June 22, 20188 yr I know this has probably been posted several times on the forum but bear with me since I am new to the server HBA cards and Unraid. Also wanted the latest up to date info I am going to be running a Norco 4224 , yes i know they have the worst backplanes and I probably should go with super micro but maybe you can make me a recommendation to keep my price under 400.00 for something that is able to take 24 bays. I know the Norco can run quiet when swapping fans too , i can use my own PSU etc. Maybe a Norco user can chime in on the backplane issues ? Regarding the HBA cards , since i am going to be running 24 Hard drives, WD reds I would like to know which HBA card or cards I should use? I am assuming i need 3 The main use for my SAN is Plex with some sort of redundancy backup and I do have a few SSDs but not sure if those help any with Unraid, maybe you can tell me how I should run these? OS, Cache?
June 23, 20188 yr Community Expert 11 hours ago, CSIG1001 said: Regarding the HBA cards , since i am going to be running 24 Hard drives, WD reds I would like to know which HBA card or cards I should use? I am assuming i need 3 Either three HBAs or one and a SAS expander, recommended HBAs are any LSI with a SAS2008/2308/3008 chipset in IT mode, e.g., 9201-8i, 9211-8i, 9207-8i, 9300-8i, etc and clones, like the Dell H200/H310 and IBM M1015, these latter ones need to be crossflashed.
June 23, 20188 yr I'm using an LSI-9211-8i in my server. I love it. Flashing the firmware/bios was super easy. Regarding SSD's, they would be good in a cache pool, though SSD's are not supported in unRAID for use in the array or parity.
June 23, 20188 yr Author Thanks for the info I will do some research on those HBAs with the proper firmware to use in unraid I would like to use a few SSDs for cache.. Hopefully the norco is worth it .. i hate for the backplane to kill my drives .
June 23, 20188 yr Community Expert The LSI controllers also come in 16 port variants (although they work out to be more expensive per SATA port) just in case your motherboard is short of free slots.
June 23, 20188 yr Author Thanks can you give me a model number what I should look for on ebay? I am thinking of going with the 9211-8i, three of them with the unraid proper firmware to support. Also can anyone tell me if it is worth my wild to go with AMD multi core processor say 8-10 cores for plex and how is the compatibility with unraid? Or should i just throw in a 7700k ? and call it a day Trying to figure out if plex supports multi core processing over 4 cores I am streaming 4k remux about 50-80gb mkv movies , DTS Atmos Thanks!
June 23, 20188 yr 14 hours ago, CSIG1001 said: Thanks for the info I will do some research on those HBAs with the proper firmware to use in unraid I would like to use a few SSDs for cache.. Hopefully the norco is worth it .. i hate for the backplane to kill my drives . As for flashing the LSI 9211-8i, here's a link to some detailed and straight forward instructions, including the link to the files you will need if you go with this LSI 9211-8i HBA. https://nguvu.org/freenas/Convert-LSI-HBA-card-to-IT-mode/ Here's a video showing the steps to flash the HBA. I don't remember what card he is flashing, other than it's an LSI. The steps are the same. Just use the link above for the files. The link below (Youtube) is just to show how easy it is. Also, in the same video he flashes a motherboard BIOS.
June 23, 20188 yr 2 hours ago, CSIG1001 said: Thanks can you give me a model number what I should look for on ebay? I am thinking of going with the 9211-8i, three of them with the unraid proper firmware to support. Also can anyone tell me if it is worth my wild to go with AMD multi core processor say 8-10 cores for plex and how is the compatibility with unraid? Or should i just throw in a 7700k ? and call it a day Trying to figure out if plex supports multi core processing over 4 cores I am streaming 4k remux about 50-80gb mkv movies , DTS Atmos Thanks! Do you have the motherboard, RAM, PSU, etc., yet? If not, you might consider going with used server grade stuff. Great performance at lower cost.
June 24, 20188 yr Author 1 hour ago, DoItMyselfToo said: As for flashing the LSI 9211-8i, here's a link to some detailed and straight forward instructions, including the link to the files you will need if you go with this LSI 9211-8i HBA. https://nguvu.org/freenas/Convert-LSI-HBA-card-to-IT-mode/ Here's a video showing the steps to flash the HBA. I don't remember what card he is flashing, other than it's an LSI. The steps are the same. Just use the link above for the files. The link below (Youtube) is just to show how easy it is. Also, in the same video he flashes a motherboard BIOS. Thanks for info. I was going to purchase one already flashed or is this a bad idea? Seems like there is alot on ebay
June 24, 20188 yr Author 1 hour ago, DoItMyselfToo said: Do you have the motherboard, RAM, PSU, etc., yet? If not, you might consider going with used server grade stuff. Great performance at lower cost. I have 800 watt PSU Gold , CPU 7700k, 32gb ram and a atx mobo , extra parts laying around , however i am will to sell and go AMD if that will provide better encoding performance than a 7700k, just not sure if unraid likes AMD stuff
June 24, 20188 yr 1 hour ago, CSIG1001 said: Thanks for info. I was going to purchase one already flashed or is this a bad idea? Seems like there is alot on ebay If you get a good deal on an HBA already flashed to IT mode with the latest firmware/BIOS, then great. I just wouldn't let it limit me, since flashing is easy enough.
June 24, 20188 yr 1 hour ago, CSIG1001 said: I have 800 watt PSU Gold , CPU 7700k, 32gb ram and a atx mobo , extra parts laying around , however i am will to sell and go AMD if that will provide better encoding performance than a 7700k, just not sure if unraid likes AMD stuff I've owned AMD and Intel. Personally, I stay with Intel now.
June 24, 20188 yr Author 2 hours ago, DoItMyselfToo said: If you get a good deal on an HBA already flashed to IT mode with the latest firmware/BIOS, then great. I just wouldn't let it limit me, since flashing is easy enough. Gotcha thanks for the video , i will study it and compare the prices unflashed and flashed already
June 24, 20188 yr Author 2 hours ago, DoItMyselfToo said: I've owned AMD and Intel. Personally, I stay with Intel now. same here its been 13 years since i owned AMD
June 24, 20188 yr Author Question again I own three Media Sonic 8 bay JBOD USB 3.0 or ESATA enclosures , Trying to figure out if i could build a unraid server using these? Probably not the best idea I am shopping for a sumpermicro 24 bay used on ebay but i am dreading it to have to spend so much, wasnt sure if unraid would work reliably with usb 3.0 24 HHDs in jbod using 3 USB 3.0 ports Edited June 24, 20188 yr by CSIG1001
June 29, 20188 yr Author Decided to go with 9211-8i sas expander https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAA0T6N15523&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC-_-pla-_-Hard+Drive+Controllers+%2F+RAID+Cards-_-9SIAA0T6N15523&gclid=CjwKCAjwsdfZBRAkEiwAh2z65m-dqd4E_ARCog6A_pRgFbNpdy3-VQbBOq7OZ9kvMWxRKIe9wbhqVxoCAmgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds would this give me 24 connections ? Edited June 29, 20188 yr by CSIG1001
June 29, 20188 yr Community Expert 20 minutes ago, CSIG1001 said: would this give me 24 connections ? Yes, using a single link to the HBA you'll have 20 on the expander + 4 on the HBA's other port.
June 29, 20188 yr Author Just now, johnnie.black said: Yes, using a single link to the HBA you'll have 20 on the expander + 4 on the HBA's other port. THanks for the quick response Can you do me a favor and look on page 19 of the intel sas expander card manual. I am trying to figure out if i can use the SFF8087 to SATA breakout cables to use on the Norco 4224 backplane , backplane has 24 sata ports.. I am interpreting the manual page 19 saying these cables cannot be used with the expander.. Also since i have 20 ports now on the expander can i use the free SAS port on the raid card to give me 4 more sata ports using the Breakout cables? https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/motherboards/server/sb/e93121003_res2sv240_hwug.pdf THANKS!
June 29, 20188 yr Community Expert 5 minutes ago, CSIG1001 said: I am trying to figure out if i can use the SFF8087 to SATA breakout cables to use on the Norco 4224 backplane , backplane has 24 sata ports. You can 5 minutes ago, CSIG1001 said: Also since i have 20 ports now on the expander can i use the free SAS port on the raid card to give me 4 more sata ports using the Breakout cables? 10 minutes ago, johnnie.black said: you'll have 20 on the expander + 4 on the HBA's other port.
June 29, 20188 yr Author Ok great thanks jonnie, i guess i misunderstood the manual on page 19 , So just to be clear i can use the SFF 8087 break out cables on the SAS expander card going from SAS to 4 sata cable ?
June 29, 20188 yr Community Expert 15 minutes ago, CSIG1001 said: So just to be clear i can use the SFF 8087 break out cables on the SAS expander card going from SAS to 4 sata cable ?
June 29, 20188 yr Author Just over did probably lol got me two expanders for 82 bucks lol couldnt resist since they go for 82 ea Quote 9211-8i sas expander https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIAA0T6N15523&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC-_-pla-_-Hard+Drive+Controllers+%2F+RAID+Cards-_-9SIAA0T6N15523&gclid=CjwKCAjwsdfZBRAkEiwAh2z65m-dqd4E_ARCog6A_pRgFbNpdy3-VQbBOq7OZ9kvMWxRKIe9wbhqVxoCAmgQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Edited June 29, 20188 yr by CSIG1001
June 29, 20188 yr Author Found my HBA sas card Can someone tell me if this already flashed for use within Unraid? I am assuming it is since IT mode is flashed https://www.ebay.com/itm/LSI-SAS-9211-8i-8-port-6Gb-s-PCI-E-Controller-Card-Internal-H3-25250-02C-IT-Mode/323207454142?hash=item4b40aa5dbe:g:DXQAAOSwMD5a0TYA
June 29, 20188 yr 3 hours ago, CSIG1001 said: Found my HBA sas card Can someone tell me if this already flashed for use within Unraid? I am assuming it is since IT mode is flashed https://www.ebay.com/itm/LSI-SAS-9211-8i-8-port-6Gb-s-PCI-E-Controller-Card-Internal-H3-25250-02C-IT-Mode/323207454142?hash=item4b40aa5dbe:g:DXQAAOSwMD5a0TYA The title says "IT Mode", so I would think yes, though the best thing to do is to message the seller.
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