MP 6,1 External disk assembley, NOT a RAID device

[bx83]

Hey all - I'm using a Mac Pro 2010 with 4x internal disks as part of a ZFS pool. I'm thinking of getting a 2013 'trash-can' - how does this work for just disks? Should I daisychain 4x drives with Thunderbolt? Anyone know of a nice 4x disk 'pack' with a fan and single Thunderbolt connection that allows me to use these disks as though internal (and NOT a raid array)? Exploring options and utterly confused.

 

[Brian33]

Anyone know of a nice 4x disk 'pack' with a fan and single Thunderbolt connection that allows me to use these disks as though internal (and NOT a raid array)?

Sure, here's one:

https://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/TB3IVKIT000/

What version Thunderbolt does that 2013 Mac Pro have? I'm guessing it will be Thunderbolt 2 (or maybe even TB1). If so, you would have to use Apple's pricey Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter to use a "modern" TB3 device. Looking for a TB3 device will give you more choices and would work with any of the newer Macs with TB3 (or future TB4).

Alternatively, you can still find some Thunderbolt 2 devices (check ebay). Any future TB3 Mac could use the older TB2 device with the aforementioned adapter.

One thing to keep in mind while shopping is that even if the device has built-in (hardware) RAID, you can usually set it to "JBOD" to turn off the RAID feature. Each disk would then appear as a separate drive to the computer (verify that feature before you buy, though). So if you see a good deal on a "RAID" enclosure, you still might consider it.

I'm partial to Akitio thunderbolt 2 enclosures because I have three and they've been rock-solid stable for years -- never a dropped connection. However, a quick search didn't turn any for sale.

 

[bsbeamer]

Is TB a requirement for "external" ZFS via single system?

Suggest to contact Mediasonic at support@mediasonicusa.com or http://forum.mediasonic.ca/index.php to see if any of their enclosures support. Some people have claimed to get ZFS working on their USB-C 4-bay HF2-SU31C and HFR7-SU31CH:

Mediasonic Raid 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure - USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps USB Type C Raid 0/1 | Support 22TB HDD USB Hub (HFR7-SU31CH)

Mediasonic Raid 4 Bay Hard Drive Enclosure - USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps USB Type C Raid 0/1 | Support 22TB HDD USB Hub (HFR7-SU31CH)

www.amazon.com

Mediasonic USB 3.1 4 Bay 3.5” SATA Hard Drive Enclosure – USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gbps Type C / USB-C (HF2-SU31C)

Mediasonic USB 3.1 4 Bay 3.5” SATA Hard Drive Enclosure – USB 3.1 Gen 2 10Gbps Type C / USB-C (HF2-SU31C)

www.amazon.com

Promise used to advertise ZFS support on their older Pegasus units, but newer ones are all TB3 (issue for MP6,1). QNAP also makes a ton of units, but mostly targeted for enterprise style solutions.