Well knowing now that the VR's don't need that heatsink attachment maybe this is a DIY possibility? I also don't think there are right angle fan out cables, and I'd have to worry about smushing the power cable in there too...
.
For DIY mounted VR's, I think it is.
I didn't bother to mention the power issue, but you're correct to be concerned, as the two SATA power connectors would be as deep, if not deeper (back to back) than a straight fan-out SAS/SATA end.
I've no idea if you could gain the clearance needed to attempt this route.
Yes, I keep hoping that there will be an update as I really like the Areca cards... I just don't think I could suffer a HighPoint...
Some of HighPoint's gear is designed and made by Areca, but not all of it. And it's modded to cut costs, so features are eliminated.
They can work, but you have to be careful when reading specs to select the right model, assuming they have one that meets all of your requirements.
I haven't tried any of theirs in years, as they always fall short somewhere.
Hmm... I'd still be left with finding a RAID card that will boot OSX (and others! though maybe that's too much to ask
). I wouldn't be opposed to this idea, however. I've got a few 16 Gig USB sticks so I don't think I would need an optical drive for much of anything... initial install, but I could do the removal after this was done onto the array. Tell me more about your setup so I can harvest your ideas
!
They do exist.
But there is a catch. Most (at least any that I can think of ATM), are SAS models. I like the
ARC-1680ix... series. It can boot Windows, Linux, and OS X.
ATTO makes a few as well, but they cost more, and can't upgrade the cache, like you can on the Areca's I linked.
The real part of the catch is, that SAS controllers aren't optimized for SATA, as they use the 348 IOP series processors. This can get you in two ways if you're not extremely careful with selection. The first is, they're not quite as quick as you might hope. But they're no slouch by any means. The ARC-1231ML is usually only about 5% faster (341 IOP), which is optimized for SATA drives. The second, is they're also picky about the drives they'll work with, and this
is the issue that truly matters. Always check the
HDD Compatibility Lists, as it can save you all kinds of aggravation (consumer drives won't work, as they're too unstable). The VR's should be OK, as they're really an enterprise drive, and you can adjust the TLER values if need be.
BTW, Areca has tested
SSD's with the ARC-1231ML, but I don't know if you could actually have success with the ARC-1680 units. I'd be concerned that they'd show up, and would operate for awhile, but begin dropping out, just as mechanical consumer drives do (unstable).
Thinking in these terms, other solutions (SATA card + boot drive for OS X) may fit your needs if you insist on these specific drives. Or you can go the other way, and use enterprise mechanical models.
I'm just thinking in terms of what you'd go through if it doesn't work. Lot of frustration, ordering new gear, RMA'ing back the other...
