Question Can an Ethernet port replace a SATA port? or a USB(2,3.0) port?

[C0RLoCK]

Can an Ethernet port replace a storage port on a motherboard?
I only ask this because I'm trying to find out the best way to have an external game library server, and the speed of the Cat8 ethernet cable compared to the SATA speed just seems like heaven. I have no knowledge of computer hardware engineering, but I am curious nonetheless.
Thank you in advance.

 

[kanewolf]

Can an Ethernet port replace a storage port on a motherboard?
I only ask this because I'm trying to find out the best way to have an external game library server, and the speed of the Cat8 ethernet cable compared to the SATA speed just seems like heaven. I have no knowledge of computer hardware engineering, but I am curious nonetheless.
Thank you in advance.

Network storage can replace some local storage. BUT, the performance is going to be worse than local storage and lots of software has issues with remote storage vs local.

 

[C0RLoCK]

Network storage can replace some local storage. BUT, the performance is going to be worse than local storage and lots of software has issues with remote storage vs local.

What you're saying makes sense, and is the only answer I've been finding in my research into this question, but I will try to rephrase the question in some other ways. Is it possible to use Ethernet for a Local storage connection? I know how USB functions for the most part, but could an ethernet cable be used for the same function?

 

[USAFRet]

Can an Ethernet port replace a storage port on a motherboard?
I only ask this because I'm trying to find out the best way to have an external game library server, and the speed of the Cat8 ethernet cable compared to the SATA speed just seems like heaven. I have no knowledge of computer hardware engineering, but I am curious nonetheless.
Thank you in advance.

Can you use an external drive, USB or network, as a storage device for game content?
Yes.

More details might help us indicate the best solution for you.

 

[USAFRet]

Is it possible to use Ethernet for a Local storage connection? I know how USB functions for the most part, but could an ethernet cable be used for the same function?

No, not the way you're thinking.

 

[kanewolf]

What you're saying makes sense, and is the only answer I've been finding in my research into this question, but I will try to rephrase the question in some other ways. Is it possible to use Ethernet for a Local storage connection? I know how USB functions for the most part, but could an ethernet cable be used for the same function?

In general, no. Why? The protocols that the OS knows that are ethernet oriented are different than the protocols that are USB oriented. It is not a hardware problem, it is a software problem.

 

[C0RLoCK]

Understood, I appreciate you all for indulging my curiosity, thanks.

 

[kanewolf]

Understood, I appreciate you all for indulging my curiosity, thanks.

Think of thunderbolt hardware. It can transfer network, storage, and video. Look at the article that was posted recently on Tom's about using Toslink to transfer network data.
There is one network storage protocol that does function more like local storage. iSCSI. It provide a more block level interface for network storage. Many commercial NAS units allow the creation of iSCSI volumes for remote mounting. Is it possible, yes. Is it widely used? Not alot.
Network booting IS quite common. PXE ("pixie") booting -- https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/PXE-Preboot-Execution-Environment

 

[C0RLoCK]

Think of thunderbolt hardware. It can transfer network, storage, and video. Look at the article that was posted recently on Tom's about using Toslink to transfer network data.
There is one network storage protocol that does function more like local storage. iSCSI. It provide a more block level interface for network storage. Many commercial NAS units allow the creation of iSCSI volumes for remote mounting. Is it possible, yes. Is it widely used? Not alot.
Network booting IS quite common. PXE ("pixie") booting -- https://www.techtarget.com/searchwindowsserver/definition/PXE-Preboot-Execution-Environment

I just saw a YT vid talking about iSCSI for his gaming library, and his results were decent, so thanks for mentioning that. As for thunderbolt, I just find it annoying that it is so "Proprietary"... I don't know if the innovation is in the cable, the connection.... both? The whole purpose of this question is to make an M.2 SSD enclosure outside my pc, so I don't need to upgrade my pc components to keep up with the new tech for the cable connections...
If they make an M.2 M-Key to Thunderbolt 5 adapter, and have it NOT cost more than my PC, I'll be all over it. I've even considered the OcuLink adapter, which might be a better option.

 

[USAFRet]

The whole purpose of this question is to make an M.2 SSD enclosure outside my pc

Those already exist.
USB, Thunderbolt, SATA III, NVMe....

The question remains....exactly what will this be used for?

 

[C0RLoCK]

Those already exist.
USB, Thunderbolt, SATA III, NVMe....

The question remains....exactly what will this be used for?

I have a B550 Auros Elite AX V2 Motherboard. My OS is installed on a 1TB M.2 in the slot furthest from the CPU (The slower one). I'm hoping to use the faster one with an extension cable of some sort, to allow me to build an external enclosure to plug into that slot directly, without any(ideally) bottlenecks to store my most played games from my game library. For the obscure games that I play every once in a while, I just use a WD Black 4TB HDD USB3.0 enclosure.

I'm just trying to find the most ideal cable to plug into the M.2 slot and extend outside the PC. It wouldn't even be 3ft, because I plan on mounting the enclosure onto the pc case itself. OcuLink seems to be shining through, although there is a lot more coverage for eGPU's than using it for simple SSD storage, and I can't seem to find an M.2 Female to Oculink Male adapter...

 

[Bob.B]

I have a B550 Auros Elite AX V2 Motherboard. My OS is installed on a 1TB M.2 in the slot furthest from the CPU (The slower one). I'm hoping to use the faster one with an extension cable of some sort, to allow me to build an external enclosure to plug into that slot directly, without any(ideally) bottlenecks to store my most played games from my game library. For the obscure games that I play every once in a while, I just use a WD Black 4TB HDD USB3.0 enclosure.

I'm just trying to find the most ideal cable to plug into the M.2 slot and extend outside the PC. It wouldn't even be 3ft, because I plan on mounting the enclosure onto the pc case itself. OcuLink seems to be shining through, although there is a lot more coverage for eGPU's than using it for simple SSD storage, and I can't seem to find an M.2 Female to Oculink Male adapter...

Just to keep it simple there is a usb gen 2 connector on the back panel.