I am currently using a Synology 1821+ and am thinking of trying UnRAID again.  The last time I tried I was following a guide about using used server hardware to make a powerful Plex server.   I think I was using an older Xeon processor and and LSI SAS HBA card of some sort.  I can't remember the exact specifics of the issues I had, but I recall frequent parity problems and issues with discs going off line.  I did troubleshoot the problem for awhile, but my Linux skills were minimal and I got quickly frustrated.   I think I then tried a Z390 Motherboard with a newer CPU and still had issues.  My inclination was that it might have been the used LSI SAS HBA that was causing issues, but I had no way of knowing for sure.  I do recall that I had to flash the card to get it to work with UnRAID and I did follow a tutorial I read online for that.  

 

At the time I was moving from an older Synology and thought I would having something much more flexible and powerful.  I was using the Synology with an older Windows computer which did my downloading and Plex serving.  After I was thoroughly frustrated with UnRAID I decided to switch back Synology along with my old Windows computer.    I still think it would be nice to have one box that could do everything.  The Synology is fairly new and I think I could sell it on the used market fairly easily

 

Fast forward to today.  I have a Windows PC I currently use for gaming that has a i7 9700k on a Z390 motherboard.  I am planning to upgrade this fall when the new GPUs come out so am thinking of using this hardware for UnRAID.   My initial thinking was I would avoid the LSI SAS card and just go for a simple PCI to SATA board.  However recent reading I've done leads me to believe that these boards don't work well with UnRAID due to their Marvell controllers.  I keep finding recommendations to go for one of the LSI boards

 

Now I want to give this another go, but I don't want to get the same kind of frustrations again.  I'm willing to give the LSI SAS card another go, but want to make sure I give myself the best chance for success.  

 

My current plan is to use my ASUS Z390 MB with the i7 9700k.  I have a larger Rosewill case that still has an IcyDock 5 into 3 drive cage installed.  (I believe I modified the fan to cool it better as well).   I plan to get a few 14-18 TB drives depending what is on sale at BestBuy at the time and then move my 8 TB drives over from the Synology after the data is moved.  I plan to have about 4 of the larger 14-18 TB drives and then 8 8 TB drives.  I think I have room in my case for 12 drives as it currently sits.  

 

So my questions are what LSI adaptor card (or equivalent) should I get that will play nice with my hardware and will give me the best chance for success?  Are there any other issues I should be aware of?  Any general advice to set me up for success

 

Edit - Just to make sure we are talking about the same thing I want to make sure that a card like this one on Amazon is what we are talking about NOT working well with UnRAID - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098BHLVFH/ref=sspa_dk_detail_2?pd_rd_i=B09KFYQSXK&pd_rd_w=zgPAn&pf_rd_p=b9951ce4-3bd8-4b04-9123-0fda35d6155e&pd_rd_wg=ZUQc1&pf_rd_r=TM13QFC5FKXDSC41TXPY&pd_rd_r=aa765397-7902-42d1-92d7-4c491745079f&s=electronics&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySTVPNzlRVFZPSzY1JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMTQ4NTQ4MjRBMUFJTkE5NzFUNCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDY1MDg2MzE4TU1RQ05PSFBQSCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1

Edited March 12, 20224 yr by go69cars

Your example seems a bad idea.

While the ASM1064 is good, it provides only for 4 SATA ports.

The JMB575 is a port multipler is providing the others and that is not recommended for Unraid (or any application where you want sustained speed on several drives).

 

You can find recommandations here :

 

 

I recently built my first unraid server and I bought this card from amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/Original-9211-8i-FreeNAS-unRAID-6Gbps/dp/B082HKNCVD/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=LSI+SAS+9211-8i&qid=1643110828&sr=8-4

 

Together with these forward breakout cables:

https://www.amazon.com/OIKWAN-SFF-8087-High-Speed-Interconnects-Server/dp/B088GX3H87/ref=rvi_3/138-4887940-8524609?pd_rd_w=Dta6x&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=GKEN843CXZVDQMGV1FT4&pd_rd_r=a3af2d0a-4f6d-4e53-af0a-75687cfc2782&pd_rd_wg=mxPmi&pd_rd_i=B088GX3H87&psc=1

 

For me it worked fine right out of the box. HBA-card needs to be in IT mode and cables needs to be forward breakout. The one i linked came in IT mode out of the box, as stated.

 

Just my 5 cents.