eSATA Port Multiplier in HP N54L...

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    No, it is the hotswap bays. They are different drives and no port multiplier but I didn't expect that much difference. I will try a pci esata card tomorrow.

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    • Offizieller Beitrag

    I know using an internal pci card wasn't slow with my other enclosure.


    Drives in the N40L in array
    Model Number: WDC WD1003FBYX-01Y7B1
    Model Number: WDC WD1003FBYX-01Y7B1
    Model Number: WDC WD10EALS-00Z8A0


    Drives in the external enclosure
    Model Number: ST3500630AS
    Model Number: ST3500630AS
    Model Number: ST3500630AS
    Model Number: ST3500630AS

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  • Just did a speed test. I was shocked by the results.

    It's working as intended. Port multiplier just allows to attach more disks to the same port, the bandwith of the sata port is the same, just split on more drives. Like USB hubs.
    63 x 4 disks = 252 Mb/s so it is around the bandwith of a Sata II port like that eSata port is.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_multiplier


    Port multipliers are good for setups where only a few drives are in use at once, like if you are using SnapRaid.
    RAID 5 and 6 (and ZFS equivalents) and 1 and 0 for that matter, get good read speed because they read from all disks in the array at the same time to serve data, this of course is not a good idea if you are piping everything through a single 250mb/s sata port with a port multiplier, as you just saw.


    You want better speeds? Buy a used
    IBM ServeRAID M1015 (an OEM version of the LSI SAS9220-8i card, also Dell makes some)
    off Ebay for 60 bucks (like this http://www.ebay.it/itm/IBM-46M…ain_0&hash=item1c51c7a068 ) and cross-flash it to become just a dumb SAS controller card, attach SAS-Sata cables or a SAS cable going to an external SAS enclosure (where you can place Sata drives too) and boom, 8 drives all at max speed, and a badass server-grade card.
    http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/


    Also FreeNas forums recommends this.

  • I thought it might have been. I'm having serious thoughts on the C2750D4I in a Silverstone DS380 >:-D it would make a nice upgrade. I wasn't going to change right now but... I'm a big of a tech and gadget magpie. I see shiny things and I usually end up buying them.

    The marvell chips on that board (and in general) are known to run like crap, especially on Unix/Linux. (use google)
    Avoid products with marvell storage controllers. Lsi chips are recommended.

    • Offizieller Beitrag


    Was that info for me?? I have used port multipliers many times in the past. This speed is very slow. It wasn't 63 mb/s for one drive. It was 63 mb/s for the raid 5. If I plug the same enclosure into the sil3132 card I used to use, the speed will be at least double if not triple (haven't had time to test). I use an LSI 9211 in IT mode now.

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  • The marvell chips on that board (and in general) are known to run like crap, especially on Unix/Linux. (use google)
    Avoid products with marvell storage controllers. Lsi chips are recommended.



    The onboard Marvel 88SE9230 is known to have some problem while running in RAID mode, disabling the feature will be fine, I have my system running in pretty good condition,

  • If I plug the same enclosure into the sil3132 card I used to use, the speed will be at least double if not triple (haven't had time to test).

    Double yes, triple is unlikely (never seen a sil3132 go beyond 150 even in best case scenario). That's because it can do better traffic control, by using a feature called FBS (Frame-based switching).
    It is generally not a good idea though, as it relies on the how much the card's own firmware likes the enclosure's own firmware.
    N40L and similar don't have hardware support for FBS, as their chipset is a cut-down version
    http://homeservershow.com/foru…n-esata/page-5#entry54092


    Here a longer explanation with tests and all http://homeservershow.com/foru…n-esata/page-3#entry53110


    Zitat

    The onboard Marvel 88SE9230 is known to have some problem while running in RAID mode, disabling the feature will be fine, I have my system running in pretty good condition,


    Many Marvell controllers are unreliable, see the following bug reports about the ones in your board.
    https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=42679 (this is confirmed also for Marvell SE9172 which is on that board)
    https://lists.debian.org/debian-kernel/2013/04/msg00085.html (the 9230)
    And this http://forums.tweaktown.com/as…0-sata-port-problems.html (thankfully Asrock Rack is responsive and sends out fixed firmwares, so this last one seems to be fixed now)
    Look at main product page here http://www.asrockrack.com/gene…l=C2750D4I#Specifications
    and click on the "To update Marvell SE 9230 FW, please click here" link.


    EDIT: fixing typos.



  • Thanks for your info, I haven't actually start using the Marvell 9172 ports yet (Internal + 9230 already 10 ports, my case can only take 7 drives at most.)
    9230's issue should be fixed, I don't see problem apparently (may be I should try to put some stress on it?)
    But anyway I'll keep an eye on it.

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