simple 1 (or 2-4) port sata controller?

[AlainD]

Hi

I want to expand my freenas box with a tray to do backups to, but my 6-sata ports are occupied.
Are there simple (and not to expensive) sata cards that are know to work out of the box?

Using Freenas 9.2 with a 6 drive RAIDZ2.

Alain

 

[Michael Wulff Nielsen]

I think the IBM M1015 is the evergreen around here. :)

 

[AlainD]

Yes, but the IBM M1015 is IMHO overkill to add 1 or 2 (e-)sata ports .

I was thinking on one off the "cheaper" cards, but I'm not sure they work with freenas.

Something like :
http://www.computeruniverse.net/en/products/90302925/delock-pci-express-card.asp

 

[Michael Wulff Nielsen]

It doesn't mention FreeBSD as supported so buy it at your own risk. But if you buy it, please post the results here.

The IBM m1015 is very well supported and is known to work well, that's why it gets recommended.

 

[AlainD]

Hi

I found some more info about sata controllers and zfs/linux use :

http://blog.zorinaq.com/?e=10

To my surprise does a dirt cheap card support the recomended marvel controller for a two port setup:

http://www.computeruniverse.net/en/products/90541328/logilink-pci-express-schnittstellenkarte.asp


Alain

 

[Michael Wulff Nielsen]

Don't mistake Linux driver support for FreeBSD/FreeNAS driver support. They are two completely different operating systems.

 

[AlainD]

Don't mistake Linux driver support for FreeBSD/FreeNAS driver support. They are two completely different operating systems.

I know but FreeBSD is especially mentioned. I suspect that a card that has FreeBSD compability from 2010 with ahci, will have FreeNAS compability.

 

[Michael Wulff Nielsen]

Very likely, especially since it mentions FreeBSD as supported.

 

[cyberjock]

AlainD,

It's exactly as Michael said. M1015 is the cream of the crop for price AND performance. There's lots of stuff that is claimed to be supported, then later they find it doesn't work, isn't reliable, etc. So buy at your own risk if you don't want to take our recommendations.