Inexpensive VMWare ESXi + Linux compatible RAID controller recommendation?

[AliRaz]

Hello,

I'd like to have the option of using RAID 5 but I currently plan on using RAID 0+1. I will only go with RAID 5 if it isn't too expensive. I'm having a hard time finding a good controller that's cheap (under $250) that works well with Linux and VMWare ESXi. Do you guys have any suggestions?

VMWare Esxi IO guide:

http://www.vmware.com/pdf/vi35_io_guide.pdf

Thanks.

[nick_couchman]

Well, if it works in ESXi, it will probably work under Linux. I think you're going to have a hard time finding one for under $250 that actually works in RAID mode, though - most of the cheaper ones are "fake RAID" cards and so they only work under ESXi as JBOD controllers, not RAID controllers. You have to spend a little bit of money to get a card that actually has a true on-board RAID controller. As far as finding one that works under ESXi, check the Systems Guide (AKA ESX HCL) and buy one with one of the chipsets mentioned.

[Jordack]

are you looking for scsi, sas or sata? If you do your shopping and don't mind "refurbished" parts" you can get a HP e200 for about $170. I think the the e200 is compatiable.

[Texiwill]

Hello,

Moved to ESXi forum.

Best regards,

Edward L. Haletky

VMware Communities User Moderator

====

Author of the book 'VMWare ESX Server in the Enterprise: Planning and Securing Virtualization Servers', Copyright 2008 Pearson Education.

CIO Virtualization Blog: http://www.cio.com/blog/index/topic/168354

As well as the Virtualization Wiki at http://www.astroarch.com/wiki/index.php/Virtualization

[chillware]

you can pick up an Adaptec 3405 on ebay for about $150-200, runs hardware raid 5 and its PCIe, runs great!

[AliRaz]

Thank you guys for your help, I was knee deep in production issues (non vmware related) and coudlnt' get back to this thread. Yes, it is for a SATA raid. I was looking at the adaptec 3405 but was wary of ebay but i'll look! Thanks again.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

You might want to verify that ESXi will recognize the card you buy - http://www.vm-help.com/esx/esx3i/Hardware_support.php. It is possible to modify the PCI id files to recognize other devices, but you take your chances with that.

[AliRaz]

I'm thinking of going with the 3405 and then getting a battery pack later, it seems to be the cheapest raid controller to buy at the moment.

[Dave_Mishchenko]

It's likely that you'll have to update simple.map and pci.ids so you may want to get familiar with updating oem.tgz.