Fast RAID-0 DAS Using Two Thunderbolt 3 Enclosures

In this post I’m demonstrating how to create a high-speed macos volume using quantity 2 Thunderbolt ports and NVMe enclosures. This solution uses RAID-0 (striping) so the failure threshold is more than twice that of a normal standalone disk. This example is for demonstration purposes and could be useful for video editing scratch space, rendering, large photo sessions or similar uses. Obviously, good backups (RAID is not a backup) or a more reliable storage tier is recommended for daily use.

Thunderbolt 3 Benchmark: 2.22 GBs write, 3.74 GBs read

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Ultra fast Thunderbolt NAS with Apple M1 and Linux

In this post I discuss how you can upgrade a NAS Server by adding Thunderbolt 3 for lightning fast connectivity at 20 or 40Gbps. This particular implementation is specific to an Apple Mac Mini M1 and a Linux NAS server on an older Supermicro X10SRL-F motherboard, but the principles should be the same on similar architectures and operating systems.

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DIY DAS and NAS for Media 2020

Updated for 2021 !!!

DAS Architecture

Update: I’ve recently added a Thunderbolt 3 PCIe card for easy 40 Gbps connectivity.

Why another NAS/DAS article?

There are a lot resources online for building your own DIY DAS. A lot of them contain good information but none of them were comprehensive for the DAS I wanted to build so I compiled the information that was useful for my specific 2019 build here. The prices linked below are subject to market fluctuations and timing, so some of the components I found at a great price. Overall they should be roughly the same as what you can find. Your mileage may vary.

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