From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1751467AbWAaUiV (ORCPT ); Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:38:21 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1751469AbWAaUiU (ORCPT ); Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:38:20 -0500 Received: from EXCHG2003.microtech-ks.com ([65.16.27.37]:48725 "EHLO EXCHG2003.microtech-ks.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1751467AbWAaUiU (ORCPT ); Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:38:20 -0500 From: "Roger Heflin" To: "'Lennart Sorensen'" , "'Sander'" Cc: , Subject: RE: [OT] 8-port AHCI SATA Controller? Date: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 14:48:41 -0600 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510 In-Reply-To: <20060131185804.GM18970@csclub.uwaterloo.ca> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1165 Thread-Index: AcYml+weYlrhzruVSkedd/hM8b3/wwAD0jNg Message-ID: X-OriginalArrivalTime: 31 Jan 2006 20:31:40.0816 (UTC) FILETIME=[579F6100:01C626A5] Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org > -----Original Message----- > From: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org > [mailto:linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org] On Behalf Of > Lennart Sorensen > Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 12:58 PM > To: Sander > Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org; jgarzik@pobox.com > Subject: Re: [OT] 8-port AHCI SATA Controller? > > On Tue, Jan 31, 2006 at 07:50:07PM +0100, Sander wrote: > > Actually, I need 24 ports :-) But 3x SX8 sets me back 540 dollars > > according to pricewatch, which is less than half. > > I know with older promise controllers, it wasn't possible to > run more than 2 in one system as far as I remember due to > some dma issues. Not sure if that applies to the SX8. > > If it turns out the SX8 has issues (like the one pointed out > earlier about number of commands to the card at once) or that > it can't have 3 cards in one system at once, then what? Are > you then out $540 + the cost of a better controller? > Certainly worth finding out before spending the money. > > > Fakeraid controllers are less expensive, and would do too of course > > :-) > > Of course those aren't hardware, and are only meant for small > toy raids for windows users. The rest of use treat them as > ide/sata controllers only. I haven't seen one of those with > more than 4 ports either. If the SX8 is one, then I must > admit I haven't looked at it before. I try to avoid hardware > from promise whenever possible. > Highpoint has some that I believe are software raidish. They do have on-board parity generators that are used when you use there binary only modules. I have heard that they will work with later kernels (2.6.15+) since the highpoint are a standard Marvell chipset, and they seem to be fairly price competitive with JBOD raid controllers, and have some controllers that have more than 8 ports, the price per port may be better on the larger controllers. Using 3 disk software stripe (linux) or 3 disks software stripe (binary modules) I have got IO rates of 135MB/second sustained over 90-100 GB read/write tests. Roger