From owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Dec 16 10:54:46 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id B6FBB16A4CE for ; Tue, 16 Dec 2003 10:54:46 -0800 (PST) Received: from a.mx.devonit.com (a.mx.docisp.com [65.242.215.10]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 675D443D35 for ; Tue, 16 Dec 2003 10:54:45 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from dan@devonit.com) Received: (qmail 9444 invoked by uid 524); 16 Dec 2003 18:54:44 -0000 Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 13:54:44 -0500 From: Dan Melomedman To: Beric Farmer Message-ID: <20031216185444.GA7272@mail.devonit.com> References: <20031208190253.GC19941@mail.devonit.com> <531664931.1071578512@[192.168.1.100]> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <531664931.1071578512@[192.168.1.100]> User-Agent: Mutt/1.4i cc: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Subject: Re: SATA RAID controllers X-BeenThere: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion of FreeBSD hardware List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2003 18:54:46 -0000 Beric Farmer wrote: > Hi Dan. > > I've had experience with the HighPoint RocketRAID 1520 (SATA) and the > Promise TX2 (ATA133). > > First, in terms of reliability and function, I've not had any > problems with either to date. However, I find the transfer rates of > both of them to be less than I would expect. >From the responses I've received so far NetBSD people had terrible experience with the Promise controllers, presumably until they fixed it in the new firmware. Anyway, I shelled out for the Escalade controller which should be well-supported by any BSD and of course Linux, and also quite fast (real hardware RAID, presumably not just a BIOS to boot a software RAID volume like the other controllers). I still doubt this array will have the speed of my 10K RPM SCSI mirror, but should be close enough. It's a shame for this price it doesn't have cache. There is an interesting SATA vs. SCSI benchmark shootout at tomshardware.com.