From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Lyle Schlueter Subject: Re: Software raid - controller options Date: Tue, 06 Nov 2007 06:20:14 +0300 Message-ID: <1194319214.17361.36.camel@localhost.localdomain> References: <1194315635.17361.20.camel@localhost.localdomain> <472FD6A4.5030907@sauce.co.nz> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-path: In-Reply-To: <472FD6A4.5030907@sauce.co.nz> Sender: linux-raid-owner@vger.kernel.org To: Richard Scobie Cc: linux-raid@vger.kernel.org List-Id: linux-raid.ids On Tue, 2007-11-06 at 15:51 +1300, Richard Scobie wrote: > Lyle Schlueter wrote: > > > > Are there any 4+ port PCI-e SATA controllers cards? > > Hi Lyle, > > I've been doing a similar exercise here and have been looking at > portmultiplier options using the Silicon Image 3124. Is a port multiplier a decent option? I looked at the 3124 after you mentioned it and a few of the other controllers offered by Silicon Image. I had been looking at the Adaptec 2240900-R PCI Express and HighPoint RocketRAID 2300 PCI Express. These are both *raid* cards. But if they can be used as a regular controller card, they both provide 4 SATA ports and are PCI-e. But sounds like the RocketRAID doesn't work with the 2.6.22+ kernel (according to newegg reviewers). It sounds like the Adaptec works quite nicely though. > > The other possibility is the Marvell based 8 port "dumb" SATA controller > from Supermicro. > > http://www.supermicro.com/products/accessories/addon/AoC-SAT2-MV8.cfm > > It is PCI-X though, but there are plenty of boards around still with > these slots. > > My only concern here is the opening comment in the driver: > > " 1) Needs a full errata audit for all chipsets. I implemented most > of the errata workarounds found in the Marvell vendor driver, but > I distinctly remember a couple workarounds (one related to PCI-X) > are still needed." Sounds pretty iffy there. That Adaptec card I mentioned is going for about 100 USD. Seems like a lot for 4 ports. But sounds like it works nicely with linux, and I would only need 1 or 2 of them (plus the 6 or 8 ports on the motherboard) to be able to use all 12 drives. Do you know of any concerns of using all the ports on a motherboard? Slowdowns or anything like that? > > Enquiries here previously have not found anyone using this card. > > Regards, > > Richard > - > To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-raid" in > the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org > More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Thanks, Lyle