HD Controller recommendation

[kimia]

Hi group,

We have suffered some problems with out hardware, one Supermicro 846TQ with 3ware hd controller, and as i read here and @cyberjock told me, this controller is only useful if you like living life on the edge... :), we are going to change it.

Our provider give us a list of server with its controllers because they doesnt mount other controllers on this kind of machines. And here its my question if anyone has a recomendation or use case about this list of controllers:
- ServeRAID M5015 (My prefer option)
- PERC H730 1GB NV (Support HBA Mode)
- HP P420/1GB

The list of controllers its bigger but those are the general brands which they provide and i think it can be interesting for us.

Cheers

 

[jgreco]

They're all poor options, I believe.

If the PERC *actually* supports HBA mode, that might be an option, but I kinda doubt it since that's basically a MegaRAID 9361 (LSI 3108) and I'm pretty sure the 3108 doesn't actually support IT mode. I've got a Supermicro AOC-S3108L-H8iR right here which is a similar card. Great for ESXi, not good (at all) for FreeNAS.

Something like the PERC H310 can be flashed to IT mode. We've done a bunch of those here, because they've got the 2U-compatible end mounted SFF8087's. But they're a bit trickier to flash to IT mode than the M1015.

 

[kimia]

... The PERC models goes from H700 to H730.... :(

 

[danb35]

All poor options including the M1015?

 

[kimia]

Its not the M1015... the option for ServeRaid is only the M5015. If i can choose the M1015, it would be no question.... :)

 

[danb35]

That's what I get for skimming your message. Never mind, then...

 

[ser_rhaegar]

That's what I get for skimming your message. Never mind, then...

I thought the same thing at first.

 

[jgreco]

Some of us actually take the time to read....!

(Except of course when we don't. Just kiddin' guys)

 

[Ericloewe]

the PERC *actually* supports HBA mode, that might be an option, but I kinda doubt it since that's basically a MegaRAID 9361 (LSI 3108) and I'm pretty sure the 3108 doesn't actually support IT mode. I've got a Supermicro AOC-S3108L-H8iR right here which is a similar card. Great for ESXi, not good (at all) for FreeNAS.

Update on this: LSI SAS3 controllers do support direct-attach drives in hardware RAID mode, just not with the garbage legacy mfi driver. Using the newer mrsas driver allows for sane behavior.

Naturally, IT mode is still preferred, since it has had a lot more testing.