LSI SAS 9211-8i / BROADCOM SAS 9211-8i

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pettinz

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May 1, 2018
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Hi,
I found on Amazon two different controllers at two different prices:
• LSI SAS 9211-8i for €120.00
• Broadcom SAS 9211-8i for €165.00
Are they the same controller? Or there are some differences?
 

Terry Kennedy

Well-Known Member
Jun 25, 2015
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www.glaver.org
Hi,
I found on Amazon two different controllers at two different prices:
• LSI SAS 9211-8i for €120.00
• Broadcom SAS 9211-8i for €165.00
Are they the same controller? Or there are some differences?
Should both be the same, as long as these are actual generic cards and not OEM versions (most of which have different firmware and many of which have different printed circuit boards).

Keeping track of company names* has become a "follow the bouncing ball". For example, 3Ware -> AMCC -> LSI Logic -> Avago -> Broadcom. While that has been happening, some Broadcom products are now QLogic.

* It is even worse with product names. Consider the tortured history of Backup Exec software, or Snap Server NAS appliances.
 
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Stefan75

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Jan 22, 2018
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The 9211-8i chip technology is 10 years old now, I wouldn't buy them new.
Get a used/oem card for $30 and flash it to LSI firmware.
 

pettinz

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May 1, 2018
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The 9211-8i chip technology is 10 years old now, I wouldn't buy them new.
Get a used/oem card for $30 and flash it to LSI firmware.
I’m new into this, which one would you recommend?
Is the LSI-MegaRAID 9260-8i @ 170€ better?
Note that I need them to work in IT mode
 
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Stefan75

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Jan 22, 2018
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What are you trying to achieve?
First you'll have to decide.. hardware or software raid
What speed is needed (disk/ssd), any existing hardware (connector types)?
 

pettinz

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What are you trying to achieve?
First you'll have to decide.. hardware or software raid
What speed is needed (disk/ssd), any existing hardware (connector types)?
Software, I will manage raid with mdadm. My chassis’ backplane has a miniSAS 8087 port to connect 4xHDD (I have WD RED)
 

pettinz

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Stefan75

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They've all been discussed in this forum... the procedures are all very similar.
These card are almost impossible to brick... just pick one :p
 
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nthu9280

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Feb 3, 2016
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The issue with "new" LSI 9211/9210 is that you may end up with counterfeit product from China.

If you can find used OEM cards, it's a safer route.


Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 

pettinz

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What about a Broadcom MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i? I’ve read that it supports JBOD so I don’t need to flash it to IT mode (I think) and I found it @ 120€ (same price of 9211-8i)

Note that I have to connect 4x8TB drives to each connector so a total of 8x8TB... can they handle it?
 
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nthu9280

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Feb 3, 2016
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That is also based on SAS2008 chip and 8i can handle 8 drives natively. If it says MegaRAID, I think it may come with IR firmware. Even if it comes preflashed with IT firmware, most likely
it is older firmware and require update.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 
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swagler

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Feb 15, 2018
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Does anyone know whether an LSI 9211-4i flashed with P7 SAS2004 IT firmware will recognize a 4TB SATA hard drive. My ASUS A8N-SLI Premium halts when flashed with P10-P20. I've only seen one post saying P10 and newer is required.
 

Stefan75

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Jan 22, 2018
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I updated the firmware of my 9201-16e with MegaRAID Storage Manager (windows).

If you don't need the bios you could try removing that (command line), maybe it will boot then.
I think it was ...flash -o -e 5

Or you could try flashing the efi- or non-efi bios.
 
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swagler

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Feb 15, 2018
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Or you could try flashing the efi- or non-efi bios.
Thank you for the reply. I just ordered a new old stock WD Black Enterprise 2TB for $69.99.
My motherboard uses old regular bios, not EFI firmware like new ones. LSI has great hardware, but lousy documentation i.e. version history retirements... Apparently P10 was first 9211 LSI firmware for EFI motherboards, which I can't use, so I'm restricted to 2TB max. I'm using P7 booting to a Samsung 840 Pro, with soon (2) 2TB's.