT-3141 SATA), so I decided to write one myself. The review will be in English so all people who get here from Google can read it.



I purchased the SNT-2131 for alternat.nl for about 120 euros including P&P, a bit steep, you can get one from Denmark for a lot cheaper, so Google around.

My goal is to use the SNT-2131 for offsite backups. Two of the three HD’s will be offsite at all times containing backups of the two previous weeks (we use the integrated backup software in windows, as this is more than adequate for us).

The setup of our fileserver:
OS: Windows XP SP2, Multi Language
Motherboard: Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe (SATA controllers the onboard nVidia nForce4 (0,1,1+0) and the additional onboard Silicon Image Sli3114R (Raid 0,1,1+0,5)
HDs in the SNT-2131: 3X Hitachi Deskstar 7K250, 250GB, 7200rpm, 8MB, SATA150

WWW address of the product itself: http://www.chieftec.de/?p...id=215&k_id=4&language=uk

What does the package contain? The unit itself, a two page manual (the same as the PDF on their site), and three long SATA cables, around 100 cm.. The cables are much more flexible and softer compared to the ones you get when you buy an Asus motherboard. The case is made from aluminum, and the handles on the front and the backplate from plastic. The aluminum parts look and feel good, but the plastic parts look cheap and not too sturdy. The locks are pretty useless, because if you press hard the bay will open even the bay is locked



The aluminum sides have very few screw holes, and therefore does not allow for many different mounting positions, as you may want to allow it to stick out of the front of your PC, when space inside your PC is limited.



I opened the back op the SNT-2131 and flipped the fan (your basic 80mm fan, to which you could easily connect a fan controller), you need to unscrew six screws and will probably lose your warranty. Now the fan blows the air out of the front instead of the back of the SNT-2131.





The unit has two sets of jumpers on the back. On set sets the temperature of the overheating buzzer, and what the other set does is not known.



I will update this review in the coming weeks, when I get the HDs. If you have any questions let me know.

/edit

June 2006: Well I see I never updated this review. I have been using this device for many months now, without any problems. Just be careful with the cheap plastic handles!

[ Voor 9% gewijzigd door tHe_BiNk op 04-06-2006 19:30 ]

[Shuriken]

Nice to see a review even better to see you can replace the fan quite easily.

Hate to say this, but at www.4launch.nl it would have cost you 77 euro's. The 4 disc version goes for 100 euro's.

[One_Gandalf]

I have bought this same device and the fan makes an aweful lot of noise.

Producer : Titan
Model : TFD-8020H12C
Voltage : 12 V
Current : 0.18 A
Watt : 2.16 W
RPM : 3000
CFM : 35.45
mm-H2O : 2.8
dBA peak : 31 dBA

This fan can't be easily replaced because of it's awkward dimensions of 80 x 80 x 20 mm.

[John2B]

All the DriveCages from:

Chieftec
Procase
Addonics
StorCase

Are made by Kingston, not that it matters, but good to now ;-)

[Anoniem: 208870]

I'm also using one of those for my Linux server RAID. I modified the case, however, to reduce noise. I completely removed the fan, opened up the full circular hole in the back cover, mounted a VERY quiet 120mm Papst fan to the rear of the computer chassis and lead a normal flexible ventilation air duct from the hole in the disk box casing to the fan and tightened with weave tape.
Measurements with hddtemp shows an increase in temp on the disks with one degree (C) at no or low load and two degrees at heavy load. The top and bottom discs are two degrees warmer than the middle discs, probably due to better air flow in the middle, but that was so also with the fan.
Now I have normal disk temperatures of 39 - 41 C.
/PjK

[BalusC]

The_Bink, zou je in het vervolg maar gewoon reviews in het Nederlands willen schrijven? Als je het per-se in het Engels wilt doen, bouw dan maar een website of post het in een andertalig forum.