Sans Digital EliteSTOR ES208X12 - 2U 12 Bay 12G SAS/SATA to SAS JBOD with 12G SAS Expander Rackmount

Sans DigitalSKU: 4836116

Price:
Sale price$2,882.85

Description

Sans Digital EliteSTOR ES208X12 – 2U 12 Bay 12G SAS/SATA JBOD Rackmount

The Sans Digital EliteSTOR ES208X12 is a high-capacity 2U JBOD rackmount designed to scale storage for demanding workloads in data centers, media libraries, backups, and enterprise environments. Built to maximize throughput without sacrificing reliability, this 12-bay enclosure leverages the latest 12G SAS expander technology to deliver robust bandwidth, flexible drive support, and a scalable path to storage expansion. Whether you’re consolidating archival data, accelerating media workflows, or provisioning large-scale backup repositories, the ES208X12 provides a dependable foundation that works with SATA or SAS 12Gb/s drives to meet evolving storage needs.

  • 2U rackmount enclosure with 12 drive bays: The ES208X12 offers a compact 2U footprint packed with twelve bays, enabling you to deploy substantial storage density in a standard data center rack. Its thoughtfully arranged bay layout simplifies drive installation and service, helping IT teams maximize uptime while keeping cabling neat and accessible for maintenance, upgrades, or replacements.
  • High-bandwidth 12G SAS backplane with expander technology: At the heart of this solution is 12G SAS expander technology that delivers up to 48 Gb/s (approximately 4800 MB/s) of data bandwidth. This architecture ensures sustained throughput for multi-drive workloads, rapid data transfer, and efficient batch processing—ideal for environments that handle large files, virtualization, or media streaming where consistent performance matters.
  • SATA or SAS 12Gb/s drive compatibility: The EliteSTOR ES208X12 supports both SATA and SAS 12Gb/s drives, offering flexibility for mixed storage configurations and cost optimization. This compatibility makes it easier to consolidate existing drives or plan phased upgrades, all while preserving performance where it counts for your workloads and budgets.
  • Expander-based scalability for future growth: Designed around a 12G SAS expander-driven topology, the ES208X12 scales storage capacity without overhauling the host interface. As your data footprint grows, you can add more drives or rebalance storage to meet capacity and performance targets, maintaining a straightforward upgrade path within your existing infrastructure.
  • Versatile, mission-critical storage appliance: The ES208X12 is well suited for diverse deployment scenarios—from data centers needing bulk archival capacity to media workflows requiring large, reliable libraries and backups that demand sustained throughput. Its JBOD architecture provides a flexible platform for software-defined storage, virtualization, and high-availability configurations when paired with suitable host controllers or operating system solutions.

Technical Details of Sans Digital EliteSTOR ES208X12

  • Form factor: 2U rackmount JBOD enclosure
  • Drive bays: 12
  • Drive interface support: SATA and SAS 12Gb/s
  • Backplane and expansion: 12G SAS expander architecture to maximize bandwidth
  • Maximum data bandwidth: Up to 48 Gb/s (approximately 4800 MB/s)
  • Drive compatibility: Supports SATA or SAS 12Gb/s hard drives and SSDs
  • Connectivity: 12G SAS interface for host connection and backplane integration
  • Deployment role: JBOD expansion enclosure designed to scale with your storage needs

How to install Sans Digital EliteSTOR ES208X12

Installing the EliteSTOR ES208X12 is a straightforward process designed to minimize downtime and maximize storage availability. Begin by locating a suitable 19-inch rack space in a climate-controlled environment. Mount the ES208X12 securely in the rack using the provided rails and hardware, ensuring proper clearance for airflow and cable management. Once physical installation is complete, plan your drive configuration by determining how you will populate the 12 bays with SATA or SAS 12Gb/s drives. Install each drive into its bay, following manufacturer guidelines for drive orientation and screw torque, and ensure all trays are seated properly.

Next, connect the enclosure to your host system or storage controller via the 12G SAS interface. This connection forms the data path between the server or storage controller and the drives inside the ES208X12. After cabling, apply power and boot the system. Depending on your deployment, you may need to configure the ES208X12 within your operating system or storage software to present the JBOD volumes to the host. In many environments, this involves creating virtual disks or pools at the software level, since the enclosure itself functions as a scalable expansion without enforcing a specific RAID topology. If you plan to use software-defined storage or a hardware RAID controller, ensure compatibility and follow the controller’s guidelines for presenting JBOD storage to the operating system.

During initial setup, verify that all drive bays are recognized by the host and that performance metrics align with expected bandwidth. Monitor enclosure temperatures to ensure adequate cooling, and organize cabling to prevent airflow obstructions and accidental disconnections. Regularly update firmware and software tools provided by Sans Digital if available, as firmware updates can improve stability, compatibility, and performance. Finally, document your configuration for future maintenance and scale-out planning so you can grow capacity without interrupting ongoing operations.

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the Sans Digital EliteSTOR ES208X12 best used for? The ES208X12 is a 2U JBOD enclosure designed to expand capacity for high-demand storage environments. It provides 12 drive bays with 12G SAS/SATA support and a 12G SAS expander to deliver strong bandwidth, making it suitable for data centers, media libraries, backups, and virtualization workloads where scalable, flexible storage is essential.
  • What drives are compatible with this enclosure? The ES208X12 supports SATA and SAS 12Gb/s drives. This compatibility affords operators the flexibility to mix drive types to balance performance and cost, enabling tiered storage strategies within a single JBOD enclosure.
  • How much bandwidth does the ES208X12 provide? The 12G SAS expander architecture delivers up to 48 Gb/s (approximately 4800 MB/s) of data bandwidth. This level of throughput helps sustain data-intensive operations such as large file transfers, database backups, and media rendering with reduced bottlenecks.
  • Does this enclosure require a dedicated RAID controller? The ES208X12 is a JBOD expansion enclosure. It does not impose a specific RAID configuration on its own. You typically present the JBOD to a host controller or operating system, which then manages volumes with a software or hardware RAID solution according to your data protection and performance needs.
  • Is the ES208X12 suitable for data center installations? Yes. Its 2U form factor, 12 bays, and 12G SAS/SATA compatibility make it a practical choice for data centers seeking scalable storage expansion. When paired with reliable host controllers and appropriate software, it supports a variety of deployment scenarios including archival storage, backup repositories, and high-volume data workloads.
  • How should I plan maintenance and future upgrades? Plan ahead by mapping out drive replacement procedures, cabling routes for ease of maintenance, and a clear expansion path. Since this is a JBOD, upgrades typically involve adding or replacing drives and possibly integrating additional SAS expander-based enclosures to scale capacity while maintaining performance. Regular firmware updates and compatibility checks will help preserve reliability over time.

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