$45 OBO (free S&H) for HP PCIe SAS EXPANDER CARD - worth while?http://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-468405-0...003319?hash=item2eedac89f7:g:qJ4AAOSwGYVXBBLM
HP SAS Expander
- Thread starter pc-tecky
- Start date
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A thing to clarify - the SATA 1.5Gbps and SAS 3Gbps limitation was the initial spec of the card. At some point, a firmware update unlocked the full SATA 3Gbps and SAS 6Gbps mode. Do a search for them online, hardforum.com has a huge thread about them.
You will be able to update the firmware most easily if you have an HP system (or atleast a compatible HP SmartArray card, such as a P410). You can look on that forum to see what other people have done with them.
I run one in a DL370 G6 and have had good results with it. It is supporting a mix of SAS and SATA drives with no problems, but I have not verified the speeds. Coupled with the integrated P410i array and a 1GB FBWC module, it screams for my purposes as an all-in-one home server/test bed. Of course, my system was meant to take that expander, so YMMV in a different setup.
I paid $60 for mine a few months ago, but it came with 4 of the HP SFF-8087 cables. If you don't need those, this looks like a decent deal, about the same as you can get regularly on eBay. Sometimes they come with a plastic bracket on the back for cable routing; I found it handy and it relieves the stress on the ports on the card.
You will be able to update the firmware most easily if you have an HP system (or atleast a compatible HP SmartArray card, such as a P410). You can look on that forum to see what other people have done with them.
I run one in a DL370 G6 and have had good results with it. It is supporting a mix of SAS and SATA drives with no problems, but I have not verified the speeds. Coupled with the integrated P410i array and a 1GB FBWC module, it screams for my purposes as an all-in-one home server/test bed. Of course, my system was meant to take that expander, so YMMV in a different setup.
I paid $60 for mine a few months ago, but it came with 4 of the HP SFF-8087 cables. If you don't need those, this looks like a decent deal, about the same as you can get regularly on eBay. Sometimes they come with a plastic bracket on the back for cable routing; I found it handy and it relieves the stress on the ports on the card.
Updated to newest firmware 2.10 (Feb 2013).
My 13 seagate disks (3-5TB) all negotiate at SATA2 (3Gbps).
My 13 seagate disks (3-5TB) all negotiate at SATA2 (3Gbps).
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