ASUS CM601-I + port multiplier

[tucansam]

Not sure if this should go in MBs or one of the other forums.  If I'm off, apologies.

 

The ASUS CM601-I has some reviews floating around the net that include talk of using port multipliers on its SATA ports to get additional density.  For my needs, speed is not a huge issue, so this would be idea (vs, say, a PCIe controller). 

 

I am new to port multipliers, and have no idea where to start (brand, model, price, compatibility with unraid, etc)

 

Anyone have any experience to share?

 

Thanks.

 

[ZeroK]

I'm kind of in the same boat.  I have this motherboard and was thinking instead of using port multipliers on the sata ports I would install one of these in the pci-ex slots http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816101358  and then use one of these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816117207  to expand my ports that way.  Not sure which would be cheaper or better.  Interested to see what someone else says.

[BobPhoenix]

I'm kind of in the same boat.  I have this motherboard and was thinking instead of using port multipliers on the sata ports I would install one of these in the pci-ex slots http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816101358  and then use one of these http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816117207  to expand my ports that way.  Not sure which would be cheaper or better.  Interested to see what someone else says.

Your 2nd link is NOT port multipler technology it is for a SAS expander.  Similar principle to a port multiplier but different technique and technology.  In my opinion a superior way of multiplexing drives off of a single path.  Also I would not use the version 1 SASLP-MV8 in your first link with a SAS expander.  The card may or may not be compatible with SAS expanders.  I would stick with controllers that have been proven to work and have more bandwith like the IBM M1015/LSI based cards.  Don't know if anybody has used the version 2 SAS2LP-MV8 with a SAS expander but it would give you better bandwith than the version 1.

[BobPhoenix]

Not sure if this should go in MBs or one of the other forums.  If I'm off, apologies.

 

The ASUS CM601-I has some reviews floating around the net that include talk of using port multipliers on its SATA ports to get additional density.  For my needs, speed is not a huge issue, so this would be idea (vs, say, a PCIe controller). 

 

I am new to port multipliers, and have no idea where to start (brand, model, price, compatibility with unraid, etc)

 

Anyone have any experience to share?

 

Thanks.

I've never used a port multiplier with unRAID but I have used them with Windows installs.  For a short while I had a WHSv1 install on my N40L (modified bios to get eSata port working with port multiplier) and a 5 drive external port multiplier drive cage.  I've also used Sil3132 controllers and HighPoint RocketRaid 1742 & 622 controllers in pass through to Windows VMs (off X9SCM MB) to the same 5 drive external port multipler cages.  Work well for me in my JBOD arrays.  Other than with WHS I've never used an external port multiplier cage with any raid setup.  Just don't trust them as drives drop out too easily.  As JBOD recording drives to SageTV VMs they work well so far.  I can say my SANS Digital cages have fewer problems (dropping drives) then the Rosewill cage (my oldest) - even though the Rosewill is made by SANS Digital.