SAS card for UnRaid

[xl3b4n0nx]

Looking for a SAS card to add to my Unraid build. I have 4 x 4TB, 2 x 8TB and two SSD cache drives in my box now. I have filled the 6 motherboard ports and the 2 ports on a pcie x1 sata expander card. I could get a 4 port expander but after a second parity drive and one data drive I'm back where I started.

 

I am planning to attach 8+ drives to this card for easy expansion (SAS expander can get up to 16 drives???). Preferably I want one that can warn if it is getting too hot (i know that can be an issue in a non-server chasis).  

 

In case it is relevant, this will be in a Ryzen build on x470. 

[scottyseng]

I would recommend an LSI SAS HBA card, something SAS 2 / 6Gb/s. Like the LSI 9211 card. It has two SAS ports, you can break each one out to 4 sata / SAS drive. If you need more drives, you'll want to get another SAS HBA or get a SAS expander. The HBA card usually can handle a large amount of drives (I think it's 128, I forgot). There are SAS 3 / 12Gb/s cards, but those cost more and I think you're just using hard drives?

 

Sadly temperature monitoring isn't usually present on the cheap / entry level HBA / RAID cards. You do want a case fan very close to the card. They get very hot. I have a fan right next to mine (server chassis) and that helps it. Also do not try to touch the card's heatsink if it had a lot of load recently, it can burn you (unless you had a ton of air flow)

[xl3b4n0nx]

Something like a LSI 9211-8i? 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-IT-Mode-Genuine-LSI-9211-8i-8-port-PCI-E-Card-Bulk-pack-US-SameDayShipping/291641245650?epid=1640184093&hash=item43e72c3fd2:g:hboAAOSwOgdYxx1I:sc:USPSFirstClass!13090!US!-1

 

Is each SAS port 6 Gb/s total or is it 6Gb/s per drive (4 drives on each port)?

 

Is a SAS expander a cable? Like a splitter? I'll be using a Lian-Li A77F case. Do you think I will need a dedicated fan for it?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.newegg.com/amp/products/N82E16811112261

[Electronics Wizardy]

12 hours ago, xl3b4n0nx said:

Something like a LSI 9211-8i? 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-IT-Mode-Genuine-LSI-9211-8i-8-port-PCI-E-Card-Bulk-pack-US-SameDayShipping/291641245650?epid=1640184093&hash=item43e72c3fd2:g:hboAAOSwOgdYxx1I:sc:USPSFirstClass!13090!US!-1

 

Is each SAS port 6 Gb/s total or is it 6Gb/s per drive (4 drives on each port)?

 

Is a SAS expander a cable? Like a splitter? I'll be using a Lian-Li A77F case. Do you think I will need a dedicated fan for it?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.newegg.com/amp/products/N82E16811112261

yep that card will work fine, but you can get it much cheaper buying the dell branded h200.

 

Its 6gb/s per sas link, so a total of 48gb/s of sas.

[xl3b4n0nx]

Would this be a good one to get? 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163142320696

 

I plan to use this in an Unraid build so I don't need the RAID capabilities. 

[Electronics Wizardy]

52 minutes ago, xl3b4n0nx said:

Would this be a good one to get? 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163142320696

 

I plan to use this in an Unraid build so I don't need the RAID capabilities. 

that will work fine, you can get cheaper, but that on is good if you want preflashed.

[Salacious B Crum]

23 hours ago, xl3b4n0nx said:

Would this be a good one to get? 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163142320696

 

I plan to use this in an Unraid build so I don't need the RAID capabilities. 

I can confirm that I have 2 of those cards and they work right out of the box with unRAID

[scottyseng]

On 5/6/2019 at 1:39 PM, xl3b4n0nx said:

Would this be a good one to get? 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F163142320696

 

I plan to use this in an Unraid build so I don't need the RAID capabilities. 

Yeah, that is the exact same one I own (dell one). Though I paid $50. Works well for testing SAS drives too (before committing them to any arrays).

[xl3b4n0nx]

Perfect. I have it in my watch list on ebay. Thanks!!

[dboris]

Got the hand on 6x12Tb for cheap.
Crazy that those RAID SAS cards are as old as my grand ma but still are "as good as it can get" in 2019.

 

[jlficken]

Go with a 9207-8i as it supports SSD's.

 

I went with a 9211-8i and then found out it doesn't support SSD's (TRIM, etc.) which is fine as though I don't plan on using the in my NAS.

[leadeater]

42 minutes ago, jlficken said:

I went with a 9211-8i and then found out it doesn't support SSD's (TRIM, etc.) which is fine as though I don't plan on using the in my NAS.

That's actually a driver issue you can use much older drivers and TRIM works, I think but some say this is not the case, see below.

 

Current firmware, for any LSI HBA, has these stipulations for TRIM to work.

Quote

The drives must support both “Data Set Management TRIM supported (limit 8 blocks)” and “Deterministic read ZEROs after TRIM” in their ATA options. 

Most SSDs do not have RZAT so unless you have a Samsung 860 series or newer TRIM doesn't actually function, don't know about other brands and their support for DZAT.

 

Run this and if the output is like this you're all good.

Quote

hdparm -I /dev/sd[x] | grep TRIM
    * Data Set Management TRIM supported (limit 8 blocks)
    * Deterministic read ZEROs after TRIM