Hard drive with raid built in or eSata RAID PCIe card?

[bluesteel]

which is better:

1. a hard drive enclosure with RAID built in, like the OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro eSATA RAID 1 Mirror, and buy an eSata PCIe card like the Sonnet Tempo eSATA E4P eSATA Host Adapter.

or

2. a dual hard drive enclosure, and a RAID eSata PCIe card like the HighPoint RocketRaid 2314.

i'm trying to find out if its better (performance and/or reliability) to have RAID as part of the eSata PCIe card, or as part of the hard drive enclosure itself. hope this wasn't confusing and repeated. sorry if it was :-)

[alphaod]

If the RAID is built into the enclosure you can move the RAID from computer to computer; if it's not and you have set it up via a RAID card then you can't move it. Also RAID 5/6 should be done with with a card that has a backup battery (or use a UPS)—RAID0/1 shouldn't matter which one you choose.

[Honumaui]

not sure about the mercury one ?

the thing is it has to be a decent one ? I have some OK ones good enough for what they are RoC to me better than JBOD for back up purpose

some like this $350
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111145
seem good bu and such has to run on a PM card though so its a driver situation more than a true raid in my book :) but can work :)
I have some like this for my time machine loaded with 2TB drives

this is one I am curious about $600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111074
seems like a good product ?


these are cool :)
http://www.areca.us/products/6gsastosas.htm

performance ? lets say to get a system for under $2000 with discs ? you are going to get better performance with a true raid card and some kind of external case

get in the $4000 and up market ? that can open up a big can of what if ? so lets get back to reality :)


for most all of us a true raid card like Areca is going to offer much better performance for the money

the fact you say a eSATA card ? if I am reading correct those are more PM style setups and not real good raid setups ?

usually a raid card is going to have 8088 miniSAS or multilane connectors something like that :)

[bluesteel]

If the RAID is built into the enclosure you can move the RAID from computer to computer; if it's not and you have set it up via a RAID card then you can't move it.

this is something i didn't even think about, and the mobility is extremely important to me. i'm going to need to move the RAID from computer to computer. i can't believe i forgot about this. thanks for the info :-)

i'd like your advice on a purchase decision, if you can provide it. considering the fact that i am going to be using three external eSata Hard Drives that have RAID built into them, i will need a 4-port eSata PCIe card. I also want the best quality card i can get my hands on. i am leaning toward getting the Sonnet Tempo eSATA E4P. but for less money, though, i can get a 4-port eSata PCIe card with RAID, the HighPoint RocketRaid 2314. would you go ahead and get the PCIe card that has RAID capability since its cheaper than the Sonnet that doesn't? can i use the HighPoint RocketRaid 2314 without its RAID capability, and just for its eSata ports?

[Honumaui]

4 port card I would look into the seritek !
http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/seritek-2me4-e/perform/
I have had a few of their products I used to use a 8 disc raid 10 on two seritek and had good luck even not as a raid


again my own experience is bad luck with highpoint !!!!! its about the card itself I think more than the function so I still say avoid them if you can

portability or performance choose one :) unless you spend big bucks :)

[bluesteel]

4 port card I would look into the seritek !
http://www.firmtek.com/seritek/seritek-2me4-e/perform/
I have had a few of their products I used to use a 8 disc raid 10 on two seritek and had good luck even not as a raid


again my own experience is bad luck with highpoint !!!!! its about the card itself I think more than the function so I still say avoid them if you can

portability or performance choose one :) unless you spend big bucks :)

yes, the FirmTek SeriTek/2ME4E seems to be a great card, and FirmTek seems to be a reliable and reputable company, although their website is very amatuer. anyhow, i think i'm going to buy the FirmTek SeriTek/2ME4E. thanks for the advice :-)