Sata Raid Controller

trekky · Feb 25, 2015

so I am somewhat looking for a Sata Raid controller for my file server, right now I have all 6 ports on my server used running soft raid 1 on 2 sets of HDDs
but my video HDD is getting Fuller and my consider running Raid 5 or 6 to boost the speed and keep the redundancy
my server only has PCIe,
I am planning on getting a Riser for the server to fit the Raid controller,

but right now I am unsure what Raid controller I should get for Raid 5 or 6

Note I am running windows server 2012 R2
also the raid controller needs to be no more then PCIe x8
would like Sata 3 but willing to get 2
I thinking 12 port or more
as my server case can fit atleast 4 more 3.5 HDDs and I have 3 5.25 bays fully open and plan on getting some bay to add maybe 4 more so I think I can add another 8 HDDs to my server
I done really want to spend more then $75 to $100

but this is what I was looking at
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Areca-24-Po...746?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5b0d3fdbaa

also looking at this maybe for my 5.25 bays to 3.5
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ....5_to_5.25_bay_adapter-_-17-993-065-_-Product
but it is fairly pricey
may just get this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ....5_to_5.25_bay_adapter-_-17-988-001-_-Product

synthetic_fenix · Feb 25, 2015

You could always look at a Perc/6i card and some SAS to SATA Breakout cables, that will provide 8 more ports for a combined 14 total drives between your board and the card, and you could setup software raid5 within windows.

cw823 · Feb 25, 2015

synthetic_fenix said:
You could always look at a Perc/6i card and some SAS to SATA Breakout cables, that will provide 8 more ports for a combined 14 total drives between your board and the card, and you could setup software raid5 within windows.

IBM M1015 is normally the card i'd suggest. Unless you opt for something nice with cache & battery, software raid will be your best bet. But I wouldn't trust NTFS with any data I couldn't live without.

trekky · Feb 25, 2015

the Perc/6i is cheaper then the IBM ServeRaid M1015
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Dell-Po...279?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c828a471f
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151593409923?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

but it the IBm worth $40 more?
also I see both are recommending Sas, Why Sas over a normal Sata controller?

Soft Raid is fine for me as that is what im using now

cw823 · Feb 25, 2015

trekky said:
the Perc/6i is cheaper then the IBM ServeRaid M1015
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Dell-Po...279?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c828a471f
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151593409923?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

but it the IBm worth $40 more?
also I see both are recommending Sas, Why Sas over a normal Sata controller?

Because the M1015 is supported by every OS under the sun, and is the controller of choice due to it's ability to be flashed with IT firmware to function as a JBOD controller.

trekky · Feb 25, 2015

that is a good reason to spend $40

cw823 · Feb 25, 2015

trekky said:
that is a good reason to spend $40

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10254&cs_id=1025406&p_id=8186&seq=1&format=2

Cables aren't too bad either.

trekky · Feb 25, 2015

ya I was looking at these on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141302095311?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

Woomack · Feb 26, 2015

IBM has no RAID5/6. To activate it you need to buy additional module which costs much more than controller. Actually if you are running quite new Intel board then software RAID on these boards is faster than M1015. Also in soft RAID you can enable caching etc while in M1015 you simply can't.
I have 4x2TB RAID10 + 2x1TB RAID1 on M1015 which is running 24/7 on Server 2012R2 for about 3 months now without issues but I wouldn't call it a fast controller. For sure it's great option for the price, especially when you look for high sequential transfers. In random operation it's just slow because of no cache.

trekky · Feb 26, 2015

I have this board
supermicro h8dgu-f
http://www.supermicro.com/Aplus/motherboard/Opteron6000/SR56x0/H8DGU-F.cfm
the M1015 can do soft raid though windows server 2012 R2 right?

cw823 · Feb 27, 2015

Woomack said:
IBM has no RAID5/6. To activate it you need to buy additional module which costs much more than controller. Actually if you are running quite new Intel board then software RAID on these boards is faster than M1015. Also in soft RAID you can enable caching etc while in M1015 you simply can't.
I have 4x2TB RAID10 + 2x1TB RAID1 on M1015 which is running 24/7 on Server 2012R2 for about 3 months now without issues but I wouldn't call it a fast controller. For sure it's great option for the price, especially when you look for high sequential transfers. In random operation it's just slow because of no cache.

If I had data I didn't care about, ,maybe I'd utilize your method of setup. there are FAR better options out there than microsoft OS with software raid.

trekky · Feb 27, 2015

the M1015 should be ok for my use
my plan is to convert my Raid 1 to a raid 5 for my video drive because I need more space (blurays are killing me!)
for video are pretty much sequential transfers

also enabling caching? how would I do that? I have loads of ram

also I order my controller, cables and riser card $115

TransformedBG · Feb 28, 2015

Just pick up a perc 5/6 i and some sas to sata cables. I have 8 sata drive i could connect. *more if i went to sas* your looking at 30 bucks if you shop right.. I picked my perc 5i up on ebay with battery for 20 shipped and then amazoned the cables.

cw823 · Mar 2, 2015

TransformedBG said:
Just pick up a perc 5/6 i and some sas to sata cables. I have 8 sata drive i could connect. *more if i went to sas* your looking at 30 bucks if you shop right.. I picked my perc 5i up on ebay with battery for 20 shipped and then amazoned the cables.

remembering of course that perc 5 is SATA2

wagex · Mar 2, 2015

also iirc perc 5/6i cannot handle disks larger than 2tb, i have an older raid card and its half full of 2tb drives in raid5 if i plan to go any larger im gonna need a new controller, same for you bear that in mind.

trekky · Mar 2, 2015

um ya larger then 2tb is very important as I am sporting 3tbs right now and plan on added more 3tbs

also whats the M1015 max drive size? I see online people running 4tbs but anyone doing 5 or 6tb? (or maybe ever 8tb!)

also BTW the M1015 is already ordered

Edit:also I am planning on flashing the M1015 to latest firmware where do I get this?

cw823 · Mar 3, 2015

trekky said:
um ya larger then 2tb is very important as I am sporting 3tbs right now and plan on added more 3tbs

also whats the M1015 max drive size? I see online people running 4tbs but anyone doing 5 or 6tb? (or maybe ever 8tb!)

also BTW the M1015 is already ordered

Edit:also I am planning on flashing the M1015 to latest firmware where do I get this?

http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/

I actually have an H200 flashed to IT mode, in similar fashion. But as I recall it was a real PITA, as compared to flashing M1015.

Sata Raid Controller

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