Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Colocation and Data Centers : Is onboard RAID adequate for simple Raid 1?

[not5150]

Hello all,
I'm speccing out my first 1U server and buying everything from Newegg. Since this is my first server, I'm considering the whole experience as practice, therefore I don't want to spend insane amounts of money on it.
Looking at the Supermicro motherboard, it has the ICH9R on-board raid controller. I plan to pop two drives in for Raid 1 mirroring.
Is the on-board controller adequate in this case or should I look into buying a hardware controller like the 3ware 3ware 8006-2LP?
I realize that the CPU will take a hit in performance, but I would think a modern quad-core CPU will handle the task.
Here are the total specs
--------------
Chassis - SuperMicro/CSE-512L-260B http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811152087 1 99.99
Motherboard - SuperMicro/MBD-X7SBL-LN1-O http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182164 1 169.99
Processor - Intel/Core 2 Quad 2.5 GHz/1333 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115043 1 249.99
Memory - Kingston/HyperX 2GB 1066 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104061 4 46.99 187.96
Hard drives - Samsung/Spinpoint 320 GB 16 MB cache http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152096 2 59.99 119.98
Total $829.91

[cwl@apaqdigital]

on-board HostRAID (BIOS based software RAID by on-board non-RAID "host" controller) works for MS windows only.
there is no HostRAID driver for linux OS! even if you had configured two drives as HostRAID-1, linux OS would not see the 2x HDD as "RAID-1". instead, Linux still sees them as two individual drives. thus, you could only install Linux OS software RAID1 from the 2 drives.
X7SBL offers no PCI-X slot, therefore you can't install 8006-2LP PCI-X card. if you do need HW RAID1 card, you must use 3ware 9650SE-2LP single-core SATA-II PCI-E 1-lane RAID card or Adaptec 2405 dual-core SAS/SATA-II PCI-E 8-lane card. 2405 is a lot better card, costs just ~$20 more, and gives you the option to run 2x SAS RAID1 too.

[ctaborda]

I would recommend an actual raid card. Normally these on-board raid cards, are software based.
If you NEED it, then go for the 3ware.

[not5150]

Ok thanks for the info! That definitely rules out the onboard raid.
Looking at the 8006-2lp a bit closer - http://www.3ware.com/products/pdf/8006_DS_040406UD.pdf - I'm seeing that its regular PCI in the datasheet and Newegg's description.

[cwl@apaqdigital]

Ok thanks for the info! That definitely rules out the onboard raid.
Looking at the 8006-2lp a bit closer - http://www.3ware.com/products/pdf/8006_DS_040406UD.pdf - I'm seeing that its regular PCI in the datasheet and Newegg's description.
it's a 66mhz 64-bit PCI-X based RAID card. we've installed hundreds of them in the past....

[CNSERVERS]

I'm sure 8006-2LP works on PCI slots as well.

[not5150]

Ok from what I'm reading, PCI-X boards are backwards compatible with PCI slots (provided the motherboard supports the voltage).

[mindframe]

If you're going for RAID 1 why not invest in a chassis that has hot swap drive bays. In the event of a drive failure you might have to power down the server (or you can risk pulling it out of a rack while still plugged in), take it apart, remove the dead drive, replace disk, put back in rack and power on.
If you only care about data protection and not data availability then the chassis listed above is fine.
You also might want to consider multiple fans if your going to be using 7200 RPM disks.
The initial cost of a case that has dual power supplies, mutliple fans, hot swap drive bays, etc might be justified if you can keep your server online and don't have to have data center techs taking apart your hardware at expensive hourly rates (assuming you have no access to the box and/or it's a lights out facility).

[Lagniappe-labgeek]

Ok from what I'm reading, PCI-X boards are backwards compatible with PCI slots (provided the motherboard supports the voltage).
AND that there's nothing in the way where the extra connector dangles. There's not usually, but look at the motherboard before you buy and make sure nothing is in the way.

[KarlZimmer]

X7SBL offers no PCI-X slot, therefore you can't install 8006-2LP PCI-X card. if you do need HW RAID1 card, you must use 3ware 9650SE-2LP single-core SATA-II PCI-E 1-lane RAID card or Adaptec 2405 dual-core SAS/SATA-II PCI-E 8-lane card. 2405 is a lot better card, costs just ~$20 more, and gives you the option to run 2x SAS RAID1 too.
I don't normally get the chance to correct you, so I had to go for it. :-)
The X7SBL does have a PCI slot though, and the 3ware 8006-2LP does function in a standard PCI slot. You're not going to get the added bandwidth throughput benefit of PCI-X, but for a 2 port RAID card that probably isn't necessary anyway. With a riser, the card will work fine in any of the Supermicro boards, we've installed several of these cards in exactly that manner.

[cwl@apaqdigital]

I do know 8006-2LP works in 32-bit 33mhz PCI slot, but you are getting just half the band width the card is designed for. if OP is OK with that, then I'm not going to oppose it.
not5150: make sure you buy the correct 1U riser card for the X7SBL board:
8006-2LP --> CSE-RR1U-32L
9650SE-2LP / 2405 --> CSE-RR1U-E8
also, don't forget the SNK-P0016 passive heatsink and MCP-310-00035-01 air-shroud.

[PCS-Chris]

As it's your first box you would probably be fine just running Linux software raid rather than spending extra on a controller.

[(Stephen)]

Don't run on PCI bus.....get a PCI-Express.
The PCI bus is SLOW for RAID. I know I have tried it before(years ago) with LSI and 3ware cards on backup servers, they got quickly re-purposed.

[not5150]

Awesome info everyone... I've revised my server build to use the 3Ware PCI-Express card I also changed the CPU to an OEM Q6600 (since I'm buying a passive Supermicro heatsink anyways - I don't need the heatsink/fan with the retail processor)
Here's the revised parts list
Chassis SuperMicro CSE-512L-260B
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811152087 1 99.99
Motherboard SuperMicro MBD-X7SBL-LN1-O
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182164 1 169.99
Processor Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4 GHz Q6600 Kentsfield
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115018 1 179.99
CPU Heatsink SuperMicro SNK-P0016
http://www.serversdirect.com/product.asp?pf_id=FN4013 1 35.99
Memory Kingston HyperX 2GB 1066
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820104061 4 46.99 187.96
Raid Card 3Ware 9650SE-2LP PCI Express
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816116047 1 189.99
Raid battery backup 3Ware BBU-Module-03
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816116051 1 99.99
Riser card for Raid SuperMicro CSE-RR1U-E8
http://www.serversdirect.com/product.asp?pf_id=RC4026 1 25.99
Hard drives Samsung Spinpoint 320 GB, 16 MB cache
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152096 2 59.99 119.98
Air Shroud Where to buy? ???? about 10
Total 1119.87
The air shroud seems to be a hard part to find. New Egg has one, but I'm not sure it's the right one.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816101088&Tpk=air%20shroud

[FastServ]

You sure the BBU is going to fit in the 1U??