These are the expansion paths we recommend, but they certainly aren’t the only options. Don’t hesitate to skip steps or start in the middle – use these paths however you see fit.

3 Drive microServer –> 4 Drive microServer –> 6 Drive miniTower

The first step adds 4 TB and the second step adds 8 TB capacity to the server. Reuse mobo, RAM, CPU, PSU, and 3-in-2 hot swap. Waste single hot swaps and Rosewill case. If you plan to follow this path, I recommend that you get the Gigabyte case from the beginning so that you don’t waste the Rosewill case, and a single 3-in-2 from the beginning so as to only have one wasted single hot swap unit.

5 Drive Budget Box –> 10 Drive Budget Box –> 15 Drive Budget Box

Each step adds 20 TB capacity to the server. Reuse Mobo, RAM, CPU, and 5-in-3 hot swap. Waste the PSU. If you plan to follow this path, I recommend that you get the 500W PSU from the beginning so that you don’t waste the 430W one. If you do this, there will be no waste at all.