Topic: Compatible RAID

[Thorne45]

Hi,

I'm looking at building a new SME server and would like to use a motherboard with built in SATA RAID. My supplier keeps the following boards in stock but can order other boards in.

ASUS M2V-MX AM2
ASUS P5VD2-VM CORE2DUO
Gigabyte GA-965P-S3      
Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6
MSI M2-FAR MSI K8N Master2-FAR

Has anyone installed SME7 using any of these boards?
What motherboards would you recommend?

I've tried searching the web for compatability list but there is very little out there ( that I could find anyway )

Thanks
  Bruce

[idp_qbn]

Hi,
I know you want hardware raid, but SME is geared towards Software raid. It assumes that as a minimum you have two drives and it automatically generate a RAID1 array. 4, 5 and 6 drives give you RAID5 (I think).

I have seen people telling in the forums about getting problems try to do hardware raid - the software raid interferes and you need to sort it out (somehow - beyond me, but others will be able to tell you; or it is already on the forum somewhere - do a search on the forums for hardware raid)

My advice would be to stick with the software raid - a nice fast motherboard/cpu/memory combo with big hard disks would do you very nicely.

Cheers
Ian

[gerd]

A hardware raid is no problem as long as the raid controller is supported by the SME. It is for sure the case as far as as raid-controllers fm 3ware are concerned (I use several of these controllers), and I guess those fm ADAPTEC are supported as well. However I wonder if onboard raid controllers exist which are supported by CentOs...You'd better check for hardware raid controlers in the forum.

gerd

[Stefano]

Hi,

I'm looking at building a new SME server and would like to use a motherboard with built in SATA RAID. My supplier keeps the following boards in stock but can order other boards in.

ASUS M2V-MX AM2
ASUS P5VD2-VM CORE2DUO
Gigabyte GA-965P-S3      
Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6
MSI M2-FAR MSI K8N Master2-FAR

Has anyone installed SME7 using any of these boards?
What motherboards would you recommend?

I've tried searching the web for compatability list but there is very little out there ( that I could find anyway )

Thanks
  Bruce

IMHO if you are going to use sata raid with such a  controller, you are going in trouble.

99% it's a fake-raid.. only troubles..

if you really need a hw sata raid controller, go to 3ware and spend (well) some money..

Ciao

Stefano

[wj]

Hi,

I'm looking at building a new SME server and would like to use a motherboard with built in SATA RAID. My supplier keeps the following boards in stock but can order other boards in.

ASUS M2V-MX AM2
ASUS P5VD2-VM CORE2DUO
Gigabyte GA-965P-S3      
Gigabyte GA-965P-DQ6
MSI M2-FAR MSI K8N Master2-FAR

Has anyone installed SME7 using any of these boards?
What motherboards would you recommend?

I've tried searching the web for compatability list but there is very little out there ( that I could find anyway )

Thanks
  Bruce

Hi,

I build a new server last year with an Asus A8V deluxe with two build in SATA raid controllers (one Promise and one Asus, both for two SATA drives).
I first started with an Adaptec hardware raid controller (2410SA). I did manage to setup a raid5 array with 4 SATA drives. But I was unable to install the raid monitor software under Centos/SME.
Therefore I skipped to the SME software raid (first I disabled the raidcontrollers in the bios). After that it worked fine. I'm now able to monitor the drives and raid array with smartd and mdadm.
In my opinion it is even faster then the Adaptec hardware raid.

kind regards