Hi folks

 

i'm searching through the forum for information about Port Multiplier.

I found some threads where i read that using of port multiplier works in general.

 

My problem is that i didn't find a list of supported controllers.

Also i couldn't find a statement if the Sil3124 will be working.

 

I know much other SIL Chips are supported but nobody wrote about the 3124...

 

I want to use the ADSA4R5 from Addonics.

http://www.addonics.com/products/host_controller/adsa4r5.asp

because i already got port multipliers from them and they told me to use this controller for the multipliers.

 

So now i want to prevent buying the controller and then check thats it's not working.

 

Since there are Linux drivers available is there a chance they will got integrated in a next unraid version if not already built in.

 

 

I know that port multiplier aren't fast.

I don't need the speed.

I need the ports!

So please don't start discussing how slow the system will be....

I don't know if this controller is supported or not.  What is your end goal in using this card....how many ports do you want?  Also, how many open PCI and PCIe slots do you have?  I ask because if you just need four more ports on a PCI card, then this is a tested and reliable solution:

 

4 Port SATA Serial ATA PCI RAID Controller Card

 

That uses the SIL3132 chipset, which works just fine in unRAID.

The other option would be to use a RAID/HBA adapter with 16, or more, native ports, rather than using a multiplier.

i want to use this card because i already got addonics port multiplier cards (AD5SAPM) which i want to use on the controller for a total of 16 ports.

 

i got enough free pci slots to use other cards or also i can use a 16 port card.

But i don't want to buy a huge bunch of hardware when i already got the multiplier cards.

 

All i need is a host controller which is compatibel with my port multipliers (AD5SAPM)

http://addonics.com/products/host_controller/ad5sapm.asp

 

 

But it seems that the sil3132 chipset is also supported.

I'll ask addonics support if they can suggest me a controller with a sil3132 chip which is compatibel.

ok they suggest an AD2SA3GPX1

http://addonics.com/products/host_controller/adsa3gpx1.asp

 

this is a 2 port sata controller with sil3132 chip

 

i'll try and let you know.

Today i built in the new hardware.

and what should i say, after figuring out that a power cord was broken, all bootet up just fine.

 

Unraid recognises the AD2SA6GPX1 (2 Port Sata PCIe) and also the AD5SAPM (1x5 Port Multiplier) connected onto it.

Harddiscs which are connected to it work fine. Currently at clearing status.

 

Looks like it is proofed that this controller pairing is working.

Maybe some Admin or Mod wants to add this to the Hardware Compatibility list cause there isn't much content about port multiplier and i think it would be a good information for all low cost system builder.

 

 

Sure when i connect 10 Ports through a single Sata Interface then the result won't be a high performance Storage System.

But for ppl like me, who need this system as Movie and TV Show Storage with almost only one maybe two concurrent sessions on it, it's way enough.

What kind of speeds do you get? pre-clearing? / partity checking?

 

because these multipliers connect 5 sata on a single mainbord sata ports without using pci / pci-x  or pci-express slots

 

 

can't say cause i only got 1 drive on it currently.

 

i'll check on speeds when i get the other 2 discs into the array then there will be 3 discs on the multiplier, that will tell how slow it will get.