RAID recommendations?

["Paul Gordon" <paul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Is anyone actually using an IDE or SATA RAID card?
=20
Looking around, I see an increasing number of choices appearing now, -
many=
more cards support more advanced RAID modes than was the case a year or so=
ago, and prices seem to have dropped quite a bit as well.
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Knowing that my DVD server is going to run out of storage in a few months,
=
I'm intending to rebuild my whole storage solution, and this time I plan
to=
do it "properly"
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a NAS solution like the Buffalo Terrastation will be in the running as
well=
, but I also want to look at a traditional storage server as well, - since
=
I think this may offer me more flexibility...
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So I am looking for personal recommendations for RAID controllers...
=20
- I'll consider either IDE or SATA - but I'd prefer to make the switch to
S=
ATA now... (or SATA-2 for that matter)
- I'll consider either PCI or PCIe cards, - PCIe would require purchasing
a=
new motherboard as well to support it, but if that's what it takes, then s=
o be it...
- I'd prefer cards that support at least 4 drives, more are fine, but
don't=
wan't to use 2-port SATA cards really...
- Not too bothered about the price (shock!) - I'm prepared to pay good
mone=
y if the features, quality & reliability justifies it, - but within
limits.=
.. - above =A3200-=A3300 is probably getting into silly money territory
for=
this excercise...
- RAID 5 support is a must.
- Controllers that allow for array expansion in the future would be
preferr=
ed, - either by upgrading to larger drives, or by allowing an array to
span=
across more than 1 card... (although an 8-port card will probably see me r=
ight for quite a while!)
- Hot spare support would be nice, but not essential, - if/when a drive
fai=
ls, I don't have a problem having to replace it myself...
=20
=20
Also looking for recommendations for hot-pluggable SATA caddies....
=20
Note, - I've already searched around and found plenty of controllers that
I=
could choose, - what I am after now is personal experiences and recommenda=
tions...
=20
TIA
=20
Paul G.
=20


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