Hardware RAID for ESXi

[Zack Hehmann]

Hey guys,

I'm helping a friend out with a new server build. I'm trying to figure out how to handle the storage for his ESXi host. I'm considering looking for a good inexpensive hardware RAID option for his ESXi server. He has an i3 that doesn't support VT-d, so that rules out software RAID or ZFS.

He was looking at purchasing 3-4 2TB Hitachi drives ($20-40) for storage and was looking for a card to go with it. He has a Supermicro board, but it only has Intel's Matrix RAID.

I came across these 2 threads
LSI RAID Controller and HBA Complete Listing Plus OEM Models
and
First Gen Lsi Sas Cards, Viable, Cheap and Reliable....Like a mature MILF...

I'm looking at this card... ServeRAID-MR10i SAS/SATA Controller any other suggestions? My guess is to go with either raid 0, 5, or 6 and the card should have a bbu...? I told him to make sure to have a good backup elsewhere... This is just for learning so speed/space should be the most important.

 

[j_h_o]

I'd do 3ware 9750-4i or 8i. Should be relatively inexpensive, and performant.

 

[Zack Hehmann]

I'd do 3ware 9750-4i or 8i. Should be relatively inexpensive, and performant.

That card is more expensive than the one I listed. He doesn't need SATA III does he... esp if its all 2TB drives and spinning drives.

LSI SAS 6GBs RAID Controller 9750-8i L3-25239-11B PCI-E PCIe X8 w/ Battery

 

[Jannis Jacobsen]

you need a raid card with cache and bbu.
otherwise your performance will be so poor you could almost use usb memorysticks

I use a hp p410 here, and it works like a charm

-J

 

[j_h_o]

You can go older I guess, like LSI 3Ware 9650SE-8LPML 8 Port SATA PCIe RAID Controller (S2) but you should confirm ESXi compatibility as I haven't used these cards in quite a number of years.

The card you listed in your OP is really just an HBA -- so you're no better off than with Intel matrix RAID from a performance standpoint.

 

[Zack Hehmann]

The ServeRAID-MR10i supports RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 6, 50, 60 has cache... According to the massive LSI thread. There is one in that list with a similar model number BR10i that is a HBA.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

 

[schro]

I'm on a similar quest and pulling what's left of my hair out. I've got an Intel S2600CP board that I'm trying to make work....

From what I can tell, the 9750's are not on the HCL for ESXi 6 (nor is the 9650). I also see a multitude of issues with the HP P410 working in non-HP boards which makes it not very interesting to me (though, it is on the 6.0 U2 HCL).

Is it really this difficult to figure out? Or is my google foo that bad?

 

[Jannis Jacobsen]

the p410 works perfectly on a supermicro board here.
just need to add the driver bundle and tools.
I even created the array from esxi cli, turned on the write cache etc.
full monitoring of array, drives, bbu etc in esxi as well

-J

 

[Zack Hehmann]

the p410 works perfectly on a supermicro board here.
just need to add the driver bundle and tools.
I even created the array from esxi cli, turned on the write cache etc.
full monitoring of array, drives, bbu etc in esxi as well

-J

I like the P410 more than the others listed. If I remember right its the only one I was able to find a battery for that was "new" and it was a decent price for all the required hardware (bracket, card, bbu, cache, and cables).

Jannis- I would be interested in learning more about what you did to get the driver bundle and tools installed and working on ESXi, cause this is all new to me. I would be interested in full monitoring of array, drives, bbu etc in ESXi as well.

I'm interested to see what anyone else has to say.... There has to be more hardware out there that is compatible with ESXi 6.0 and is sub $100.

 

[dwright1542]

9260-8i, M5014's, both with BBU are under $100, AND can upgrade to cachecade.

 

[Jannis Jacobsen]

I used this info to install everything.
I believe I had to use a force option to install the vibs, as I dont have a hp server.

Manage an HP Smart Array directly from VMware ESXi - Virtual to the Core

-J