New file server build

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shinygecko

Weaksauce
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Nov 23, 2007
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Currently i am just running a regular pc using 2 4-port sata cards and 4 ports on the mobo for a total of 12 hdd's. However i am running out of space so i am taking a jump to a 4u case that i found that many of you use (NORCO RPC-4020).



My question is: I am using 2 cheap 4 port sata cards i got from monoprice http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10407&cs_id=1040702&p_id=2667&seq=1&format=2
would it be possible to run 3 of these controller cards or would that cause problems?
Is there a cheaper way to achieve 20 ports?
I don't care about speed as it is just storage.

Option A:
norco case $300
Mobo $80 (for additional 32 bit pci slot) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130185
controller $20 (same cheap controller from monoprice, this takes me to a total of 3)
6xdrives $300
Total $700

Option B:
norco case $300
Mobo $200 (server board with PCI-X slot http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182105 )
controller $120 (21610SA ADAPTEC http://cgi.ebay.com/ADAPTEC-21610SA...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5883ae9f73 )
6xdrives $300
Total $920

Option C:
norco case $350
Mobo use existing mobo
controller $360 Adaptec 31605 http://cgi.ebay.com/Adaptec-31605-P..._EN_Networking_Components?hash=item2a01c67871
6xdrives $300
cables prices?
Total $960

Option D:
norco case $300
Mobo use existing mobo
2xcontroller $240 Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 http://cgi.ebay.com/Supermicro-AOC-...emQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2ea84dce87
6xdrives $300
cables prices?
Total $840
 
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you'll have to get pretty outdated board to handle all the ports via pci controllers
to get 20x you need 4 cards
why?
1) there isnt that much budget boards with 4x pci left
2) the ones who will have more than 3, wont have suficient number of sata ports onboard

so ... if the speed for multiple drives at same time isnt requirement, pci is the way
if you care about speed, better go with 8p pcie cards, to come by dualpcie board is way easyer than 4x pci board ;)

when you come to think of it, any matx board should do fine if you go for combination of cards:
board with 2x pci && pcie
4-6p from board + 2x pci 4p + 8p pcie could do the trick ;)

so start with cheap pci cards ... and when time comes get pcie
 
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I won't have any problems running multiple identical controllers on the same bus?
I have also just discovered 4 sas port cards for a decent price as another option to use with the newer revision of the norco case http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811219033 that uses a backplane with 5 sas ports.
so i could use a 4 sas port card > sas cable > 4 sas ports on the backplane. This leaves me with 1 sas port on the backplane unallocated.

Do they make a cable to reverse sas so backplane > 4 indivdual cables to run into 4 ports on the mobo?
 
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the supermicro PCIe 8 port dummy card is popular also, that is a SAS so with the 4220 it is a neat connection.... wish i had a 4220 and not my 4020 :(
 
Do they make a cable to reverse sas so backplane > 4 indivdual cables to run into 4 ports on the mobo?
Because sas cables are directional correct?
 
shinygecko said:
Do they make a cable to reverse sas so backplane > 4 indivdual cables to run into 4 ports on the mobo?
Because sas cables are directional correct?
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a cable available. The previous suggestion is probably the most effective: mobo with > 4 SATA slots, 1 RAID card with 4 SAS slots. 4 SAS cables to backplane, then 1 reverse breakout cable from backplane to 4 SATA slots on mobo.
 
You guy are being a tremendous help researching server stuff is not quite as easy as the regular. lol
Currently use server 03 however i was looking at something linux based or possibly whs
 
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where would be the cheapest place to buy the sas cables? And possibly as link for the reverse one.
Wish i could still create a poll but i have edited the choices above, which would you guys pick A,B,C, or D?

Also, if you have any old hardware such as controllers,250gb+ HDD's, or lga 775 mobo i would be very interested to save a couple bucks if it would help one of these options.
 
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if youre buying from newegg
smart bet is to go for 4220 + 2x highpoint 8p controllers ( 150 a piece and comes with minisas<>minisas cable )
 
D really does seem like the best bang for your buck without buying legacy stuff such as pci-x or the original.

So going with those $150 2xsas cards (reviews don't look to good though) i don't need to worry those pricey cables and can use my existing mobo.

One problem yet though, i can't find that reverse sas cable i need. If someone could link one of those on newegg or elsewhere i would appreciate it.
 
3ware's online store is often quoted as a good place to get these. If you want to get them somewhere else, search for SFF-8087 breakout cables. The forward and reverse variants are not interchangeable. You need a forward cable to go from the controller to drives, and you need a reverse cable to go from a SAS backplane to your motherboard.

You might want to look at the Norco RPC-4220 instead. It's a better, newer design and has 5 SAS backplane connectors instead of 20 SATA connectors which will make your cabling a lot neater. Not sure if it's worth the extra $50 to you, mind.

http://store.3ware.com/?category=1&subcategory=3&productid=CBL-SFF8087OCF-05M
http://store.3ware.com/?category=1&subcategory=3&productid=CBL-SFF8087OCR-05M
 
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