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Date:      Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:48:16 -0400 (EDT)
From:      Charles Sprickman <spork@bway.net>
To:        freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org
Subject:   PCI-X SATA Card + Server Recommendation
Message-ID:  <Pine.OSX.4.64.0810260112010.4630@toasty.nat.fasttrackmonkey.com>

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Hello all,

I have two questions regarding hardware support for two servers.  One is 
an older Supermicro with a X5DPR-iG2+ mainboard, the other is a suggestion 
for a brand new box that is well-supported...  Both boxes will be in a 
co-lo, so stuff needs to not be "quirky".

First the old box.  I need an SATA controller, non-RAID.  I'll be using 
gmirror.  I have PCI-X slots, so I'd like to go with a PCI-X controller. 
There seem to be very few out there, and this one keeps popping up 
everywhere:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124014

The comments there mention the chip is a Silicon Image 3124, but I don't 
know if I can trust a random NewEgg user.

Can anyone confirm that controller as working and free of quirks?
Are there other cards I should be looking at?

Next, I'm looking for a basic 1U server for light webhosting.  Reliability 
and compatibility are the two main concerns.  I'm very happy with 3Ware 
RAID cards, so I will likely add that in myself.  The server would 
optimally already have a hot swap SATA backplane and 4 drive bays.  I'm 
open to the semi-barebones route like the Supermicro servers as well as 
major vendors like Dell and HP.  Having some type of IP-KVM-like 
functionality as an option would also be nice, but I'll settle for a 
serial console.  I'd like to keep this under $2K.

Both servers will be running FreeBSD 7.1 (if it's out in time).

Thanks,

Charles



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