Longtime Lurker....
Although I am a Newbie to SAS, I have been using a Home media server for a few years.
I have been researching and think that I have a solid idea on most points...but there are a couple of things that I am foggy on. I am hoping that somebody can steer me in the correct direction.
My system is a DIY box running Windows 10.
I already know that I am going to be using the LSI 9211-8i card. Yes, it is in IT mode and it is upgraded to Rev. P20.
I have been using Drivepool and plan to continue to use it.
The first thing that I really need input on is a SAS expander card. As easy as the controller card was to select, the expander card seems to as hard.
It can be molex or pcie powered. I have an old box and motherboard that can power the card should it need to be powered via pcie.
I have hard drives in varying sizes up to 8TB. The expander card would need to be able to at least handle a drive of that size.
It would need to be compatible with Windows 10, as well as being compatible with the LSI 9211-8i of course.
I have read that many SAS expander cards require special equipment to flash the firmware. I would really like it if this were either something that did not require much in regards to firmware upgrades ...or were pretty simple and easy to do on my own.
And of course inexpensive is a huge plus.
To answer the question that know is being asked...yes...I do need to connect that many drives....LOL This will be taking over 2 Sans Digital towers that are starting to give issues..with the desire to be able to grow as time goes on. Having said that, I doubt that I will need the ability to connect SSD....at least in the foreseeable future.
And while I am thinking of it....would you suggest a path other than an expander even with a large number of disk connected ?
My next question is this. I have been running Drivepool for a while.
When I connect my drives to the new controller, will it see the data that is already on them and allow the pool to establish...or do I need to somehow try to get the data off and add a drive at a time?
I really appreciate any input. I have been reading for a while....but these things just keep elluding me.
Although I am a Newbie to SAS, I have been using a Home media server for a few years.
I have been researching and think that I have a solid idea on most points...but there are a couple of things that I am foggy on. I am hoping that somebody can steer me in the correct direction.
My system is a DIY box running Windows 10.
I already know that I am going to be using the LSI 9211-8i card. Yes, it is in IT mode and it is upgraded to Rev. P20.
I have been using Drivepool and plan to continue to use it.
The first thing that I really need input on is a SAS expander card. As easy as the controller card was to select, the expander card seems to as hard.
It can be molex or pcie powered. I have an old box and motherboard that can power the card should it need to be powered via pcie.
I have hard drives in varying sizes up to 8TB. The expander card would need to be able to at least handle a drive of that size.
It would need to be compatible with Windows 10, as well as being compatible with the LSI 9211-8i of course.
I have read that many SAS expander cards require special equipment to flash the firmware. I would really like it if this were either something that did not require much in regards to firmware upgrades ...or were pretty simple and easy to do on my own.
And of course inexpensive is a huge plus.
To answer the question that know is being asked...yes...I do need to connect that many drives....LOL This will be taking over 2 Sans Digital towers that are starting to give issues..with the desire to be able to grow as time goes on. Having said that, I doubt that I will need the ability to connect SSD....at least in the foreseeable future.
And while I am thinking of it....would you suggest a path other than an expander even with a large number of disk connected ?
My next question is this. I have been running Drivepool for a while.
When I connect my drives to the new controller, will it see the data that is already on them and allow the pool to establish...or do I need to somehow try to get the data off and add a drive at a time?
I really appreciate any input. I have been reading for a while....but these things just keep elluding me.
Last edited:
