Decet RAID5 Controller?

[SybrCLocK]

Hi.. i read around a bit but didn't find something on the quicks.

I want to buy 5x1TB SAMSUNG Spinpoint F1's and the general idea is not to install them o the onboard Asus P5B Matrix RAID array.

Could you recommend a decent RAID5 Capable (5 port) Raid controller?
Newegg apreciated since i will buy the drives from there as well.

thanks:beer:

[Old Thrashbarg]

How about grab a Dell Perc5i off eBay? If you watch you can get one with the battery backup and cables for under $150, and it'll be far better than anything of equivalent price off Newegg.

There's a pretty big thread (http://www.overclock.net/hard-drives-storage/359025-perc-5-i-raid-card-tips.html) over at Overclock.net with everything you need to know about 'em.

[bryan_d]

How about grab a Dell Perc5i off eBay? If you watch you can get one with the battery backup and cables for under $150, and it'll be far better than anything of equivalent price off Newegg.

There's a pretty big thread (http://www.overclock.net/hard-drives-storage/359025-perc-5-i-raid-card-tips.html) over at Overclock.net with everything you need to know about 'em.

Storage newb question:

If I were to purchase this controller card, would it better utilize an SSD with its expandable memory module? I've read that the SSD lags due to poor caching and was wondering if this controller card would remedy those SSD downfalls.

A small SSD that could be had for very cheap after rebates coupled with this controller would be awesome if it were to better utilize the SSD.

Bryan d

[SybrCLocK]

hey Thrashbarg... i`m looking at the thing but not really understanding what exactly it does.

It is a SAS for PCIx with DDR2 and CPU onboard. It has no SATA ports so i assume you use the motherboard ones and this card caches up I/O?

Found this link: http://cgi.ebay.de/Dell-PERC5i-PERC-5i-5-i-256MB-RAID-SAS-Controller-Card_W0QQitemZ200297139726QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCOMP_ EN_Networking_Components?hash=item200297139726&_trksid=p3286.m63.l1177#ebayphotohosting


but i still know little about SAS... i mean except the fact that it is to SATA what SCSI was to IDE.

[thideras]

Although not quite as cheap as the previously mentioned card, I run an Areca 1220.

[Randyman...]

Ditto - I run the ARC1220 and a ARC1210 - I love them both. However, the Dell/Perc models seem to be very good and appear to use Intel XOR CPU's identical to the Areca models...

:cool:

[Old Thrashbarg]

It has no SATA ports so i assume you use the motherboard ones and this card caches up I/O?

Ehh... no. SAS is fully backwards compatible with SATA. With the right cables, you can hook 4 SATA drives to each of the wide SAS ports. Most pictures of it don't show the SAS ports, BTW, if that's what's throwing you off. They're hidden behind the cache RAM.

It's a hardware RAID controller, meaning it does have its own CPU for controlling disk functions.

[Mr.Guvernment]

http://www.directron.com/gss190.html

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/directron_2033_356216526


i just found this out today myself when my 3ware 9690SA8i arrived.

[Vengance_01]

I will posting a mini review/thoughts on the Perc 5i controller card. In fact I bought from that exact link listed above. You will not find a better deal for an 8 port SAS/SATA raid card. Plan to run raid 5 with 4 WD 640GB HDs

[Old Thrashbarg]

^^
Those aren't exactly the cables you'd need for the Perc5... it takes a full-size SAS connector (http://www.directron.com/sas01.html) rather than the mini-type.

If you're lucky though, you can occasionally find a card that includes the cables. At very least make sure the card you get includes the battery backup module, as I don't believe the caching works without it.

[fritzman]

I just picked one (dell perc 5i) up off e-bay from a guy who was happy to order and ship with the card, 2 of the cable-sets. Insured to me... $155 and that included a battery backup unit. He's a power-seller and has 100% feedback, so that's what attracted me. Shipping to you would undoubtedly be a whole bunch cheaper. I can give you the link if req'd as he had a bunch of them.

[Mr.Guvernment]

i got one of those dell cards PCIe ones, $199 with a server, thing was garbage but i think it was the cheapest of the cheap! only did raid 0 and raid 1 i beleive.

[fritzman]

i got one of those dell cards PCIe ones, $199 with a server, thing was garbage but i think it was the cheapest of the cheap! only did raid 0 and raid 1 i beleive.

Mmmm... I'm hoping it wasn't the perc 5i then... they do 0/1/5/10 afaik... and I wan't to hang onto it longterm and be able to move it from rig to rig as a complete unit.

I was really hanging out for an Areca 1220, but none have been coming up.

B

[Mr.Guvernment]

i will check when i get to work on monday, it is made by LSI but good old dell didnt really have any serial numbers or anything on it!

[Old Thrashbarg]

i will check when i get to work on monday, it is made by LSI but good old dell didnt really have any serial numbers or anything on it!

You probably got the Perc 5ir model... a subtle distinction in naming, but completely different card. And yes, that model is a worthless POS.

[Adragontattoo]

Whats the drive size limit on the Perc5i, Im building a fileserver and want to use one of these.

Any SATA drives work better then others?