[geeks] Cheap Adaptec SATA/SAS RAID controllers announced

[Sridhar Ayengar]

Lionel Peterson wrote:
> Given a generous definition for "cheap" ;^)
> 
> Adaptec has announced two new "low-end" SAS/SATA RAID controllers - 4
> port (either all internal or all external), on-board processor/RAM,
> support for RAID 0, 1, and 10 and occupies a PCI Express 8x slot, for
> around $200-250:
> 
> Link: http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS9434183425.html
> 
> Intenal version of card:
> http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/products/sas_tech/entry/SAS-2405/
> 
> External Version of card:
> http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/products/sas_tech/entry/SAS-2045/
> 
> These look good, but I wonder how deep discount vendors will offer
> the cards for?
> 
> BTW, the cards will ship with drivers for Win, Linux, and SOLARIS
> (assumed to be x86). The stated goal of these cards is to displace
> software RAID implementation in low-end applications.
> 
> Remember, most PCI Express 16x slots aren't wired/don't support 8x
> operation, they are typically wired for 1x and 16x operation, and
> sometimes 4x - the 8x slots are more common on server-class MBs in my
> exp... The Mfg. listings show a long list of MBs that have been
> tested, including a fairly affordable Intel "desktop" MB, the DG33FBC
> at around $105 (see:
> http://www.provantage.com/intel-boxdg33fbc~7ITEM0EK.htm) - I assume
> the RAID card goes in the 16x PCI Express slot...

First of all, isn't a x16 slot that doesn't accept x8 cards broken, 
according to the PCI-express standard?

Also, is this card actually hardware RAID?  Adaptec cards tend to be a 
bit of a mixed bag, with the low-end cards having their RAID functions 
running on the system CPU through the use of a heavyweight driver. 
(Fake RAID)

Peace...  Sridhar