Sata ports Extension availability

hatem5000

Dabbler
Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
26
Hello Guys,

I'm using board GB B450 Amd version for my TrueNAS build and it has only 4 sata ports and 1 M.2 port.

i want to put around 7 HDDs,
so what is the solution ?

I think about PCIe multi sata card so is it good choice like in picture attached ?
E6C52BA3-11EC-43D3-AA5F-CEC0CEBC7CF1.jpeg

Thanks in advance
Hatem
 

Etorix

Wizard
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
2,115
Probably not. What matters is the controller, and without looking further, 4 SATA ports on a single PCIe lane does not yell "quality".

You should look for is a LSI 2008 or 2308-based card (LSI 92xx-8i, or IBM/Dell/HPE rebrands) flashed to IT mode. Avoid anything that says "RAID".
 

hatem5000

Dabbler
Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
26
Probably not. What matters is the controller, and without looking further, 4 SATA ports on a single PCIe lane does not yell "quality".

You should look for is a LSI 2008 or 2308-based card (LSI 92xx-8i, or IBM/Dell/HPE rebrands) flashed to IT mode. Avoid anything that says "RAID".

Thanks ..
But i don't get "flashed to IT mode" ?
Alsi is this card is PCIe ?!
 

Etorix

Wizard
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Dec 30, 2020
Messages
2,115
These SAS controllers (compatible with SATA) can run on either of two firmwares: IR firmware with some RAID features, or IT firmware (plain HBA). ZFS works best with the IT firmware.
Flashing IT firmware is a relatively simple command line affair from DOS or the UEFI shell. Some sellers do it for you, and advertise their cards as "IT mode" or "ZFS HBA".
Do not forget the matching cables (breakout SFF-8xxx to 4 SATA), and make sure they are of the short version (50 cm or less). Longer cables (70-100cm) are intended for SAS drives and may cause issues with SATA drives.
 

jgreco

Resident Grinch
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May 29, 2011
Messages
18,681
two firmwares: IR firmware with some RAID features, or IT firmware (plain HBA). ZFS works best with the IT firmware.

Just a minor nit:

IR firmware is *fine* as long as it is IR-20.00.07.00 (the same as the IT firmware), but it will be a few percent slower, and you don't want to use the IR features (probably).

However, there is a third and sometimes fourth firmware option: "vendor IR" is generally NOT available as 20.00.07.00 and is a REALLY BAD IDEA, and "full RAID" firmware such as anything driven by MFI or MRSAS drivers is not going to end well.
 

rvassar

Guru
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May 2, 2018
Messages
971
Just to be clear... Most of the problems with the add-on PCIe SATA cards stem from the chipset's they use, and the lack of drivers in TrueNAS. If you try and find a board on Amazon or Newegg, or your countries equivalent, you'll find they claim support for Windows, and maybe Linux. TrueNAS is neither, and may not have a driver. Even in cases where FreeBSD (the base OS TrueNAS is built from), has a driver, it may not be well tested, and may not be up to the task of hosting a ZFS pool.
 

jgreco

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May 29, 2011
Messages
18,681
Just to be clear... Most of the problems with the add-on PCIe SATA cards stem from the chipset's they use, and the lack of drivers in TrueNAS. If you try and find a board on Amazon or Newegg, or your countries equivalent, you'll find they claim support for Windows, and maybe Linux. TrueNAS is neither, and may not have a driver. Even in cases where FreeBSD (the base OS TrueNAS is built from), has a driver, it may not be well tested, and may not be up to the task of hosting a ZFS pool.

This happens all the time, alas.



Etc.

Where chipsets designed for Windows are really only marginal at best under the much more demanding requirements of FreeNAS.

If you find a well-implemented AHCI chipset, yes, it will work great, and at probably fewer watts burned than an HBA. Unfortunately, lots of PC hardware are knockoffs or ripped-off technology, and it is really hard to know in advance what you are going to wind up with, or what the potential failures could be.
 

hatem5000

Dabbler
Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
26
This happens all the time, alas.



Etc.

Where chipsets designed for Windows are really only marginal at best under the much more demanding requirements of FreeNAS.

If you find a well-implemented AHCI chipset, yes, it will work great, and at probably fewer watts burned than an HBA. Unfortunately, lots of PC hardware are knockoffs or ripped-off technology, and it is really hard to know in advance what you are going to wind up with, or what the potential failures could be.

If you pass by a good PCIe sata card that supported by Freenas before, thanks to mention it so i search for it (as i noticed it's cheaper than sas one).

By the way this was the one i intended to buy it :

D221294B-6486-4027-8652-E8557DE965FE.jpeg


I searched on amazon and didn't find many sas cards, below is one, so is it good ?

7F10FBA2-2A08-44DC-B330-551842B0851D.jpeg
 

NugentS

MVP
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Apr 16, 2020
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That looks like an IBM Card - and M5015 is an IBM part - but Ccylez?
Where does it ship from?
 

ChrisRJ

Wizard
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Oct 23, 2020
Messages
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Please check the link "Don't use RAID" from recommended readings in my signature. The IBM M5015 is a RAID card, you want something like the M1015.
 

NugentS

MVP
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Good spot - yeah neither card is any good.
 

hatem5000

Dabbler
Joined
May 16, 2019
Messages
26
I
Please check the link "Don't use RAID" from recommended readings in my signature. The IBM M5015 is a RAID card, you want something like the M1015.

I found it but it's pricey .. is there cheap alternatives ?
Also why i shouldn't pick the Raid one ? I might need raid for HDDs !
 

jgreco

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The Dell PERC H200 and H300 are often $30 on the used market.
 

ChrisRJ

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I found it but it's pricey .. is there cheap alternatives ?
Also why i shouldn't pick the Raid one ? I might need raid for HDDs !
Did you read what I recommended?
 

ChrisRJ

Wizard
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Oct 23, 2020
Messages
1,909
yes , and i replied it .. i found m1015 but it's pricey so I'm looking for cheap alternatives
In that case I don't understand why you would still want a RAID controller.
 
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