HBA Recomendations

mrjoli021

Explorer
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
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50
Hello,

I bought a used SuperMicro server with 12 drives. The server came with an Adaptec 51245 raid controller. I am looking to replace that with an HBA and flash it so that I can virtualize FreeNas and present the storage back to Vmware.

What HBA would you recommend for this? I don't want to spend a lot of money on it, but I would like to get something that works.
 

Chris Moore

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Joined
May 2, 2015
Messages
10,080
Hello,

I bought a used SuperMicro server with 12 drives. The server came with an Adaptec 51245 raid controller. I am looking to replace that with an HBA and flash it so that I can virtualize FreeNas and present the storage back to Vmware.

What HBA would you recommend for this? I don't want to spend a lot of money on it, but I would like to get something that works.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-H220-6G...9205-8i-P20-IT-Mode-From-US-Ship/192639052923
and one of these SAS expanders:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-ServeR...on-Adapter-46M0997-Firmware-634A/163321588238

Here is a video about how you can use them together:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qccpopxc_Uo
 

mrjoli021

Explorer
Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
50
I have a similar super micro with 12 drives now and it is setup with FreeNas. The server only has one card not two. I would like to get a similar setup. The only problem is that I can't shut the server down at the moment to find out what model HBA I currently have. I am looking for a single card that will support 12 drives.
 

Chris Moore

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May 2, 2015
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10,080
The only problem is that I can't shut the server down at the moment to find out what model HBA I currently have. I am looking for a single card that will support 12 drives.
You have options, there are 16 port SAS controllers, but they are much more expensive and gain you nothing over the suggestion above.
Example, not a recommendation:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/9201-16i-H...Express-2-0-SAS-6Gbps-for-Server/192044684746

You can also connect eight drives to the SAS controller and the remaining four to the system board SATA ports. FreeNAS can have the pool mixed between two controllers like that, but you get better performance having them all on a single SAS HBA.

The SAS Expander only uses the card slot for power. All the data goes through the cable back to the SAS Controller.
 
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