Can a 2012 Mac mini server rely on a cheap USB hard drive case?
A 2012 Mac mini 6,2 is being set up as a with . The storage plan uses an existing Seagate Barracuda Pro 12TB 3.5-inch , currently formatted as BTRFS.
The server will run and , with about 1.2TB of audiobooks. The Mac mini has an Intel i7-3720QM processor with 4 cores and 8 threads, 16GB of memory, and an internal 1TB .
The cheapest and easiest storage option is a low-cost 3.5-inch USB 3.0 from Amazon. The main concern is whether a cheap with UASP will be reliable enough for server use, or whether USB external storage will cause problems.
Key points
- The server is a 2012 Mac mini 6,2 running .
- The planned main storage is a 12TB Seagate Barracuda Pro 3.5-inch formatted as BTRFS.
- The services are and , including about 1.2TB of audiobooks.
- The proposed setup uses a cheap USB 3.0 external from Amazon.
- The key risk is whether a low-cost UASP is stable enough for always-on server use.