Hi, you guys have helped me a lot when I picked up my M1015 and flashed it to IT for HBA use..
Now that I am about to move my local server to a virtual setup, I wonder about RAID adapter for the VM's storage. ESXi setup instructions are recommending installing the VM's on a RAID 1 array for redundancy, etc..
As of now, I am running two RAID1 arrays (Linux mdadm), one for /boot, one for / off of the mainboard controller, and another RAID5 array with lots of data (approx. 6TB) using 6 HDD's from the M1015.
I am wondering if I should just pass-through the two HDD's used in the RAID1 arrays to the VM's and reconstruct the RAID arrays in the VM's, or should I simply get a RAID controller, setup the RAID1 array at the controller level to pass-through only the resulting drive and be transparent to the VM's?
For the price of a good second hand controller (took a quick ebay drive and looked around), is it worthwhile to buy such controller and use it for only 2 drives? Most of the dual SAS port controllers can work with 8 SATA drives. Assuming 2 drives for the VM's, there would be 6 drives left (the RAID5 array).
-Which controller would you recommend to me? M5014, M5015 or M5016? Another model/type?
-With that controller, can I do RAID5 or 6? Do I need to spend another extra 500$ for a advanced key?
-Can I create 3 RAID arrays using drives from both SAS ports?
-What about those controllers (m5015, or M5016) from Taiwan or Hong Kong? Often I see them about 20% cheaper than the US counterparts.. Are they fakes? DO they work as intended?
-Is the BBU absolutely required or just a nice thing to have? I am using a UPS for this server if that matters.
-Are SAS drives really worth it? For 2X 2TB SAS drives, I would have to shell out $400CAD which is a LOT for me right now.. I would go for 1TB drives but Im already using 1.2TB out of 2TB of the RAID1 arrays and expect to outgrow this some time soon... I may have to revisit my storage strategy..
In regards to the M1015 I already have in this server, I'd like to keep using it either as HBA or for RAID. Is it any good in RAID?
I am using a Supermicro H8DCL-IF motherboard.
Thanks a lot!!
Now that I am about to move my local server to a virtual setup, I wonder about RAID adapter for the VM's storage. ESXi setup instructions are recommending installing the VM's on a RAID 1 array for redundancy, etc..
As of now, I am running two RAID1 arrays (Linux mdadm), one for /boot, one for / off of the mainboard controller, and another RAID5 array with lots of data (approx. 6TB) using 6 HDD's from the M1015.
I am wondering if I should just pass-through the two HDD's used in the RAID1 arrays to the VM's and reconstruct the RAID arrays in the VM's, or should I simply get a RAID controller, setup the RAID1 array at the controller level to pass-through only the resulting drive and be transparent to the VM's?
For the price of a good second hand controller (took a quick ebay drive and looked around), is it worthwhile to buy such controller and use it for only 2 drives? Most of the dual SAS port controllers can work with 8 SATA drives. Assuming 2 drives for the VM's, there would be 6 drives left (the RAID5 array).
-Which controller would you recommend to me? M5014, M5015 or M5016? Another model/type?
-With that controller, can I do RAID5 or 6? Do I need to spend another extra 500$ for a advanced key?
-Can I create 3 RAID arrays using drives from both SAS ports?
-What about those controllers (m5015, or M5016) from Taiwan or Hong Kong? Often I see them about 20% cheaper than the US counterparts.. Are they fakes? DO they work as intended?
-Is the BBU absolutely required or just a nice thing to have? I am using a UPS for this server if that matters.
-Are SAS drives really worth it? For 2X 2TB SAS drives, I would have to shell out $400CAD which is a LOT for me right now.. I would go for 1TB drives but Im already using 1.2TB out of 2TB of the RAID1 arrays and expect to outgrow this some time soon... I may have to revisit my storage strategy..
In regards to the M1015 I already have in this server, I'd like to keep using it either as HBA or for RAID. Is it any good in RAID?
I am using a Supermicro H8DCL-IF motherboard.
Thanks a lot!!
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