As discussed in other posts, I have SSDs mounted in Akitio Thunderbolt 3 enclosures hooked to a 2013 Mac Pro.
I also have a nice 2010 Mac Pro that I would like to use as my main storage system if possible. Or at least I want to consider the possibility. I had forgotten about SAS cards and external chassis. This seems like a great way to (1) save the old Mac Pro and (2) get high-quality enclosures bigger than 4 drives, which is where most Thunderbolt enclosures seem to top out. Specifically, I’m not aware of any 2.5” Thunderbolt enclosures larger than 4 drives.
The card I most like the looks of is the ATTO H12F0 which is a 16 external port card. I know it is PCIe 3.0 and the Mac Pro isn’t but I think it will just run at 2.0 speeds. Chassis I’m not sure but seems easy enough to make one if necessary... just the right drive cages, cables and power supply.
Does anyone have any words of wisdom or experience to share?
Thanks!