[H]ardware Raid controllers

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bigwooly

Limp Gawd
Joined
Oct 6, 2008
Messages
237
Other than price when shopping for a hardware raid controller how do you know it's a "True hardware raid" controller?

I'm looking for controller that has @ least 4 internal sata 2 ports.
 
A heatsink is usually a good indicator. If it is using more power than a dumb sata controller, it must be doing something with it. :) You'll see it in the price as well. If its a new 4 port card, and its under ~$250, its probably no better than your onboard ports.
 
pissboy said:
A heatsink is usually a good indicator. If it is using more power than a dumb sata controller, it must be doing something with it. :) You'll see it in the price as well. If its a new 4 port card, and its under ~$250, its probably no better than your onboard ports.
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Not really. You can even get non-RAID drive controllers with heatsinks.

Hardware RAID cards have RAM though. You'll either see chips on the card or a socket for it.
 
Look for the chipset, and google it if necessary. Some cards will feature common chips, like the Intel IOP3xx series, or some will have in-house designed chips, like LSI, Highpoint, etc.
 
Basic research.
Know what the product you are looking at uses, and then research it. If you can't find any info (for whatever reason) come to a place like [H] and ask if anyone has info on it.
 
Look at the manufacturer's website and see if there is an I/O processor onboard. To my knowledge if there is an I/O processor and/or onboard cache memory it's hardware raid. Most manufacturers have both hardware and fake raid boards so don't buy just on the name.
 
Blue Fox said:
Not really. You can even get non-RAID drive controllers with heatsinks.

Hardware RAID cards have RAM though. You'll either see chips on the card or a socket for it.
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You're right, and that is why I said it is usually (but not always) a good indicator. :)
 
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