Check my thinking: Will these work together?

[hotdog453]

This controller: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816132011

 

Along with this multiplier: http://www.addonics.com/products/host_controller/ad5sahpm-e.asp

 

From my reading:

one of Addonics SATA controllers that has SIL3124 or SIL3132 chip set.

, it looks like it'll work, as the card is SIL3124, and unRAID has support... but, just wanted to check

[RobJ]

On specs, it should work.  The card has a SiI3132 chipset, uses sata_sil24 driver, and is ready for that Addonics Port Multiplier card.

 

You are one of the first to actually try this.  There are many others waiting to hear how well it works.  Keep us posted.

 

[hotdog453]

Will do. As I've never done it, if I move some of my current data drives to the new port multiplier box, will I need to set up anything in unRAID? I won't be moving the parity drive, so they should all pop up, righto?

[RobJ]

When you are out front, exploring brand new territory, there's no point in asking for a map!  You are going where no one I know has been, and drawing the map for us.  (cue the Star Trek theme)

 

[WeeboTech]

I'll be exploring uncharted territory soon with the SiI-5744 chipset.

http://www.siliconimage.com/products/product.aspx?id=105

 

This is a port multiplier (I believe) that supports RAID1, RAID0, BIG, SPAN, SAFE33 and SAFE50.

I'm hoping to do SAFE33 with SPANNED Parity and RAID1 on Cache.

Should be interesting.

 

I'm hoping to hook it up to the external port on the ABIT BP9 PRO.

 

We'll see how it goes in the next few days.

 

[Berg]

A quick question about all this multiplier discussion -

 

If I was to use a multiplier to connect, say, three drives to unRAID, would the parity drive have to be as large or larger than the combined total of that one multiplier "assembly" ?

[WeeboTech]

would the parity drive have to be as large or larger than the combined total of that one multiplier "assembly" ?

No the same current rules for parity drive size apply.

I.E.  The parity drive has to be one of the largest drives in the array.

 

A port multiplier is a mechanism of sharing one path (cable) to multiple destinations (drive).

Think if a star(bus) topology instead of the current point to point topology of SATA.

 

It's a way of adding multple drives through one controller port.

So in effect, it would be like adding a controller with 5 SATA ports for 5 SATA drives.

The benefit is you can grow outside of the current phyiscal box.

With one good controller you could have up to 20 drives through the use of port multipliers.

 

http://www.serialata.org/portmultiplier.asp

http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/expert/KnowledgebaseAnswer/0,289625,sid5_gci1242421,00.html

http://www.siliconimage.com/PRODUCTS/product.aspx?id=26

 

[RobJ]

In doing a bit of research about SAFE33 and SAFE50, I ran across this note, concerning Addonics Port Multiplier adapters:

Setting of the Port Multiplier requires configuration software from the controller, with the exception of the Hardware Port Multiplier (which uses it's own configuration software). All Addonics controllers only include the software to configure the standard Port Multiplier under Windows OS at this time.

 

Found it on the page mentioned above:  http://www.addonics.com/products/host_controller/pm_cc.asp.

 

This could be a real problem for an unRAID user.  I suppose they could install it on a Windows machine first, run the configuration tool, then move it to their unRAID box.  They also need to be connected to a SATA controller with SiI3132 or SiI3124 chipset, or possibly to a USB 2.0 port.  I think the controller would have to be installed in the Windows machine at the same time as the adapter.

 

[WeeboTech]

In doing a bit of research about SAFE33 and SAFE50, I ran across this note, concerning Addonics Port Multiplier adapters:

Setting of the Port Multiplier requires configuration software from the controller, with the exception of the Hardware Port Multiplier (which uses it's own configuration software). All Addonics controllers only include the software to configure the standard Port Multiplier under Windows OS at this time.

 

I would suppose this is handled in the kernel when it initializes the controller.

I should have some background on this soon as I almost have all the parts for a new tower.

(just trying to spec out the fans and get information about a FANLESS heatsink on the AB9 PRO.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835185038

 

[Berg]

would the parity drive have to be as large or larger than the combined total of that one multiplier "assembly" ?

No the same current rules for parity drive size apply.

I.E.  The parity drive has to be one of the largest drives in the array.

 

A port multiplier is a mechanism of sharing one path (cable) to multiple destinations (drive).

Think if a star(bus) topology instead of the current point to point topology of SATA.

 

It's a way of adding multple drives through one controller port.

So in effect, it would be like adding a controller with 5 SATA ports for 5 SATA drives.

The benefit is you can grow outside of the current phyiscal box.

With one good controller you could have up to 20 drives through the use of port multipliers.

 

http://www.serialata.org/portmultiplier.asp

http://searchstorage.techtarget.com/expert/KnowledgebaseAnswer/0,289625,sid5_gci1242421,00.html

http://www.siliconimage.com/PRODUCTS/product.aspx?id=26

 

 

Thanks WeeboTech.

 

Given the current limit of 15 drives + "2", this would only be really useful if unRAID started to support much larger number of drives, right ? (I guess that depends on the MD and case one is using, but given most of us seem to be using MB with a fair amount of SATA ports)

 

[WeeboTech]

Given the current limit of 15 drives + "2", this would only be really useful if unRAID started to support much larger number of drives, right ? (I guess that depends on the MD and case one is using, but given most of us seem to be using MB with a fair amount of SATA ports)

Correct, in my case with the AB9 PRO,

I believe I can put in 1 of the addonics PCI based port multiplers, attach it to the SIL3132 on the motherboard and gain 4 more internal ports without taking a slot on the bus.

If I use a SIL5744 in an external chassis (or somehow re-wire the eSata port internally). I'll gain hardware managed RAID1 & SPAN for Parity for 2 more drives.