Out of SATA ports and PCIe slots -- SAS/sata port expansion/multiplier?

[brainbone]

I understand that port multipliers are, in general, actively discouraged for use with Unraid -- with most/all discussion I'm able to find about them ending in finding alternatives instead of use of them.

 

I'd like to add some more SSD drives to an unraid box, but all PCIe/NVME/SAS/SATA are currently exhausted, and I'd like to avoid replacing the motherboard. (asrock x470 taichi w/ 8 onboard SATA and an IBM M1015 / SAS2008 SAS HBA.)  Unfortunately, this puts me in the position of looking at a SAS/SATA port multiplier as a possible option, and I'm hoping there's been some success in finding something that works.

 

I'm thinking if I could find a good multiplier/expansion, I could move some of my 15 array drives to that, opening up some non-expanded SATA ports for more SSDs.

 

I've used IBM 46M0997 SAS Expansion cards with IBM M1015 HBAs in the past (not on unraid) with good results, but they unfortunately require a PCIe slot, which I don't have available.  Does something like it exist that's known to work well with unraid and doesn't require a PCIe slot, or am I looking for a unicorn?  Perhaps replacing the M1015 with a 9201-16i would be a better option?

 

 

Edit:  After thinking this though, I think the obvious answer is something like the 9201-16i -- not sure why I got hung up on a port expander --- probably because I have some 46M0997 sitting around.  Anyone know if the 9201-16i has trouble at PCIe x4? 

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by brainbone

[JonathanM]

Some of the SAS expansion cards have PCIe slots but don't actively use them for anything except power, which can be supplied with molex PSU connections. Intel RES2SV240 is one.

https://forums.unraid.net/topic/61699-can-i-use-the-intel-res2sv240-alone/?do=findComment&comment=605121