OnBoard RAID full... now what?

[J-Will]

Is there a way to extend the ICH8 - ICH10R raid controller functions among other SATA ports? I am out of ports on my motherboard and would like to add more HDDs, however the setup is already using Intel Matrix Storage Consol. This is obviously for home use.

While I know there are other (read better) options for controller cards, I'm only looking for Raid 1 configs, with at best Raid 10. So I'm looking for a cheap solution to add more SATA ports, and keep a RAID functionality I already have.

What I'm looking for is a one stop solution to maintain the capabilities I already have, but add more finctionality.

 

[hotcrandel]

I'd like to think the moderately expensive Intel hardware RAID cards would use the same control panel, if you're dead-set on keeping it.

Here is a link to those cards available.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007607+50001157&QksAutoSuggestion=&ShowDeactivatedMark=False&Configurator=&IsNodeId=1&Subcategory=410&description=&Ntk=&CFG=&SpeTabStoreType=&srchInDesc=

Otherwise you might consider setting yourself up a NAS to serve some/all of your storage needs... it sounds like they must be significant if you're using 4 or 6 HDD.


Keep in mind that RAID is a tool for *uptime* and sometimes *performance*. It is *not* a backup. You might consider taking half of your disks and putting it in a low power file server. Intel ATOM boards have no problem serving up files over gigabit with tremendous speed, and setting up backup's to happen automatically is a pretty painless thing.

 

[J-Will]

The server in question (specs in sif) is part file server, part lab for testing purposes. While a NAS is not a bad idea, it would not replace the need for the server. And since the server case has space for more HDDs, it makes more sense to add to the existing hardware.

 

[ghost6303]

unfortunately when migrating controllers, you often will break the array. you can not usually take an array from an onboard controller and move it to a nice hardware RAID card. that usually only works when the controllers are the same. you would need to back up the data, get more hard drives, remake the array on the new card, initialize it, then reload all the data.

 

[J-Will]

unfortunately when migrating controllers, you often will break the array. you can not usually take an array from an onboard controller and move it to a nice hardware RAID card. that usually only works when the controllers are the same. you would need to back up the data, get more hard drives, remake the array on the new card, initialize it, then reload all the data.

I figured that was the only solution. I did not think there was any way to expand the onboard RAID controller. I just wanted to make sure I was not overlooking anything.