G+_Adam EL-Idrissi Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 I'm looking to add storage to my freenas box(hp n40l) and have seen these (https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/322095778389 ) in use. My question is which of the two cards available should I get? I did a quick search and mostly alibaba ads. Is there a better card out there supported by freenas? Also, what card do I need for the freenas machine? https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/322095778389 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_610GARAGE Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 I'm not sure of the difference between the two. But one question that should be asked is are you doing software or hardware raid. If you're doing software raid, then you will need to make sure that the card can be flashed to be a hardware adapter. Thats not hard, you just need to make sure that the right firmware is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Travis Hershberger Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 I don't think those did hardware RAID at all. Yeah, I said it. Mainframe and high end systems never use hardware RAID. Being that it's going to be connected to a FreeNAS box, either card should be good. Hardware/software RAID Ref: http://www.smbitjournal.com/2012/11/hardware-and-software-raid/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_610GARAGE Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 Travis Hershberger I'm like %90, well %80. No it's a saturday. %60 sure that the 888ELP is hardware raid. I think I have that one and had to flash it. Actually, I think I had to flash all of my LSI cards but one. I don't think these are super high end cards. More like local server storage cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Adam EL-Idrissi Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 Freenas will be doing the raid so its software. Someone some where used a m1015 but I'm so confused with the 8087-8088 conversion that was shown. I guess I need to look into the cards and see if they can be flashed to an hba? What card should I install in the nas bix to work with this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_610GARAGE Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 I just checked, I do have the 888ELP, but it is in another server acting as hardware raid. I did a quick google to see if it could be reflashed to HBA, and somone said that it may be limited to 2TB. Which does sound like a problem I had (sorry, my memory isn't that great). You may want to make sure that this limitation isn't on the other card too. For reference, I am using LSI 9211-8i host bus adapter.... I think. Tip, don't be like me. Document what you install. :) Also, will you ever want to use a sas backplane? One of those cards only has internal sata ports. Just something else to make things more complicated. :) 888ELP forum thread: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=35861.0 My HBA: http://www.avagotech.com/products/server-storage/host-bus-adapters/sas-9211-8i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Adam EL-Idrissi Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 610bob I think that lsi card you mentioned is what the m1015 gets flashed for HBa mode. I don't really plan on a sas backplane since I have sata drives but the sas to sata breakout cables will cover that. Can I do a m1015 in both boxes and use an adapter to go from the card to the external cable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_610GARAGE Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 Adam EL-Idrissi Yup. Internal sas is the same as external sas. Here is an adapter that I found: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/111635513171?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_noapp=true Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Adam EL-Idrissi Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 610bob so how would this work? One sas connector to one port in each box then use the other sas connector with a breakout to the drives(in the das)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_610GARAGE Posted May 7, 2016 Share Posted May 7, 2016 Adam EL-Idrissi What are the two boxes. Are you going to get two of these? I'm not sure how the das is configured. All of my experience is with internal sas. But it looks like the front sas connector goes to a sas backplane. You can daisy chain sas devices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Adam EL-Idrissi Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 610bob freenas box and the das. I'll have to look more into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_Adam EL-Idrissi Posted May 7, 2016 Author Share Posted May 7, 2016 On a different note, people have had 3 and 4tb drives work in this although there were a lot saying only 2tb drives. Still,36tb jbod is a lot. But that's what I though about my 5.something tb server. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G+_610GARAGE Posted May 8, 2016 Share Posted May 8, 2016 Adam EL-Idrissi You also don't want to be forced to buy smaller hard drives because of your HBA. Especially if you could have twice the amount of TB for $10 more. Which may happen one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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