ThinkServer TS140 - RAID Card suggestion?

[JohnyBeGood]

Hi all,

I got Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 and now I'm thinking to get RAID controller.

Can someone suggest RAID card? LSI MegaRAID 9260-8i seems to be trusted?

TIA

[JarryG]

I'd recomend to get raid-controller with some kind of power-backup (so that you do not loose your data if there is power-outage). For some controllers you have to order it separately. And if possible, get controller with capacitor-based power backup (battery must be changed about every year or two). Next, ESXi does not do disk-caching. So get controller with as big on-board cache, as possible.

9260-8i is good, but if you can, get something newer (9266, or 9270). Bu you can also get re-branded LSI controllers (i.e. IBM/Lenovo M5016, which basically is LSI 9270-8i with super-capacitor already included). It costs much less than original LSI...

[JohnyBeGood]

Thanks for suggestion about super-capacitor I did not know that something like that existed. Is this one example IBM ServeRAID M5016 Controller RAID SAS SATA PCIe 6GB 1g Cache LSI 9265 8i | eBay ?

I found this one LSI LSI 25121 74B 9260 8i 6GB s SATA SAS MegaRAID RAID Controller w Cable BBU | eBay  and it comes with battery backup but as you said it needs to be changed at some point.

I would like to spend around $150 for the RAID card.

[JarryG]

That ServeRAID M5016 is the controller I was talking about. Just ask if it is complete package. M5016 comes with super-cap, it should be there.

If you go with original LSI, be aware: older controllers i.e. 9260 support BBU only (battery backup unit). New controllers (i.e. 9271, 9266) support CacheVault (that is super-capacitor). If you can, go definitely with super-capacitor. Even when battery is new, it still needs to be re-formated from time to time (controller turns caching off in such a time), sensors must "learn" its capacity, and charging takes some time. I had quite a few problems with BBU. Now with super-capacitor, not a hitch...

[JohnyBeGood]

So I decided to settle for IBM ServeRAID M5016 but on that ebay posting there's no option to contact seller and they're shipped from China which is not an issue but since there's no contact and also in the posting it says "without BBU and cables Specifications".

In my research I came across this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMFcLQWPX5g

and I don't see where that super-capacitor would be attached?

[JohnyBeGood]

I was able to contact seller thru their main store and got response that it does not come with super-capacitor but I can buy it as a add -on

So this is not someting that is soldered on the board?

BBU09 for LSI 49571 03 9286 9286CV 8E 9285 9285CV 8E IBM M5110 M5016 | eBay