R710 + Storage array + a new LSI SAS controller but what model?

[ivioo]

Hello, I have a Dell R710 with the following . . .

2 x CPU Intel Xeon X5670, 2.93Ghz, 12M Cache,Turbo, HT
144GB = 18 x 8GB 1333MHZ RDIMM
8 x 600GB 10,000 RPM SAS 2.5" connected to PERC 6/i SAS RAID Controller 2x4 Connectors, Internal, 256MB Cache

I just purchased a 12 bay Storage array

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Xyratex-JB...S-Hard-Drive-Bay-HB-1235-Dell-HP/202651360830

What SAS controller should I get? as long as it is flashed to IT mode and supports HBA not RAID? 16e connector?

I'm looking everywhere on the internet/forms/documentation to see what the differences between 9201 vs 9202 vs 9300s or??? Which one do I get from eBay?

I want to start buying 3.5" 8TB drives for the storage array and not use the PERC 6/i or use it only for the OS??

 

[Chris Moore]

What SAS controller should I get? as long as it is flashed to IT mode and supports HBA not RAID? 16e connector?

I would go with this one if all you are doing is spinning disks:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LSI-9200-8...IT-Mode-ZFS-FreeNAS-unRAID-NoROM/163534822734

I'm looking everywhere on the internet/forms/documentation to see what the differences between 9201 vs 9202 vs 9300s or??? Which one do I get from eBay?

These guides should help with your confusion:

https://www.ixsystems.com/community/threads/confused-about-that-lsi-card-join-the-crowd.11901/

https://www.ixsystems.com/community...-sas-sy-a-primer-on-basic-sas-and-sata.26145/

I want to start buying 3.5" 8TB drives for the storage array and not use the PERC 6/i or use it only for the OS??

Did you have a question there? I wouldn't use the PERC 6/i for anything. You can take it right out of the system and replace it with this controller:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/JW063-0JW063-SAS6I-R-DELL-SAS-6I-R-PCIE-RAID-CONTROLLER/262151785365
If you change the cables from the card to the backplane, you could switch to one of these, which would be even better:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-H200-...i-P20-IT-Mode-ZFS-FreeNAS-unRAID/163142320696

 

[Mr. Slumber]

Hi, I had very good experience buying a preflashed IT HBA card here

The guy is very service oriented and replied to all the questions I had. Also a very interesting youtube channel that helped me quiet a lot.