pci-e for scsi controllers

[z3ghz]

This might be a dumb question but here goes: Can you run a SCSI controller in the other PCI-E 16x slot not occupied by a second video card? Do they even make such an animal? I have acquired 3 U320/10k drives I want to play with but don't have a controller card yet. My gaming machine blew the motherboard a few months back and my RAID 0 Raptors are resting. I'm getting by on my laptop but want to know what is the fastest slot I can use for throughput on an enthusiast class motherboard in a RAID 0? Any info is greatly appreciated, thanx!

 

[silent-circuit]

http://www.pc-pitstop.com/scsi_raid_controllers/3202E.asp

Get ready to pay.

Here are some non-RAID PCIe cards -- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...000410 1193212549 1193515356&name=PCI Express

 

[z3ghz]

Ouch! Hell for what they want for that one card I could build a decent budget gamer! I guess I'll use the SCSI drives for a server and go PCI-X. I've seen decent single cards for as low as $150 from Adaptec and LSI. I've never messed with SCSI drives and I've heard it can be a bit of configuring but they are 160GB/10k drives, they work, and were free. I guess I should start hunting down small workstation/server class motherboards instead eh?

 

[Syntax Error]

Yeah, the investment in such SCSI disks may not be so attractive considering drive performances with SAS and even SATA nowadays...with that much investment, maybe you should consider SSD?

 

[z3ghz]

What exactly is SAS? I know it stands for SCSI Attached Serial (right?) but what are the components to use and what is the throughput? Can you employ RAID setups with SAS?

 

[Syntax Error]

SAS disks are high-end shit, like the Seagate Cheetah 15,000 RPM drives. The physical connector is essentially the same as a SATA connector save for a plastic bit to prevent interconnectedness, and yes, they are utilized in RAID setups quite often.

I think in a few years enterprise SSD will supplant them, but we'll see...