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Date:      Wed, 30 Jul 2003 13:32:09 -0500
From:      Glenn Johnson <gjohnson@srrc.ars.usda.gov>
To:        Robert Covell <rcovell@rolet.com>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: 3ware Support Question
Message-ID:  <20030730183209.GA10127@node1.cluster.srrc.usda.gov>
In-Reply-To: <3F27FB43.5030805@rolet.com>
References:  <5.2.0.9.2.20030730114922.011b1bd8@mail.servplex.com> <3F27FB43.5030805@rolet.com>

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On Wed, Jul 30, 2003 at 12:07:15PM -0500, Robert Covell wrote:

> Peter Elsner wrote:
>
> >Have had no problems using the 6000/7000/8000 series of cards on 4.6
> >to 4.8...  Have not tried 5.0/5.1
> >
> >Peter Elsner
> >
> >
> >At 11:13 AM 7/30/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> >
> >>I am wanting to use a 3ware raid card so I can get IDE RAID1+0 for
> >>a new mail server.  Heard nothing but good things about them and
> >>FreeBSD.
> >>
> >>The card is: 7506-4LP
> >>
> >>But do not know if 4.8 supports this specific card.  The notes say:
> >>3ware Escalade ATA RAID controllers ( twe(4) driver) 5000 series
> >>6000 series 7000 series
> >>
> >>The same support is in 5.0.
> >>
> >>Is 7506-4LP a 7000 series card or is it a 7500 series card?
> >>
> >>There was a previous thread about the 7500 series card potentially
> >>causing corruption.  Has anybody heard additional information
> >>regarding this?
>
> So then I can assume that a 7506 IS a 7000 series?
>
> Just trying to make sure before I buy all the hardware.

According to the 3ware Web site, the 7506 uses a different firmware,    
driver, and utility series than the 7500 models.  I would not _assume_  
that it would work.                                                     

Although there is someone who recently started working on the FreeBSD
driver for 3ware cards (sorry, can not remember the name), 3ware does
not support FreeBSD in any way.  I have a 7500-8 card and I have had
firmware issues with it.  It turns out that I can not use the card for
RAID1+0, which is what you said you wanted, because the array can not
initialize after a drive failure in RAID1+0 mode.  I had to reconfigure
my array as RAID-5.  That was not fun but it does work well in RAID-5
mode.  That being said, I know there are other FreeBSD users who have
successfully used a 7500 card for RAID1+0.  It depends on what hardware
revision you get.

I would strongly encourage you to buy the 7506 from a vendor that will
allow you to easily return it should it not work under FreeBSD for you.

-- 
Glenn Johnson
USDA, ARS, SRRC			 Phone: (504) 286-4252
New Orleans, LA 70124		e-mail: gjohnson@srrc.ars.usda.gov



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