16 port Raid card

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ManateeMatt

Limp Gawd
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May 27, 2009
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I am currently in the process of makeing my new file server and I need some sugestions on a 16 port raid card that can do raid 6 and is PCIe. I am planning on using Segate 1.5TB drives because I can get a good deal on them.

It doesnt need to be super fast, but i would like it cheepish but I need reliable as I dont want aprox 21TB of drive space to dissapear on me.

Its mostly for media, backup of VMs, Documents and general fileserver stuff.
 
areca, adaptec if you want reliable, true raid with good performance but they won't be cheap
 
axan said:
areca, adaptec if you want reliable, true raid with good performance but they won't be cheap
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Adaptec 5 series cards at least have problems with the seagates and I think the areca cards do as well.

If reliability is paramount, you'll need to get drives that are compatible with the RAID controller you choose, which would usually mean RE drives.
 
Adaptec is utter crap and should be avoided. Areca and LSI are recommended. Never use drives that are not on the controller's official compatibility list.
 
AreEss said:
Adaptec is utter crap and should be avoided. Areca and LSI are recommended. Never use drives that are not on the controller's official compatibility list.
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novadude said:
Adaptec 5 series cards at least have problems with the seagates and I think the areca cards do as well.

If reliability is paramount, you'll need to get drives that are compatible with the RAID controller you choose, which would usually mean RE drives.
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Where can i find the compatibility list for the areca 1210? i am looking for it and i cant find it.

i have 1 7200.11 and 2 7200.12 drives and i am looking at the areca 1210 for a raid controller. does the card have compatibility issues with those drives?
 
Would Windows Home Server suit you better?

It is much cheaper and sounds like it might be what you really want.

Check out this thread.

http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1390750

You can get 8-port SATA II cards for $100 each... put a few of those in a Norco case and you can avoid the expensive RAID cards. You do not need RAID with WHS.
 
How hard is it to expand the raid? I don't need all 21TB right away but I would say I have about 5 - 7 TB spread across a lot of random boxes. By the sound of it some expand easier more then others

As for the os I was planning on server 2k8 because there is a few other apps I was thinking of running (Vcenter, RDP gateway)
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
With WHS it is very easy to expand... but it is not RAID.

Expand as you need to. Plug in a new drive... or plug in a new 8-port SATA controller and plug in as many drives as you like. Expand as your wallet allows.

I cannot answer your question about the other applications... you could always do that on another file server. Or on another desktop.
 
different amount of onboard cache + the more expensive one comes with cables
 
AreEss said:
Adaptec is utter crap and should be avoided. Areca and LSI are recommended. Never use drives that are not on the controller's official compatibility list.
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^This.

Seriously, Adaptec has gone to crap in recent years. I have had great experiences for the most part with LSI controllers. Though using them on consumer motherboards has been a mixed bag for me, that's not LSI's fault. It is mine for using the card with that type of hardware.
 
AreEss said:
No problem. Areca's bad about making them easy to find. But never fear, I can hook you up.

http://www.areca.com.tw/support/main.htm#b

All the way at the very bottom is the comprehensive compatibility lists for all Areca controllers.
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i really looked over that, and it was right in front of me, thanks for pointing that out.

since 7200.12 drives arent on the list, does that make them incompatible entirely or just not on the fully tested/supported list?
 
What are peoples thoughts on Highpoint?

They seem to be right were i need them, doesn't have Uber performance, but also doesn't break the bank.

Most of the data I am putting on here is stuff that if lost, it will be annoying but not devastating, for the really inportant stuff, I have a 1 TB raid 1 NAS that will back up the most important junk (the docs, family pics, the stuff that I cant get back), not the 2 TB of Pr0n. :)
 
aggiestudd07 said:
i really looked over that, and it was right in front of me, thanks for pointing that out.

since 7200.12 drives arent on the list, does that make them incompatible entirely or just not on the fully tested/supported list?
Click to expand...

Never a problem.

If a drive is not on the supported hardware list at this point, if you have any issues, you will not receive full support. You'll get best effort - that means Areca will give you the standard script of update firmware, update drivers. Anything beyond that? No support at all, and no obligation to give you support.
 
AreEss said:
Never a problem.

If a drive is not on the supported hardware list at this point, if you have any issues, you will not receive full support. You'll get best effort - that means Areca will give you the standard script of update firmware, update drivers. Anything beyond that? No support at all, and no obligation to give you support.
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As with any unsupported drive from any other RAID card vendor. ;)
 
I've got an Areca 1230. 12 drives... when its spun up, read speeds are silly. I really have gotten used to having massive raid 6 arrays and couldn't do without this setup. While you're at it, get a battery backup for the card.
 
I am not to worried about the read/wright speed, its going to be attached to dual gig to my network, I think the slowest point is my network.

I think I know the answer to this but if the controller blows up, the only way to recover is to replace with exact same, or is any controller that can do raid 6 going to work.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
 
ManateeMatt said:
I think I know the answer to this but if the controller blows up, the only way to recover is to replace with exact same, or is any controller that can do raid 6 going to work.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
Click to expand...

Correct your gonna need the exact same card if it blows up.
 
longblock454 said:
Assuming a quality power supply and UPS. My home power bounces weekly.
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I'd think that when one enters into the arena of $1K raid cards... a proper setup is a prerequisite. I'd suggest a bat pack for the card itself too.
 
ManateeMatt said:
I am not to worried about the read/wright speed, its going to be attached to dual gig to my network, I think the slowest point is my network.

I think I know the answer to this but if the controller blows up, the only way to recover is to replace with exact same, or is any controller that can do raid 6 going to work.
Posted via [H] Mobile Device
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dont you need a managed switch to make this work????
 
I do have a managed switch, but now that I look at it, I am not sure if it will allow me to do what i want it to do.

its a dell powerconnect 2824
 
Er, how about NLB or if your switch supports link aggregation you can bond them mode 4 or maybe mode 6?
 
darn it, That's what i thought after looking at the manual and looking more in how to use 2 nics.

I am doing all this crazy setup to learn, and its been a very interesting road. I think I have learn more about networking and hardware in the last 2 months then I did in 2 years at school.
 
Since yer switch doesn't do 803.ad, you can still do mode 6 or windoze's NLB iirc.
 
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