Thinking of purchasing a M2N-WS - any thoughts?

[Kaygee]

Goals: Increase parity performance, add future disk expansion capability (current system is 8 hdds and half capacity), decrease boot times. Minimize cost by using stuff in the current system or draw/cupboard where possible. Increase network throughput (not strictly needed for reading as current system can serve three 720P movies without stuttering).

 

This means a solution based around either Intel 478, AM2 or Socket 754 solution. Socket 754 doesnt seem to support any high speed buses. Socket 478/PCI-e solution using i945 chipset needs faster CPU and DDR3 memory, adds to the costs. This leaves an AM2 based solution.

 

The main contenders are either an M2N-WS or an M3N-HT mempipe, both of which I can source at a reasonable cost to me, approx the same for either choice. 

 

I see the DFI LANPartyUT NF590 SLI-M2R/G on the Motherboard listing as TBD. No links and no search results. The M2N-WS shares a lot of common components (Nforce 590SLi, same southbridge (MCP55PXE) etc...). However in addition the M2N-WS suports 2 PCI-X ports. The Gigbe devices look supported (Marvel 88E1116), I also have a PCI-X Intel pro/1000t card which is supported.

 

It supports a CPU and DDR2 memory which I already have available. I also have a PSU that will work.

 

Has 6 SATA ports onboard supported via MCP55PXE (Nvidia 5 series). Im sure the MCP55PXE will work the MSI K9N uses the same southbridge, a modified version is also used in the Nforce 680SLI which has also been tested and found working.

 

The other three onboard SATA devices are provided by a Marvel 88SE6145 controller (+1 outboard). Which no one seems to have tested. It is supported by AHCI and pata_marvell modules. SATA_MV may also support it but I cant confirm that. I have a feeling this will also work... some people have reported issues when both pata_marvell and ahci are loaded, this motherboard shouldn't do that. The Marvel IDE will be disabled.

 

I'd like to go with PCI-X motherboard because 8 port SATA cards are available (MV8) and reasonably priced. I have a couple of known PCI-X Gigbe adapters, should the on-board one not work.

 

This board also has PCI-e slots for when/if 8 port PCI-e cards become available and supported.

 

Pros: It has a PCI slot so for now I could use 6 onboard and a PCI sata card. PCI-e two port cards are really cheap. PCI-X or PCI-e for future expansion. I have PCI-x Gigbe cards. Adding multiple SATA controllers on different buses might be easier than getting multiple PCI-e sata cards working. Additional expense is on the M/B only for now. The MCP55PXE supports 49 lanes of PCI-E so even with the onboard devices all enabled the two PCI-e x16 cards should be able to run in at least 8x mode.

 

Cons: Might not work. Might only support 6 SATA devices rather than the hoped for 9 or 10 (esata external port).

 

My current system is PCI based (8 disks) and parity is slow (20-25MB/s), works fine otherwise, does everything I want and more.  USB boot is slow.... even with USB 2.0 enabled I get around 1MB/S. PLoP helps but unattended boots bypass PLoP - 3Mb/s.

 

The other option is to go with a M3N-HT mempipe and a PCI-e 2 port card for now. Known to work but potentially less capable and more costly in the long run. There seems to some uncertainty about running multiple PCI-e sata cards. This board supports AM3 CPUs so is more future proof regards CPUs. Supports 3 way SLI so might support more PCI-e cards. Doesnt have PCI-X so no cheapo MV8 cards. Gigbe performance isnt better means purchasing PCI-e Gigbe card. Has Gigbe Attansic F1 and Marvel 88e1116 onboard.

 

[WeeboTech]

What is your budget?

Before I made any recommendations, I would want to know a budget vs what is currently available.

[Kaygee]

Current budget of around £100/$150, max. Both of these options will cost me around half that now and should offer good performance and future expandability. Current system can goto 12 hdds but only has eight.

 

I'm inclined to stick to this system, until uraid supports muliple arrays. Twelve seems more than enough disks to go wrong imo. 12 sata hdds is a requirement.

 

Should I choose, I also have a couple of external cases, that could in theory take max hdd count to 23, although more likely to top out at 20 hdds.

 

Both of my suggestions could potentially manage 20 hdds. m3n-ht = 14 port  pci-e + 6 on board. m2n-ws  = 9/10 onboard + 8/16 pci-x + 10 pci-e. This assumes no sata pci devices. Both should handle 12 no problem.

 

Neither system appears to be bus limited at 12 hdds. PCI-X bus might not be great with 8 ports but should be ok. I think a sil3124 on this bus should manage to keep up with 70MB/s. Mv8 isn't much more money, though.

 

My Samsungs hit 110 MB/s, Seagates top out around 70MB/s.

[WeeboTech]

PCI-X bus might not be great with 8 ports but should be ok.

 

A PCI-X Bus can should handle the 8 drives fine

It's equivilent to a 4X bus.

 

See common bus speeds here http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/FAQ#What_are_the_common_bus_speeds.3F