New server setup with Raid Q's...

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Nobody makes cheap >4port SATA HBAs.

Confused - don't these(1 or 2) qualify as cheap HBA's?

[PiX64]

One of those explicitly says Software Raid, not sure about the other one.

The "cheapest" true hardware raid controller i have been able to find is a Perc 5/i card on ebay for around $100.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by PiX64

One of those explicitly says Software Raid, not sure about the other one.

The "cheapest" true hardware raid controller i have been able to find is a Perc 5/i card on ebay for around $100.

Sorry didn't understand it was being limited to hardware raid cards.

They are both just JBOD controllers with 8 HDD connections. The PCIe requires breakout cables.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

Confused - don't these(1 or 2) qualify as cheap HBA's?

I knew about the first one but it's PCI-X, and it's getting hard to find anywhere (PCI32) to plug those in anymore.

Hadn't seen the second one, I might have to get one of those.

Originally Posted by PiX64

One of those explicitly says Software Raid, not sure about the other one.

The "cheapest" true hardware raid controller i have been able to find is a Perc 5/i card on ebay for around $100.

I was talking about one of unRAIDs "advantages" of not needing a hardware RAID controller. However if you're going to deploy a big unraid server you need probably 8+ port HBAs (Host Bus Adapter) basically SATA controller. No RAID necessary. If you go look, the vast, vast majority are at most 4 ports but even those are rare. Aside from the supermicro (which I didn't know about) you're looking at at $250+ for 8 ports.

[PiX64]

Stanger, sorry i misunderstood what you meant. i found a decent 4port contoller card specifically when i set up my unRAID box. I used one of the ones suggested on their site. i think it is this one which is decently priced and for me has worked awesome so far.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16816132018

only 4 ports, but thats all i needed at the moment..my mobo has 6 onboard ports.

again, sorry i misunderstood..