Getting more good LSI 9211-8i cards

[Black Ninja]

I was lucky to find(localy) 2 new dell branded LSI9211-8i, flash them to IT and now is all great, but they were the last ones and I need to find more cards.

Ebay has a lot of them from different sellers, new or used you can get for the same price, but how can I tell what is knock off , and what is good card. I read rumors about some fake LSI card, is there any advice what to look for when buying one ? Is there seller somebody can recommend who sell good genuine lsi 9211 card ?

Any input will be appreciated.


P.S.
By the way the only reason I am not crazy about IBM version M1015 is that the ports are facing the top panel of any server chassis instead of being on the back facing internal parts (hdds) which make much more sense.

 

[Ericloewe]

The OEM (Dell) should be able to help determine if a card is genuine, I think.

 

[Black Ninja]

So just ask them, like send email and hope for an answer ? I tried to find something like the way you can check intel nics by yottamark stickers - putting the number on the card and the web site will tell you if it genuine. But I cant find something like that for lsi.

I wonder about these cards: You can get a brand new one for $290 or for $90 even on ebay. Some people may suggest to pay $290 and get one from newegg or something to make sure is good card, but they might get their cards from the same place you can by directly for $90 instead of overpaying. After all .... good or fake they all coming from the same region in Asia.This applies for all lsi cards , not just the one I am interested in.

Are they really a fake ones I wonder, or everybody just buy the main chip and just build a card with his components and sell the card ?

 

[Ericloewe]

I imagine there are fakes floating around. I don't know to what extent they differ, but I can imagine the following scenarios:

• Cards that failed QA and that the OEM sells to unscrupulous third parties
• Same card, but sold bypassing the OEM (unlikely since LSI controls the supply of their chips)
• Elaborate fakes that don't actually do what they should at all

Are they really a fake ones I wonder, or everybody just buy the main chip and just build a card with his components and sell the card ?

All LSI PCI-e cards I've seen use on of LSI's designs, regardless of the badge (Dell, Supermicro, ...), except for cards in proprietary formats.

 

[Black Ninja]

All LSI PCI-e cards I've seen use on of LSI's designs, regardless of the badge (Dell, Supermicro, ...), except for cards in proprietary formats.

You are right about the design part, but except the main chip , other components might be low quality and screw the whole picture. I ask a manufacture on ebay about Intel 10Gb nic if everything is original genuine Intel part , and his response was something like that: "Capacitors and resistors are not genuine intel the rest is intel." or something like that, and I think this applies for everything. They all get the main chip , and then build the rest but reference , but using the components they have is my assumption.

The thing is how know what to buy , I want lower price (if possible) like everyone else but , not at the cost for low quality parts which will make the card brick , and my data pool trash and all this because of crappy capacitor. Now even the price can't help you to get a better part, I recently bought a use dell 9211-8i , with the hope it was good since it's been pull from server center running this for awhile , as oppose to brand new card from unknown origin. By the way it cost me $10 more for used one than new one.

How would you make the choice ?

 

[BigDave]

My choice was to purchase a used working pull that came complete with used mini SAS cables.
afaik the new ones imported from the Far East, they could be fakes, but when sold on eBay,
just check the feedback for those cards purchased by other members. I tend to shy away from
buying outside North America, so if it's fake/DOA/defective/etc. returning it is not that big of a deal.
This card has a sticker on it that reads the year 2011, it's prob not a fake and the feedback kinda
lends itself to that as well.

 

[Glorious1]

I bought an LSI-9240-81 on eBay from a seller named efforttopting for $110, and it appears to be genuine and has worked fine. Prices vary. If you get something bogus and can find out within 3 days or whatever, eBay will reverse the sale, and you'll give them bad feedback. They wouldn't survive with a lot bad feedback.

 

[Black Ninja]

Can somebody recommend a reputable seller for brand new LSI cards with a reasonable prices ?

 

[EvanVanVan]

I got mine here (https://www.serversupply.com/CONTROLLERS/SAS-SATA/SERVERAID M1015/IBM/46M0861.htm) and haven't had any problems with it. (Of course it also cost $145 when I bought it 2.5 years ago)

 

[Stux]

I bought used M1115s from server pulls, for the same reason.

 

[ethereal]

i have four for sale - guaranteed to work or full money back.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/272339769288?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

 

[Black Ninja]

For used ones I guess ebay is as good place as any. It all depends on the seller honesty. Now "server fresh pull" became almost as standard in used cards advertising, but you never know if that wasnt "consumer pull" where the card was already cooked due to the lack of cooling in consumer desktop if not damaged before that by ESD which consumer don't take seriously since don't understand it importance.

Since I already bought everything brand new, I just don't want to trust some "kid" with my data by buying a card He obtain for "learning computers purposes".

Sure not every one will agree with me but I wanted to share my reasons for looking for new ones. Any suggestions for new reasonable priced ones vendors ?

 

[Black Ninja]

I got mine here (https://www.serversupply.com/CONTROLLERS/SAS-SATA/SERVERAID M1015/IBM/46M0861.htm) and haven't had any problems with it. (Of course it also cost $145 when I bought it 2.5 years ago)

Thanks for sharing, but this one will be good for getting a used one. Yes I know He also claim of selling a brand new ones, but I would never trust a seller who have both new and used in his inventory - the temptation to sell some used one as brand new is to great to resist for them.

 

[Black Ninja]

Does anybody have any experience with PROVANTAGE ? I came across this online retailer with huge inventory, but I have no clue what kind people are behind this ?

 

[wblock]

I've ordered there once or twice, no problems.

 

[Black Ninja]

I've ordered there once or twice, no problems.

Do you know more about them you can share ?
I am trying to determ if they are really official dealers for the major names as the y claim to be , or you were just lucky with your purchase ones or twise ?

P.S. I hate to spend good money on crooks, while good companies could use the money so they could stay in business.

 

[Spearfoot]

Does anybody have any experience with PROVANTAGE ? I came across this online retailer with huge inventory, but I have no clue what kind people are behind this ?

I've used them for years, with good results. Their prices usually aren't as good as Amazon's, but they often stock items that are unavailable at Amazon.

To answer your other question: Provantage is indeed a legitimate company and an "authorized manufacturer's reseller", as claimed.

 

[Black Ninja]

I've used them for years, with good results. Their prices usually aren't as good as Amazon's, but they often stock items that are unavailable at Amazon.

To answer your other question: Provantage is indeed a legitimate company and an "authorized manufacturer's reseller", as claimed.

Thank you very much for sharing that.
Amazon is great if they had any LSI cards , but only if it's their own inventory. Buying from Amazon third party is like getting of craigslist , if not worst, so I wouldn't do that.

Prices I can easy tell from the web site listing, but I can't tell if their product is genuine brand new not used or refurbished sold as new, and that is the most important to me.

And easy returns without restocking fees or other BS is also what I am looking for.

 

[Stux]

Does anybody have any experience with PROVANTAGE ? I came across this online retailer with huge inventory, but I have no clue what kind people are behind this ?

Seems to cover it:
http://www.provantage.com/about-provantage~xwhois.htm

They go right back.

 

[Black Ninja]

Seems to cover it:
http://www.provantage.com/about-provantage~xwhois.htm

They go right back.

That's well written I agree. But who wouldn't claim he is the best for promoting his business, right ? I am not saying it can't be true. All I am saying is I trust much more my fellows forum mates here ,than any advertisement I can read on the internet. That's why I am asking YOU guys.

P.S. I've been around the block long enough to learn most of the bad practices on online vendors.