Adding Drives To Existing Array? LSI 9211/Highpoint 2720SGL

SeaFoam

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So I have 5 3tb drives now and it's time to get them in an array, except one will be full for sure before I move everything over. So I'll be building a raid 5 or 6 array with 4 drives initially, then once I move the information over, the 5th drive will be added.

The two controllers I've been looking at are the LSI 9211 or the Highpoint 2720sgl. I don't know much about the LSI, since I just stumbled on it. The Highpoint has a web based configuration from what I've seen, what about the LSI?

The other question I had was can I change the raid 5 to 6 after it's built, what about adding drives to them over time? Eventually it will be an 8 drive array.

The only thing this will be used for is a Plex server.

Edit: I just remembered, one of the drives is a 2TB - will I be able to use it then replace it later or not even dick with it?
 
1) The 9211 can't do RAID 5 or 6, it is only a host bus adapter, used for software RAID.

2) In a RAID, your array is computed by the size of your largest disk, if you use it it will restrict all your disks to 2 TB essentially wasting a ton of space

3) Don't waste your time with building and rebuilding immediately, buy a 6TB now and use it as a backup/temporary holding space, make your array correctly the first time, it will save you a ton of time and heartache if/when it fails.
 
The 9211 isn't just a HBA with the IR firmware it'll do RAID 0/1/1E/10 but it's slow and horrible, brilliant HBA for zfs etc though.

A 9260 or 9265 both with BBU would be much more suited, I'd personally stay away from highpoint.
 
9260 it is, theyre about 150 with a battery so ill do that! Thanks guys! The 65 is nice but it's a bunch more.
 
Yes, if you have ten - 6TB drives and one 1 TB drive. Your array will only be 11TB total since it will only use space equal to the largest drive in the array from each disk.

Smallest drive you mean :p

I knew what you were saying.
 
If this is for home I would save the money get a HBA and do some sort of software solution. For these reasons:

A) It's cheaper
B) Support is better with a software solution (and by better I mean free). Beyond the card just not working the support line isn't likely to help you beyond common replacing and flashing issues.
C) As someone else noted take the time to set up your array correctly. Have a backup space double the size of your usable array. That way when you want to add to the production array you don't have to do anything weird in order to make it possible.
 
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