[rb666]

This absolutely needs a way to add an SSD for OS and fast storage, so the 4 3.5" slots can be used for a ZFS stripped mirror (Raid10-like).

[ownagefool]

Maybe not as ideal as you want, but I typically just stick in a USB drive.

It's not like the OS drive needs the performance when the vast majority of your data is written to ZFS.

[biscotti]

You should be able to stick an M.2 adapter card in the PCIe riser

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07SQZBSCN

[justinclift]

Not if you need to use the PCIe for adding any kind of decent networking though. :(

Still, USB 3.2 probably means some kind of decently reliable USB stick would probably work instead.

[blattimwind]

Linux will get that, but will the firmware? If not you still need a SATA or USB DOM to put your /boot on. Annoying.

[naggie]

Unless you stick Clover EFI bootloader on a USB/SD card to allow booting from the SSD.

[StavrosK]

I have an older Microserver (not sure which one), it had spare SATA ports and I put an SSD in one of them, slotted it in some free space and now have RAIDZ on all four disks.

[ksec]

Would be even better if they had the option of 8x 2.5" slots and NBase-T or 10Gbps Ethernet. The old Gen 10 was way too large, this one I could replace my Synology with it running FreeNAS.

[Nux]

If you use FreeNAS, you can simply load it into memory from a small usb stick and use the SATA drives for that stripped mirror.

[samoa42]

like the faster-than-sata usb-ports?