I’ve got yet another Inter-Tech rack mountable server case. I really wanted a few hot swappable disk bays in the front, and buying two removable 4-drive backplanes were more expensive than getting a new case 😮

So I sold the 4U-4129-N and moved Alpha into this case instead 🙂

Table of contents

Specifications

Size
4U, 520mm deep
Form factor
Mini ITX, μATX, ATX, eATX, SSI EEB
Manufacturer
Inter-Tech
Drive bays (mounting options)
8 × 2.5" or 3.5" external (hot swap)
1 × 2.5" internal
1 × 3.5" internal
Fan mounting options
2 × 80 mm, back
4 × 80 mm, front (not mentioned in spec)

Review

What I like

  • 8 hot-swap bays in a shallow case
  • Able to mount 2.5" or 3.5" internal drive
  • Was able to replace the stock fans with Noctua

What I don’t like

  • Had a hard time attaching 2×80 mm Noctua fans. Had to grind off a screw thread on the case and modify one of the Noctua fans
  • Break-away expansion slot cover plates, left sharp edges when broken off, had to file them down
  • Screws for mounting drives in the trays are really short
    • This seems to be very common with disk trays
  • The internal 2.5" drive sits very close to the bottom of the case, might be an issue with some SATA power cables

Fans

I replaced the two back fans with Noctua.

Back fans

The two 80 mm Noctua fans in the back was a tight fit, I had to grind off a screw thread and make a groove in the right Noctua fan.

I also had to use the Noctua rubber mount, the fans were to close together to use screws. Fastening the bottom rubber mounts was very difficult with the motherboard installed.

I had to grind down this screw thread to fit the 80mm Noctua fan
Had to grind a groove in the Noctua fan to make space for this screw
2×80 mm Noctua fans, back (unable to fasten the last rubber mount)

Front fans

Four 80 mm fans can be mounted behind the mesh screen in the front, but there is no mention of them in the spec. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I’ve read that some drilling might be required to increase the diameter of the mounting holes. But I haven’t tried it myself.

Update: I got an email from a reader, regarding the front fans:

Some information on the front fans as I had just contact with support at inter-tech in Germany. They say the front-plate has been prepared to accommodate fans, but unfortunately they have never made suitable screws. Therefore an installation is not possible at the moment. Since the front is very open, the 2 fans at the back should be enough. In addition, front fans would have a negative impact on the airflow through the hard drives.

Space under hot-swap bays, mounts for 4×80 mm fans
Space under hot-swap bays, mounts for 4×80 mm fans
Fan mounts seen from the front, though the mesh

More photos

Stock fans, expansion slots cover plates broken off
SAS backplanes
Sharp edges after removing expansion slots cover plates
Protective plastic trapped between metal parts
Alpha moved into case, replaced fans with Noctua
Alpha moved into case, replaced fans with Noctua
Inside case, with server parts mounted
Inside case, with server parts mounted
Inside case, with server parts mounted
Disk bay, with SAS/SATA connector on backplane
Disk trays
Disk tray
Computer mounted in server rack

Last commit 2023-12-25, with message: replace emoji slight_smile/slightly_smiling_face