Hi everyone,
I’ve finally decided to move my full node off my main workstation and onto a dedicated rack-mount server I picked up recently. I’m currently in the process of deciding on the storage configuration, and I’m stuck in a bit of a "new vs. old" hardware dilemma.
One specific point I’ve been researching is the actual real-world throughput difference when handling the high I/O tasks involved in re-indexing a blockchain. I found a decent deal on some 2.4TB 10K RPM 2.5-inch SAS drives (12Gbps)
https://serverorbit.com/hard-disk-drives/sas-12gbps/2-4tb-10k-rpm-2-5inch. In theory, the 12Gbps SAS interface handles simultaneous read/write requests and command queuing much more efficiently than standard 6Gbps SATA, which feels like it would be a major advantage for a node that’s constantly updating.
However, I’m a bit worried about the noise and thermal output of running several 10K RPM drives 24/7 in a home office. My first home lab build sounded like a small jet engine, and I’m trying to be a bit more mindful of my electricity bill this time around. That said, the reliability of enterprise-grade SAS drives is hard to ignore compared to cheaper consumer SSDs that might hit their write endurance limits much faster with the constant blockchain bloat.
I know the common wisdom is to just throw an NVMe at everything, but for a dedicated archival node, these high-capacity 2.5-inch SAS drives feel like a robust, cost-effective middle ground.
Does anyone here still prefer the reliability of "spinning rust" like these 12Gbps SAS 10K drives for long-term node stability, or has the price of enterprise SSDs dropped enough that the power consumption of SAS makes them a bad investment for a home setup?
