Sans Digital EliteSTOR ES316X12 - 3U 16 Bay 12G SAS JBOD Rackmount Storage Expansion
The EliteSTOR ES316X12 is a high-performance 12G SAS JBOD solution engineered for data centers and enterprises requiring massive storage capacity with lightning-fast throughput. This 3U 16-bay rackmount leverages cutting-edge 12G SAS expander technology to deliver up to 4800MB/s data bandwidth, making it ideal for demanding applications including video production, scientific computing, backup systems, and virtualized environments. With support for both SAS and SATA 12Gb/s drives plus backward compatibility with 6Gb/s legacy hardware, the ES316X12 scales effortlessly from 16 drives to 256 drives through daisy-chain expansion—all controlled via a single HD mini-SAS (SFF-8644) connection.
Key Features
- 16-bay 3U form factor with 12G SAS expander for enterprise-grade storage expansion
- 48Gb/s aggregate bandwidth (4800MB/s) supporting high-speed data transfer
- Supports 12Gb/s SAS and SATA hard drives, SSDs, and 6Gb/s backward-compatible devices
- Single HD mini-SAS (SFF-8644) cable connection simplifies deployment
- Daisy-chain expansion capability connects up to 256 HDD drives for massive scalability
- Built-in SAS expansion port enables seamless multi-unit configurations
- Rackmount design optimizes data center space utilization
- Hot-swap drive bays for non-disruptive maintenance and upgrades
Technical Specifications
| Specification |
Details |
| Manufacturer |
SANS DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY INC. |
| Model Number |
KT-ES316X12 |
| Form Factor |
3U Rackmount |
| Drive Bays |
16 bays (3.5" or 2.5" with adapter) |
| Interface |
12G SAS/SATA JBOD with SAS Expander |
| Data Bandwidth |
48Gb/s (4800MB/s) |
| Drive Support |
12Gb/s SAS, 12Gb/s SATA, 6Gb/s SAS/SATA (backward compatible) |
| Connection |
HD mini-SAS (SFF-8644) cable |
| Expansion Capability |
Daisy-chain up to 256 drives |
| Drive Types Supported |
HDD, SSD |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a 12G SAS JBOD and why do I need one?
A 12G SAS JBOD (Just a Bunch of Disks) is a storage enclosure that connects multiple drives to a host system without RAID processing. The EliteSTOR ES316X12 provides massive capacity expansion with 4800MB/s throughput, perfect for backup, archival, video editing, and high-performance computing where you need raw storage without controller overhead.
Can I mix SAS and SATA drives in the EliteSTOR ES316X12?
Yes. The ES316X12 supports both 12Gb/s SAS and SATA drives simultaneously, plus older 6Gb/s devices. This flexibility lets you optimize cost by using SATA for sequential workloads and SAS for high-IOPS applications within the same 16-bay enclosure.
How does daisy-chaining work with this 3U rackmount?
The built-in SAS expansion port allows you to connect multiple ES316X12 units in series, scaling from 16 drives to 256 drives total. Each unit connects via a single HD mini-SAS (SFF-8644) cable, simplifying cabling and reducing complexity in large-scale storage deployments.
What applications benefit most from this 12G SAS rackmount storage?
The ES316X12 excels in data centers, backup/recovery systems, video production workflows, scientific research, virtualization environments, and any scenario requiring high-capacity, high-bandwidth storage without RAID processing overhead.
