SATA vs SAS

I need to upgrade my storage size.  I'm currently storing my images on a 4 TB SATA internal hard drive, 7200 RPM.  I am looking at going to either 10 TB or 12 TB hard drives next.  

In looking at new drives, I've noticed there seem to be two styles, if you will, SATA and SAS, with the SATA being 6 GB/sec and SAS being 12 GB/sec.  Obviously, to a non-technical person like myself, the SAS disks sound more attractive, but can I assume an SAS drive cannot be used to replace SATA drives?  Is there a SATA to SAS cable conversion available or is it way more complicated than that.  

My plan is to purchase 2 ea. internal drives and 1 ea. external drive for back-up that can easily be unplugged and taken with me if hurricane evacuation is required.  Since I'm buying three units, I want to make sure I don't screw up and purchase something I will regret.

I intend to use Synctoy between the 10 internal drives with the second drive just serving as a back-up to the first, and then also actually back-up the first internal drive to the external back-up drive.

Any advise, suggestions, or opinions will be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Bill,

I think its best you use SATA drives on your current system as it only supports SATA ( This is just a logical assumption based on your description ).
SAS is normally used in Servers which have the special interface.  

I hope this helps.

sraja wrote:Hi Bill,

I think its best you use SATA drives on your current system as it only supports SATA ( This is just a logical assumption based on your description ).
SAS is normally used in Servers which have the special interface.  

I hope this helps.

Thank you Srirama.  After googling my question, I read the same, but I still didn't understand it, but I am not technically minded.  In my non-technical mind, higher speed seems better.  I definitely understand SATA connections not working with SAS connections, I just don't understand the different interfaces, etc.  At 68, I'm not going to begin an intensive technical education either; by the time I finally understood something, it would probably be completely obsolete!  HAHAHA.

Agree with sraja! use SATA drives. SAS will not work with the type of system you are using.

E.J. Peiker wrote:Agree with sraja!  use SATA drives.  SAS will not work with the type of system you are using.

Thanks E.J.

BTW, just because the SAS interface is twice as fast as SATA, even SATA drives can't move data as fast as the interface - both are limited by the same thing, how fast can you move the data off of a mechanical spinning platter and therefore are not that different for large data block reads.  It's only if the data you want to access is actually in it's memory cache which it almost never is on a photo data drive (on program drives yes but then those are SSD in most cases these days and if it's a newer system an NVME which is massively faster than HD and traditional SSD).