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Brians256 · 06-05-2007, 05:02 PM

Sorry BB2k and nuclear. Yes, I know that SAS is actually Serial Attached SCSI, but I was just being lazy in my language. What I meant was the "old" SCSI. I just didn't want anyone to think that ribbon-cable SCSI was a "serious" solution anymore.

SAS is a very nice interface, but it is so expensive that it scarcely seems meaningful unless extreme performance or 6-sigma uptime is your goal. The 3ware controller was a good set of features for me. It was the cheapest good quality controller (i.e. not Rocket) that had OCE, SATA support for more than 4 drives and support for more than 2TB. SAS is great for a cluster of VM servers though. We use it here at work and it definitely helps. Migrating a server image is ever so smooth with the SAS array.

Areca's line of RAID controllers looked good too, but there seemed to be a lot of complaints about poor compatibility and poor customer support. If the Areca worked, it seemed to be faster than the 3ware. I was just afraid it wouldn't work on a non-server mobo and couldn't find a lot of anecdotal reports of "it worked on <X> mobo". Both 3ware and Areca don't do well in supporting every mobo in existence, which makes business sense. How many people are silly enough to put 5TB server in the garage? Most "extreme" consumers put a 1TB Buffalo NAS in the closet or under the desk and call it good. 3ware and Areca do well to cater to the small to mid-size businesses.

06-05-2007, 05:02 PM	#12
Brians256 Pro/Staff Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Klamath Falls, OR Posts: 1,439	Re: picked up a free computer Sorry BB2k and nuclear. Yes, I know that SAS is actually Serial Attached SCSI, but I was just being lazy in my language. What I meant was the "old" SCSI. I just didn't want anyone to think that ribbon-cable SCSI was a "serious" solution anymore. SAS is a very nice interface, but it is so expensive that it scarcely seems meaningful unless extreme performance or 6-sigma uptime is your goal. The 3ware controller was a good set of features for me. It was the cheapest good quality controller (i.e. not Rocket) that had OCE, SATA support for more than 4 drives and support for more than 2TB. SAS is great for a cluster of VM servers though. We use it here at work and it definitely helps. Migrating a server image is ever so smooth with the SAS array. Areca's line of RAID controllers looked good too, but there seemed to be a lot of complaints about poor compatibility and poor customer support. If the Areca worked, it seemed to be faster than the 3ware. I was just afraid it wouldn't work on a non-server mobo and couldn't find a lot of anecdotal reports of "it worked on <X> mobo". Both 3ware and Areca don't do well in supporting every mobo in existence, which makes business sense. How many people are silly enough to put 5TB server in the garage? Most "extreme" consumers put a 1TB Buffalo NAS in the closet or under the desk and call it good. 3ware and Areca do well to cater to the small to mid-size businesses.