Opinion on Pci-e Sata Controller for HP N40L

[unixvrules]

Summary: Anyone have a good recommendation for a reliable pci-E Sata controller for nas4free?

Background:

I'm moving back to nas4free (after leaving freenas on an old P4 that I've ditched).

Settled in on the HP Micro server N40L. It has just 2 PCI-e expansion slots. Filled 1 with a second Gig NIC (Intel) for LACP (i'll need the performance you'll see why).

Plan to install 2x3TB and 2x2T drives in the removable bays, ZFS Compressed volumes.

I have a 64G SSD that I'm adding into the 5.25 bay for ZFS ZIL and ARC to boost performance. I figured even at Sata2 speeds, using the zfs intent log and caching on the SSD will help me keep the 2 Gig Nics saturated when I pound it with multiple streams of activity (my "be all, do all" big honking disk for this house -- and another rig for my brothers for offsite replication).

My problem is with a non-mirrored ZIL on the SSD. Should it fail, you lose the writes in there. SSD shouldn't fail and the odds are low that it would be critical data, but it bugs me.

So, to add 2 (or 4) low powered SSD, since the N40L has 5 Sata ports, means I have to
1) go esata (which adds "another box") or
2) Add a 2-4 port pciE SATA.

Anyone have a good recommendation for a Sata 3 (preferable) or Sata 2 pci-e?

[ChriZathens]

This link may be of assistance:
http://n40l.wikia.com/wiki/Raid
Just keep in mind to check compatibility with FreeBSD.

[unixvrules]

Thanks. Yeah, but that's my question (stable and reliable on nas4free.)

The list of supported controllers is limited at the freebsd 9.1 hardware compatibility list http://www.freebsd.org/releases/9.1R/hardware.html

I didn't see the ones in the link on the list.

With a little 150W power supply, maybe I'm trying to do too much and I just need to go external eSata and tier my storage a little (internal volume for really fast access, eSata for "as fast as you can"). Of course, for the price of a JBOD, I could just get another N40L and make a second 4 bay NAS

Thanks

[ChriZathens]

Well that's another point....
The highpoint looks reasonable in price and seems to support FreeBSD, but to take advantage of it, I suppose you should also get a 2.5" hdd cage for 6 hdds, like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6817994147
Combining the prizes of both (about $270), plus $20-30 for minisas to sata cables, you might as well buy another N40L...

[unixvrules]

Thanks, again. You're right, as far as performance for the dollar, it just isn't worth it.

Yeah, the N40L is nice, just needs 2 more bays. The icy Dock is kind of interesting, but only for SSD because 2.5' HDD have such lame performance.

Maybe for now a simple eSata case and then when i do the real growth job, maybe a nice compact case with a couple of 5.25 and 4-6 3.5 inchg removable bays -- and then just go hog wild. Of course, then there's the too many eggs in one basket problem.

I suppose managing 2-3 N40L or N54L isn't too bad.

Thanks

[ChriZathens]

I don't know if you are aware of the fact that using the hacked bios you can have up to 6 hdds..
In my n40l ( my backup nas ), I currently have 5 hdds (4 in the original trays plus one in a 5.25" to 3.5" tray - where the optical drive is supposed to be).
Below the 5.25" to 3,5" tray there is plenty of room for an ssd to be used as cache drive (it can connect using an esata to sata cable.) With a little modification I believe you can even fit a 3.5" hdd there.
So the 6 drive goal is achievable without an extra sata controller

[ghuber]

I don't know if you are aware of the fact that using the hacked bios you can have up to 6 hdds..
In my n40l ( my backup nas ), I currently have 5 hdds (4 in the original trays plus one in a 5.25" to 3.5" tray - where the optical drive is supposed to be).
Below the 5.25" to 3,5" tray there is plenty of room for an ssd to be used as cache drive (it can connect using an esata to sata cable.) With a little modification I believe you can even fit a 3.5" hdd there.
So the 6 drive goal is achievable without an extra sata controller

Hi ChriZathens,

Say, since we are running a similar setup (including hacked N40L BIOS), have you ever managed to get a disk recognized on the esata port (with an esata cable of course)? As I have written in another post, Nas4free sees the port but doesn't see that a drive is connected. My QNAP Nas on the other hand "sees" the drive perfectly. Also, when I connect the drive over USB, Nas4free sees it. Any idea?

Many thanks, cheers to Greece and have a Happy New Year

Georg

[ChriZathens]

When I initially set up my N40L, just for testing, I had connected 6 HDDs.
And yes they were recognized successfully. But the 6th disk was connected using not an esata to esata cable, but an esata to sata (it was an internal disk). I don't believe that it makes any difference though..
Afterwards, I removed the 6th disk, because I had it tied together with the 5th in the Optical Bay space, which resulted in both of them raising very high temperatures..
But anyways, the fact is that all six disks were recognized without any issues.

In your hacked BIOS, have you done the following?

In bios under Chipset / SouthBridge Configuration / SB Sata Configuration
· Disable “SATA IDE Combined Mode” – sets port 5 and 6 to use AHCI
· Enable “SATA ESP on all PORT” – sets all ports to be external SATA ports
The SATA ESP on all PORT makes all SATA ports hot swappable.

and see if it makes any difference?
Also inside BIOS, in Advanced-->Embedded Sata Link rate, change from Auto to 3Gbps.

If you have done these, already, then I am afraid I am out of ideas... sorry

Happy New Year to you and your family too, my friend!