How does the Si 3114 SATA controller handle raid 5?

[coolred]

From a couple of the specs of upcoming Nforce 3 250Gb boards. The ones that are being built with the 3114 SATA controller claim to support raid 5. Now I don't know the exact numbers and everything like PCI bandwidth, so I am asking here. Would a raid 5 setup completely clog the PCI bus?

 

[ViRGE]

3114 does not support RAID 5.

 

[coolred]

Then why does the Asus board and I think and epox board claim it does?


Typo?????

 

[JBT]

I was under the impresssion that that the new Nforce250's took the SATA off the PCI bus? or im I an idiot?

 

[coolred]

I was under the impresssion that that the new Nforce250's took the SATA off the PCI bus? or im I an idiot?

Yeah I think they have 2 SATA connections that run on the hypertransport bus. But it seems like a lot of the board builders are adding in another 2-4 SATA connections with an integreated controller, I am pretty sure these use the PCI bus

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: coolred
Then why does the Asus board and I think and epox board claim it does?


Typo?????

I'm not sure, but the 3114(and the more common 3112) have been around for quite some time, and neither support anything past RAID 1/0. The offical specs of the 3114 point this out plainly, and the only SI chip that does RAID 5, is the 3124, but that's for PCI-X.

 

[coolred]

Well according to Wes, int he lastest socket 754 comparison they did, he says this

Epox also has used the Silicon Image SiI3114 controller instead of nVidia's accessory chip. The 3114 supports up to 4 additional SATA drives with standard RAID 0 and 1 plus the option of RAID 5 and 10. RAID 5 and 10 provide options for a Hot Spare and on-line mirror rebuilding to the 4 SATA drives.

He is just quoting the facts on the board or what?

 

[Pariah]

It does support RAID 5, as driver support was added after release. Since it is completely in software, the performance will be terrible while being a real drag on the CPU and not recommended for anything but data archiving.

 

[coolred]

Cool thanks