I guess there's been a very recent (like past 2 months) surge in home server builds, mostly based on WHS/RAID-Z/FlexRAID etc. non-hardware RAID setups, that depend on having a large number of SATA ports (usually at least 20 to support the Norco RPC-4020) for the OS to use.
Obviously, hardware RAID setups are different - Arecas, Highpoints, 3Wares, LSIs, PERCs, etc. Not going to cover those here since AFAIK, hardware RAID controllers in fact make things harder/weirder for the techs listed above (at least from what I've read, HW RAID arrays + WHS or RAID-Z hurt rather than help).
Please post with any corrects, additional cards (especially smaller 4-port models, etc).
Cards
Supermicro AOC-SAT2-MV8
Product Page
Chipset: Marvell Hercules-2 Rev. C0
Interface: PCI-X
Number of Ports: 8 SATA2 Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3 32/64, Linux 32/64, Solaris
Average Price: $90-$140 USD
Notes:
Product Page
Chipset: Marvell 88SE6480
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8087 (breakout cables necessary) Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: $110-$140 USD
Notes:
Product Page
Product Page (low-profile)
Chipset: LSI 1068E
Interface: UIO - (PCIe x8 inverted component layout)
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8087 (breakout cables necessary) Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32, XP/2k3 64 (don't know about Vista 64 yet), Linux 32/64, Solaris
Average Price: $90-$140 USD
Notes:
Product Page
Chipset: Intel IOP333
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary) (Internal on 5/i, External on 5/e - 5/e has 2x SFF-8470, from Stanza33)
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64, Solaris
Average Price: $90-$140 USD
Notes:
Product Page
Chipset: LSI 1068E (thanks UICompE02)
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 1x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary, pretty sure its SFF-8484) (Internal on 5/i, External on 5/e)
Drives Supported: 4
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: $40-$100USD
Notes:
Areca ARC-1300ix-16
Product Page
Chipset: ?
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 4x SFF-8087 (breakout cables necessary) Internal, 2x SFF-8088 (breakout needed) External
Drives Supported: 128 (with expanders), 16 for most users
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64, BSD/FreeBSD 32/64, Solaris, Mac OS X (non-bootable)
Average Price: ~$420
Notes:
Product Page
Chipset: ?
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 4x eSATA (ARC-1300-4e) External, 1x SFF-8088 (Breakout needed, ARC-1300-4x) Internal, 1x SFF-8087 (breakout needed, ARC-1300-4i)
Drives Supported: 128 (with expanders, 4x/4i), 16 (with port multiplies, 4e)
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64, BSD/FreeBSD 32/64, Solaris, Mac OS X (non-bootable)
Average Price: ~$300?
Notes:
Product Page
Chipset: ?
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 3x SFF-8087 Internal H60F, 3x SFF-8088 External H6F0
Drives Supported: 16
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista/2008 32/64, Linux 32/64, Mac OS X
Average Price: ~$900
Notes:
Product Page
Chipset: Adaptec 1405?
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 1x SFF-8087 Internal (1405), 1x SFF-8088 External (1045)
Drives Supported: 4 (128 w/ expander)
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista/2008 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: $200
Notes:
Product Page
Chipset: LSI 1068E (thanks UICompE02)
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 1x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary) Internal, 1x SFF-8470 (breakout needed) External
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: ? USD
Notes:
Product Page
Unsuitable for home use (HP MSA only)
Hewlett-Packard 8 Internal Port SAS Host Bus Adapter with RAID
Product Page
Chipset: LSI 1068 SAS Controller (Custom LSI LSISAS3080X-R board variant, thanks UICompE02)
Interface: PCI-X
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary) Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: ? USD
Notes:
Obviously, hardware RAID setups are different - Arecas, Highpoints, 3Wares, LSIs, PERCs, etc. Not going to cover those here since AFAIK, hardware RAID controllers in fact make things harder/weirder for the techs listed above (at least from what I've read, HW RAID arrays + WHS or RAID-Z hurt rather than help).
Please post with any corrects, additional cards (especially smaller 4-port models, etc).
Cards
Supermicro AOC-SAT2-MV8
Product Page
Chipset: Marvell Hercules-2 Rev. C0
Interface: PCI-X
Number of Ports: 8 SATA2 Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3 32/64, Linux 32/64, Solaris
Average Price: $90-$140 USD
Notes:
- PCI-X card can be run in PCI slots at PCI speeds
- No breakout cables needed, 8 standard SATA connectors on the card
- WHS compatibility high
Product Page
Chipset: Marvell 88SE6480
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8087 (breakout cables necessary) Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: $110-$140 USD
Notes:
- Solaris support currently inoperative (Apr 2009)
- WHA compatibility average (see this thread)
Product Page
Product Page (low-profile)
Chipset: LSI 1068E
Interface: UIO - (PCIe x8 inverted component layout)
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8087 (breakout cables necessary) Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32, XP/2k3 64 (don't know about Vista 64 yet), Linux 32/64, Solaris
Average Price: $90-$140 USD
Notes:
- UIO card - still a PCIe interface, but the components are on the "wrong" side. You'll have to modify the bracket, or run without the bracket, but it is a valid PCIe device.
- It actually IS a RAID controller, but in its default firmware configuration (Initiator/Target mode), it servers as a "dumb" HBA, perfect for Software RAID solutions.
Product Page
Chipset: Intel IOP333
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary) (Internal on 5/i, External on 5/e - 5/e has 2x SFF-8470, from Stanza33)
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64, Solaris
Average Price: $90-$140 USD
Notes:
- Full-blown RAID Card - fully capable of high-speed RAID 0/1/5/10. OEM version of a LSI product, can be flashed with LSI firmware.
- Unsuitable really for software setups, but it is possible. Just make 8 single-disk RAID 0s.
- Price varies on whether PCI bracket, cables, and battery backup are included.
- The PERC 5/e has two connectors on the outside of the bracket, probably intended for Dell PowerVaults/external SAS storage. Only difference AFAIK.
- May need modification
Product Page
Chipset: LSI 1068E (thanks UICompE02)
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 1x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary, pretty sure its SFF-8484) (Internal on 5/i, External on 5/e)
Drives Supported: 4
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: $40-$100USD
Notes:
- Info is scarce, but it appears to be a 4-drive non-RAID PCIe controller.
- Available on eBay for ~$50
- SAS 5/i seems to be ~$10, link from Stanza33: http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320537995567&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT
- Possibly intended only for Dell backplanes?
- The 5/e has external ports for connecting to an external source (PowerVault, etc)
- May need modification
Areca ARC-1300ix-16
Product Page
Chipset: ?
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 4x SFF-8087 (breakout cables necessary) Internal, 2x SFF-8088 (breakout needed) External
Drives Supported: 128 (with expanders), 16 for most users
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64, BSD/FreeBSD 32/64, Solaris, Mac OS X (non-bootable)
Average Price: ~$420
Notes:
- Thanks to alamone for the info!
- Suitable for ZFS under Solaris!
Product Page
Chipset: ?
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 4x eSATA (ARC-1300-4e) External, 1x SFF-8088 (Breakout needed, ARC-1300-4x) Internal, 1x SFF-8087 (breakout needed, ARC-1300-4i)
Drives Supported: 128 (with expanders, 4x/4i), 16 (with port multiplies, 4e)
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64, BSD/FreeBSD 32/64, Solaris, Mac OS X (non-bootable)
Average Price: ~$300?
Notes:
- Thanks to alamone for the info!
- Suitable for ZFS under Solaris!
Product Page
Chipset: ?
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 3x SFF-8087 Internal H60F, 3x SFF-8088 External H6F0
Drives Supported: 16
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista/2008 32/64, Linux 32/64, Mac OS X
Average Price: ~$900
Notes:
- Thanks to alamone for the info!
- One of the few SAS2 6.0Gb HBAs
- Dual processors
- Other ATTO products vary in # of ports, and internal external, such as the: H608, H680, H644, H380, H308
Product Page
Chipset: Adaptec 1405?
Interface: PCIe x4
Number of Ports: 1x SFF-8087 Internal (1405), 1x SFF-8088 External (1045)
Drives Supported: 4 (128 w/ expander)
OS Support: Windows 2000/XP/2k3/Vista/2008 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: $200
Notes:
- Thanks to alamone for the info!
Product Page
Chipset: LSI 1068E (thanks UICompE02)
Interface: PCIe x8
Number of Ports: 1x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary) Internal, 1x SFF-8470 (breakout needed) External
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: ? USD
Notes:
- Odd duck - external only useful with HP products?
- Only supports RAID w/ ProLiant servers?
Product Page
Unsuitable for home use (HP MSA only)
Hewlett-Packard 8 Internal Port SAS Host Bus Adapter with RAID
Product Page
Chipset: LSI 1068 SAS Controller (Custom LSI LSISAS3080X-R board variant, thanks UICompE02)
Interface: PCI-X
Number of Ports: 2x SFF-8484 (breakout cables necessary) Internal
Drives Supported: 8
OS Support: Windows XP/2k3/Vista 32/64, Linux 32/64
Average Price: ? USD
Notes:
- Custom vaariant of LSI LSISAS3080X-R
- Unknown if can do JBOD/act as dumb HBA without RAID
- It's called '8 Internal Port SAS Host Bus Adapter with RAID', no HP ID#. Only Part #: 347786-B21
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