From: Stan Hoeppner <stan@hardwarefreak.com>
To: "Rainer Fügenstein" <rfu@oudeis.org>
Cc: Linux MDADM Raid <linux-raid@vger.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: Promise SATA TX4 300 + 3TB disks?
Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:26:39 -0500 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <506E455F.5000503@hardwarefreak.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <818058745.20121005012826@oudeis.org>
On 10/4/2012 6:28 PM, Rainer Fügenstein wrote:
> I'd like to replace the 4x 1.5TB WD drives in my atom-based NAS-like
> server with 4x 3TB ones - the SATA controller is a Promise TX4 300.
> will this controller be able to handle 3TB disks? (not eager to find
> out the hard way).
The drive compat list on their site is dated 2005. The largest drive
listed is less than 1TB. The firmware for d/l is the initial
firmware--no updates. Educated guess says the card won't support 3TB
drives. Contact Promise support to verify.
> If not, which (inexpensive) PCI SATA controllers would you recommend?
I wouldn't. If your mobo SATA chip supports PMP get a 5x1 PMP. Check
the kernel.org SATA chip list for PMP capability:
https://ata.wiki.kernel.org/index.php/SATA_hardware_features
http://www.addonics.com/products/ad5sapm.php
1 host port, 5 drive ports, 3Gb/s SATAII
$62 from the manufacturer, probably found a little cheaper if you look
around.
If your mobo SATA chip is SATAII/III you'll get up to 600MB/s duplex
throughput via this PMP to the drives. PCI-32/33 is limited to 132MB/s,
~4 times less throughput.
No additional drivers are required for the PMP. You only need those for
the mobo SATA chip/port to which the PMP is connected.
Note: if you plan to boot from this 4x3TB array then PMP is not for
you. HBAs will apparently only boot from the device connected to drive
port #1 on the PMP. Thus if that drive fails you may not be able to
boot from another drive in the array without manually swapping
connectors. Swapping cables may affect device naming/ordering, possibly
causing problems with array assembly.
If you use wisely use a separate boot disk/SSD on another mobo SATA port
then this isn't an issue.
If your mobo SATA chip doesn't support PMP, let me know and I'll dig up
an appropriate inexpensive 4 port PCI SATA HBA for you.
--
Stan
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next prev parent reply other threads:[~2012-10-05 2:26 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 11+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2012-10-04 23:28 Promise SATA TX4 300 + 3TB disks? Rainer Fügenstein
2012-10-05 2:26 ` Stan Hoeppner [this message]
2012-10-05 6:36 ` Roman Mamedov
2012-10-05 8:46 ` Stan Hoeppner
2012-10-05 8:50 ` Roman Mamedov
2012-10-05 13:33 ` Re[2]: " Rainer Fügenstein
2012-10-05 14:37 ` John Robinson
2012-10-05 14:39 ` John Robinson
2012-10-06 1:57 ` Stan Hoeppner
2012-10-07 17:37 ` Re[2]: " Rainer Fügenstein
2012-10-08 4:02 ` Stan Hoeppner
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