True hardware RAID cards?

[jtusa]

3Ware is right? Any others that do the RAID processing on the card, and not server CPU?

 

[Chaotic42]

SCSI?
SATA?
PATA?

 

[deveraux]

There are quite a few hardware RAID cards: Adaptec, 3Ware, LSI Logic ...list goes on and on

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: deveraux
There are quite a few hardware RAID cards: Adaptec, 3Ware, LSI Logic ...list goes on and on

Yeah, sorry, if you're just asking if they exist, then yes. I think that most major host adapter makers have a hardware RAID solution.

 

[jtusa]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: deveraux
There are quite a few hardware RAID cards: Adaptec, 3Ware, LSI Logic ...list goes on and on

Yeah, sorry, if you're just asking if they exist, then yes. I think that most major host adapter makers have a hardware RAID solution.

ATA. I was under the impression that most of cards from Adaptec, LSI relied on software and the server CPU for the RAID processing as opposed to using the RAID card to do the work.

 

[deveraux]

I could be mistaken but IIRC, Adaptec and LSI does hardware RAID. But I think LSI doesn't have an ATA version (I could be wrong though) -- they have SATA/SCSI. Try reading the specs, it should specify whether or not these cards have an onboard processor (most common is the Intel GC80302 or GC80303 processor). Oh, and by the way, I remember reading that there's a Promise controller with an onboard XOR engine which helps off load the main CPU but not by much.

 

[powerMarkymark]

I've had a Promise Raid card for the past 4 years.

 

[jose]

True hardware raid

Sata: http://www.newegg.com/app/view...=16-116-026&depa=0

SCSI: http://www.newegg.com/app/view...=16-118-013&depa=0

Regards,
Jose

 

[jtusa]

Originally posted by: deveraux
I could be mistaken but IIRC, Adaptec and LSI does hardware RAID. But I think LSI doesn't have an ATA version (I could be wrong though) -- they have SATA/SCSI. Try reading the specs, it should specify whether or not these cards have an onboard processor (most common is the Intel GC80302 or GC80303 processor). Oh, and by the way, I remember reading that there's a Promise controller with an onboard XOR engine which helps off load the main CPU but not by much.

Thanks for the info, I'll just have to do a bit more research. Normally it wouldn't be an issue, but I'm going to set up a RAID5 on a server that's also setup for ftp, web, and email and the server CPU is sort of low end so I'm trying to spare it whereever possible.

 

[Pariah]

3Ware, Promise highend, Adaptec highend. LSI has no hardware ATA controllers. Their highend SATA cards are though.

Edit: LSI does have one, the MegaRAID i4, but the card is years old, and is a piece of garbage. Stay away. For ATA RAID 5, 3Ware is basically the only choice.