Hardware Raid Conrollers

[IronBits]

Definition of a True Hardware Raid controller

1) Never requires any drivers
2) Total invisibility to all/any OS
3) Raid levels 0, 1, and should support JBOD, 5 and 10
4) Hot plug-N-play swapable would be nice
etc...

Anyone have any experience or recommendations for a True IDE Raid Controller?

[FoBoT]

the ones i have used don't meet most/all of your criteria :rolleyes:

it sucks having to use a driver to install the OS

[Condor]

I have used Adaptec 1200A in some low end servers and workstations.
They are pretty cheap and I have never had any problems with them.

No Drivers.
Invisible.
Supports RAID 0, 1 0+1 and JBOD (no RAID 5)
Not hot-swap but can use a spare.

[IronBits]

Thanks Condor
I looked at the product sheet and it mentions OSs that it supports.
DOS is not listed... and the stupid .pdf file mentions loading drivers for different OSs :(
Not that I plan on running DOS, but if I wanted to, it should run mirrored drives even on that... I'm still researching...

[Ptah]

Get a 3ware raid controller. They are the fastest and imho the best hardware raid controller for IDE drives. Drivers are also included in the Linux kernel since a few years and as far as i know also in all BSD systems. They also have Windows drivers. Check them out at 3ware (http://www.3ware.com). They have all the features you requested except this one
1) Never requires any drivers because this is impossible. Every hardware requires some kind of driver. They might be included in some OSs but they alway require some kind of driver. Accessing this controller under Dos is not possible. But i think you won't find any hardware raid controllers for Dos.

[Paratima]

IB, I think Ptah's right. I've looked at bunches of 'em & I've never seen one that didn't require some software help. :eek:

Heh! If you DO find one, spread the word, OK?

[IronBits]

I have GOT to get me one of these things!
:notworthy
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=11807
:notworthy
:cheers:

[IronBits]

http://www.arcoide.com/why_duplidisk_is_the_best_raid_solution.html

DupliDisk works on virtually all operating systems and processor architectures.
There is never a need to upgrade to a newer RAID 1 model when a newer operating system comes out. DupliDisk is compatible with any operating system: Windows 3.1, 95, 98, NT, XP, 2000, Novel, RedHat Linux, TurboLinux, SuSE Linux, OpenLinux, Unix, BSD, Citrix, DOS, FreeBSD, Mac OS9,10, Multi DOS, Open BSD, OS/2, QNX, Solaris, THEOS, and so many more. You can even use different operating systems on different partitions on the same hard drive without a problem.

[Paratima]

$269 plus tax, tag, title, dealer prep and transportation charges. And it runs on DOS already!! :eek:

Almost wanta fire up DOS 6.22 just to check it out! :beep:

[wirthi]

Depends on what kind of drivers are needed; I guess what IronBits meant was that this controller wouldn't need a non-standard driver but a driver widely available, like a simple HDD driver; if the RAID required the OS to know that it is in fact a RAID, that would be bad; if it would recognize the RAID as a plain and simple HDD (where no _special_ driver is needed for) that would be ok. But let's IB decide that ....

[Paratima]

Check out the link he provided... NO DRIVERS! :D

The OS is not aware of the array(s), thinks it's just another HDD.

[DB7654321]

A 3ware controller looks like a SCSI disk to the OS (yet uses IDE drives). If your OS can speak SCSI, it will handle 3ware controllers. 3ware offers drivers, but, they just add additional features -- not the core functionality. 3ware can also handle RAID0, 1, 10 (0+1 or 1+0 -- I can't remember), 5 and JBOD...Quite a bit more than the controller in the review. I'd wager that they've been around longer, too.

[pointwood]

What you need is this: http://www.cs.rochester.edu/sosp2003/papers/p125-ghemawat.pdf

:D