PCI Express SATA controller with more than 2 ports?

[davidj6]

Hello,

I am going to be building a file server using opensolaris raidz2. There will be at least 15 drives in the system.

My plan is to get an affordable motherboard with 6-10 SATA ports builtin and use PCI-e cards. I have been unable to find any PCI Express SATA cards that have more than 2 ports, besides expensive RAID cards.

Do they exist?

I know you can get PCI-X cards with 8 SATA ports, but that would increase the overall cost of the motherboard and might require me to get ECC RAM (?)

regular PCI cards are not an option because of the reduced bandwidth.

thanks,
dave

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

SONNET TSATAII-X44 PCI-X SATA II 8-port Host Controller http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816122011

 

[davidj6]

that's PCI-X, not pci express

 

[dexvx]

I doubt you're gonna find it. PCI-E 2 port + non-Raid is very niche.

I suggest just buying a board with multiple SATA ports, such as the 965 boards taht have upwards of 10.

 

[davidj6]

That's what I was fearing. Thanks.