Hello! Thanks for taking the time to read this. Hopefully you can help me out.
I am building a new computer (see specs below) and need to add more storage. I will primarily be using 3-4 TB 5900 rpm drives, maybe some 7200 RPM drives to connect to the controller. I used to get SATA expansion cards, but after learning about SAS, I am thinking of going that route. I would like to add 6-8 more internal drives and will probably have to add another 4 drives along with the 16 I have in enclosures for back ups. The back ups are enclosed in 2 - 4 bay enclosures and 1-8 bay enclosure, where 4 drives are grouped to use one esata cable each. I guess I could do that with the additional drives, so I may only need one more esata, BUT, I would like to incorporate everything into one card, because posting all these cards takes FOREVER and I do have limited PCIe slots.
I have been looking long and hard and doing lots of research by reading posts on this and other forums and have narrowed things down to this card: THe Adaptech 71605E (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816103250&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-Controllers+%2f+RAID+Cards-_-N82E16816103250&gclid=CNWt1rGb8bYCFUFo4Aod_nAA2Q).
This card may be overkill, as my drives may never reach the speeds it can handle, though the increase bandwidth MAY be used by my enclosure with 4 drives in each lane. I could go SATA II, but I have found that going with older technologies usually cost me another upgrade in a year or two. However, if there is a better low cost solution, I am open to suggestions. I have checked out options from Highpoint, LSI, Intel & Supermicro.
Also, I may move to some SSHD in the future as they become more affordable and prolific. I also may move to more SSDs. The problem I have with this card is that I have no idea how I will turn around the SFF-8643 mini HDSAS connectors, which are meant for internal connections, to SFF-8644 or SFF-8088 external connectors, in order to connect my future enclosures. From those external eclosures I can buy fan-out cables that are more readily available.
So this is what I need my card to do:
1-Support 6-8 internal SATA drives and at least 6 esata bays (preferably more).
2-Support for, and the ability to take advantage of SSDs
3-Ability to control raids (though I usually don't run raids, so this may not be important, but I want this card to be future proof (at least for 5 years).
4-Must be able to work in JBOD mode
5-Must be able to talk to an expander
I have looked into highpoint, LSI, Intel, IBM, Adaptech and Supermicro. Looking back, I should have invested in SAS enclosures and may have to go that route in in the future because the bandwidth is higher. I wish I had done my research earlier.
Any questions, comments, suggestions, and even criticisms are welcomed and greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Mario
My Computer
ASUS Maximums V Formula
i7-3770K
Corsair Vengence Memory (16 GB)
Corsair Neutron SSD (256 GB)
No video card (for now just using stock, but will get a nicer one soon)
ROsewill Blackhawk Ultra Case,
I am building a new computer (see specs below) and need to add more storage. I will primarily be using 3-4 TB 5900 rpm drives, maybe some 7200 RPM drives to connect to the controller. I used to get SATA expansion cards, but after learning about SAS, I am thinking of going that route. I would like to add 6-8 more internal drives and will probably have to add another 4 drives along with the 16 I have in enclosures for back ups. The back ups are enclosed in 2 - 4 bay enclosures and 1-8 bay enclosure, where 4 drives are grouped to use one esata cable each. I guess I could do that with the additional drives, so I may only need one more esata, BUT, I would like to incorporate everything into one card, because posting all these cards takes FOREVER and I do have limited PCIe slots.
I have been looking long and hard and doing lots of research by reading posts on this and other forums and have narrowed things down to this card: THe Adaptech 71605E (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816103250&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-Controllers+%2f+RAID+Cards-_-N82E16816103250&gclid=CNWt1rGb8bYCFUFo4Aod_nAA2Q).
This card may be overkill, as my drives may never reach the speeds it can handle, though the increase bandwidth MAY be used by my enclosure with 4 drives in each lane. I could go SATA II, but I have found that going with older technologies usually cost me another upgrade in a year or two. However, if there is a better low cost solution, I am open to suggestions. I have checked out options from Highpoint, LSI, Intel & Supermicro.
Also, I may move to some SSHD in the future as they become more affordable and prolific. I also may move to more SSDs. The problem I have with this card is that I have no idea how I will turn around the SFF-8643 mini HDSAS connectors, which are meant for internal connections, to SFF-8644 or SFF-8088 external connectors, in order to connect my future enclosures. From those external eclosures I can buy fan-out cables that are more readily available.
So this is what I need my card to do:
1-Support 6-8 internal SATA drives and at least 6 esata bays (preferably more).
2-Support for, and the ability to take advantage of SSDs
3-Ability to control raids (though I usually don't run raids, so this may not be important, but I want this card to be future proof (at least for 5 years).
4-Must be able to work in JBOD mode
5-Must be able to talk to an expander
I have looked into highpoint, LSI, Intel, IBM, Adaptech and Supermicro. Looking back, I should have invested in SAS enclosures and may have to go that route in in the future because the bandwidth is higher. I wish I had done my research earlier.
Any questions, comments, suggestions, and even criticisms are welcomed and greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Mario
My Computer
ASUS Maximums V Formula
i7-3770K
Corsair Vengence Memory (16 GB)
Corsair Neutron SSD (256 GB)
No video card (for now just using stock, but will get a nicer one soon)
ROsewill Blackhawk Ultra Case,
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