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[Solved] SAS/SATA controller for Ubuntu or Opensolaris

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Best answer from sub mesa.

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dogisfat   09-15-2009 at 02:33:59 AM

Would anyone happen to know a good cheap controller that supports both Ubuntu and Opensolaris?
raid is not an issue seeing as how I would use either ZFS and a Z-raid or a software raid under Ubuntu,
I need to be able to support 8 disk which means I could use multiple cards or a large one such as the Supermicro AOC-USAS-L8i.

The motherboard I would use has 2 x 16xPCIe slots and a 8xPCIe slot and a couple of 1xPCIe slots.

As mentioned above I have looked at the AOC-USAS-L8i but cannot find if Ubuntu supports it definitively and would not like to build custom kernel modules if possible.

Thanks

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Best answer from sub mesa
This is what you need:

http://www.supermicro.com/a_images [...] LP-MV8.gif

http://www.supermicro.com/products [...] LP-MV8.cfm

It has Mini-SAS connectors which is just a simple way to have two big cables go to 8 SATA connectors without too much cable hassle. So its just a 8x SATA/300 PCIe x4 controller. :)

Best of all, it supports Staggered Spinup, so having many disks in a PC won't require you to have a 1000W power supply. As each 3.5" disk consumes about 30-35W when spinning up, this can get you into power problems with more than 10 disks spinning up all at once - like when ur powering it on. It might just as well power off one second later as a safety mechanism by the power supply. Using staggered spinup resolve this issue as the disks won't spinup at exactly the same time but is more spread evenly to give the PSU a break.
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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 03:24:54 AM

It works on RedHat Enterprise and SUSE Linux.

Solaris - you're on your own.

That SAS controller board is a UIO adapter. It is NOT a normal PCIe adapter and only works on supermicro motherboards with a UIO connector.

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 03:26:54 AM

sources

http://www.supermicro.com/products [...] AS-L8i.cfm

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6816101202


The AOC-USAS-L8i is only compatible with these supermicro boards and servers

Code :
  1. • H8SMU
  2. • H8DMU+
  3. • PDSMU
  4. • X7DAL-E
  5. • X7DAL-E+
  6. • X7DBN
  7. • X7DBU
  8. • X7DCU
  9. • X7DWA-N
  10. • X7DWN+
  11. • X7DWU



Code :
  1. • 6015B-UR
  2. • 6015B-NTR
  3. • 6015B-NT
  4. • 6015B-U
  5. • 5015M-NT
  6. • 5015M-UR
  7. • 5015M-Ni

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dogisfat   09-15-2009 at 03:31:04 AM

Only the case connector is UIO the bus is standard PCIe and will work with any PCIe slot.
Furthermore I know that the card is compatable with Redhat and Suse but I am much more familiar with Ubuntu and would like to continue using it or at least deibien.

Many opensolaris forums suggest the card for a cheap controller.

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 03:40:18 AM

The supermicro page and the newegg reviewers respectfully disagree.

 

Any OS that has a good Fusion-MPT driver ( virtually all Linux distros ) should work.

 

Solaris - you're still on your own.

 

Good luck :)


Message edited by linux_0 on 09-15-2009 at 06:12:38 AM
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dogisfat   09-15-2009 at 03:42:39 AM

Also just look at the picture it is not in reverse it is the same as pci express

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 03:43:21 AM

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6816118100

This card should work on Linux.

It really is PCIe unlike the supermicro board.

:)

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 03:44:59 AM

Compare the AOC-USAS-L8i to the LSI PCIe card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6816118100

You'll see the orientation is physically different.

Good luck :)

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dogisfat   09-15-2009 at 03:48:54 AM

if you rotate the card 180 degrees the cards look very similar to me and the bus "Automatically negotiates PCI-E link widths" from their website

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 03:50:40 AM

Quote :

newegg



NOT a PCI Express Card!!

white Reviewed By: depravedone on 8/30/2009
Rating + 5
Tech Level Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year

Pros: Works great for RAID10 with 4 Western Digital 1TB RE3 drives with the appropriate fan-out SATA cable.
Cons: NOT INTENDED FOR ANYTHING BUT SUPERMICRO BOARDS. The board connects to the UIO expansion of specific Supermicro Boards and will not work with ANY other brands in a PCIexpress card. NOT REALLY A CON... if you have a board that uses it.

Did you find this review helpful? Yes No
Thanks for the valuable feedback you provided!

Non-standard form factor

white Reviewed By: on 4/9/2009
Rating + 1
Tech Level Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: less than 1 day
This user purchased this item from Newegg

Pros: Specs were good... 8-port SAS and 8x PCI-Express.
Cons: Super-Micro specific form factor? All of our machines, even those with server mobo, are incompatible with this card. Look closely at the pictures - the card form factor is mirror-image of a normal card.
Other Thoughts: Super-Micro has a list of compatible mobo and they are all Super-Micro mobos. I thought this was just the "tested" list but apparently they really mean it.






Quote :


supermicro web page


Compatible UIO Motherboards and Servers
Motherboards
• H8SMU
• H8DMU+
• PDSMU
• X7DAL-E
• X7DAL-E+
• X7DBN
• X7DBU
• X7DCU
• X7DWA-N
• X7DWN+
• X7DWU
Servers
• 6015B-UR
• 6015B-NTR
• 6015B-NT
• 6015B-U
• 5015M-NT
• 5015M-UR
• 5015M-Ni


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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 03:53:34 AM

If you look very closely one card is oriented to the left and the other to the right.

They are physically different.

You need a compatbile supermicro motherboard or server to use it.

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 04:02:29 AM

please compare the pictures closely

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6816101202

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6816118100


One card is oriented to the left and the other to the right.

They are physically different.

There is no such thing as a free lunch.

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dogisfat   09-15-2009 at 04:12:13 AM

Also im sorry if i seem like a dick

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-15-2009 at 04:15:43 AM

It just doesn't look quite right in the pictures.

 

This card should work fine http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6816118100


Message edited by linux_0 on 09-15-2009 at 06:16:58 AM
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dogisfat   09-15-2009 at 04:19:42 AM

Im having a hard time understanding how the hard-forum posts are not convincing you of the fact that it works considering the pictures and multiple people's posts with clearly standard hardware such as an ABIT IX38 Max


Message edited by dogisfat on 09-15-2009 at 04:20:03 AM
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dogisfat   09-22-2009 at 03:50:38 PM

I bought the AOC-USAS-L8i and recived it yesterday. Both opensolaris and Ubuntu recognise the contorller and load drivers for it.
However I have not had a chance to test the card due to the fact that the card does not recognize the drives that I have.

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-22-2009 at 07:46:34 PM

What kind of drives do you have?

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-22-2009 at 11:58:00 PM

Samsung 5400 or Seagate 5900?

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-23-2009 at 12:00:43 AM

And more importantly these seem to be SATA drives rather than SAS drives.

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dogisfat   09-30-2009 at 01:59:46 AM

they are indeed sata drives and will work, it turns out that the LSI SAS chip is incompatable with my motherboard

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Bronze Linux badge linux_0   09-30-2009 at 06:11:29 AM

What kind of motherboard do you have?

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sub mesa   10-01-2009 at 12:52:56 AM
Best answer

This is what you need:

http://www.supermicro.com/a_images [...] LP-MV8.gif

http://www.supermicro.com/products [...] LP-MV8.cfm

It has Mini-SAS connectors which is just a simple way to have two big cables go to 8 SATA connectors without too much cable hassle. So its just a 8x SATA/300 PCIe x4 controller. :)

Best of all, it supports Staggered Spinup, so having many disks in a PC won't require you to have a 1000W power supply. As each 3.5" disk consumes about 30-35W when spinning up, this can get you into power problems with more than 10 disks spinning up all at once - like when ur powering it on. It might just as well power off one second later as a safety mechanism by the power supply. Using staggered spinup resolve this issue as the disks won't spinup at exactly the same time but is more spread evenly to give the PSU a break.

------------------------------ ...man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually manages to pick himself up, walk over or around it, and carry on.
Reply to sub mesa
sub mesa   10-01-2009 at 12:54:19 AM

Forgot the image tags :(

http://www.supermicro.com/a_images/products/Accessories/AOC-SASLP-MV8.gif

------------------------------ ...man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but usually manages to pick himself up, walk over or around it, and carry on.
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