Better Cages for IDE Drives?

Bamfarooni asks: "No one uses 5.25" drives any more, but cases still come with a bazillion 5.25" bays. When you're trying to cram a couple of terabytes into a desktop server, cages like this and this let you reclaim some of that space. Unfortunately, all the really high density cages, like this one only come with SCA backplanes. Has anyone discovered a similar "5 drives in 3 bays" cage for IDE drives? Suppose there is a missed market opportunity here?"

Did you read your own links?

[matthewg]

One of the features in the product listed at the poster's first link [3ware.com], the 3ware RAID Drive Cage (RDC-300): "Compatible with ATA/100, 66, and 33"

Did you read the question?

[NNKK]

He wants higher density cages, the one he pointed to is 1 drive per bay, he wants something like the 5 per 3 he pointed to, but all the ones he's found are SCA-only.

Re:Did you read the question?

[NNKK]

should have been "1.5 drives per bay"

Re: 3ware drive cage

[bonezed]

The 3ware drive cage takes 3 drives in 2 bays!

I have 2 of these cages in my MP3 server. This server has 6 x 40GB IDE drives in a RAID 5 configuration running from a 3ware 7810 card. It serves 50 users without any problems.

Do any of these work well with rails?

[Anonymous Coward]

As nice as those 5.25" rails are for sliding in and out CD drives, they make toys like that practically useless, not to mention plain ol' 3 1/2" mounting kits. Argggh...

Come on!

[cr0sh]

Are you a hacker, or are you a HACKER?

Grab your dremel (may or may not be needed), pop the case open, and cut away any intervening bay metal on the three extra bays. Slot the drives in vertically to get your five-in-three, possibly a lot more if you use laptop drives. You could even machine a couple of pieces of metal to slide in horizontally, add a couple of extra fans up front for cooling.

You don't need to buy anything really to do this - you might even get away with an old bay cage from another case, mounted vertically in the same way.

You didn't specify if you wanted such a thing for work machines or home system, so I am figuring on a home box here - I know this kind of hack wouldn't fly with the suits. But it is easily done on the home front.

PC Power & Cooling

[jmaslak]

Try PC Power & Cooling. They have a 3 drive unit that fits in 2 5-1/4" drive bays. As an added bonus, it includes a fan on the front. Granted, there is no backplane, but this lets you mix SCSI, IDE, and whatever else you can fit in there.

Can-o-RAID

[Myrcurial]

I can remember reading an ad in an old copy of Linux Magazine offering the Rack-o-RAID and Can-o-RAID products - pretty much exactly what you're asking for - a cursory google search doesnt find them though.