Hi, I'm looking for a recommendation here - I would have thought this is something a lot of people would be after given the requirement of proxmox to support hardware raid - a good hardware raid card 8 ports or more that runs on proxmox with a fully operational web interface.
Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxmox
- Thread starter Trimmings
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Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
I run 2 High Point 4320 using SATA drives. It supports SAS also. It has a separate ethernet port and is web accessible. I have been using these for 2 years without issue.
I run 2 High Point 4320 using SATA drives. It supports SAS also. It has a separate ethernet port and is web accessible. I have been using these for 2 years without issue.
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
Thanks for the info - I'm looking at highpoint myself due to the web interface, I'm using it elsewhere and it's great. This looks like a good card but I'm not certain about spending $800 on a card with only sata2 support - I'm looking to run SSD's in raid1 so the card need not have a fast processor for parity work, but sata3 support is desireable.
I've read elsewhere in the forums the 2720SGL isn't supported but the spec sheet includes debian/redhat - all flavors of linux. I've already ordered one to give a crack at it, even perhaps to try with a debian first install then proxmox over the top.
It's quite unfortunate proxmox requires raid to be supported but then uses some custom arrangement with distribution/kernel so that raid management tools don't work properly. Really, if I'm going to be using hardware raid I want some well organised, intuitive tools not some awkward command line interface.
Thanks for the info - I'm looking at highpoint myself due to the web interface, I'm using it elsewhere and it's great. This looks like a good card but I'm not certain about spending $800 on a card with only sata2 support - I'm looking to run SSD's in raid1 so the card need not have a fast processor for parity work, but sata3 support is desireable.
I've read elsewhere in the forums the 2720SGL isn't supported but the spec sheet includes debian/redhat - all flavors of linux. I've already ordered one to give a crack at it, even perhaps to try with a debian first install then proxmox over the top.
It's quite unfortunate proxmox requires raid to be supported but then uses some custom arrangement with distribution/kernel so that raid management tools don't work properly. Really, if I'm going to be using hardware raid I want some well organised, intuitive tools not some awkward command line interface.
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
Most raid controller works out of the box. We also include drivers in the past to support new raid controller by default, e.g. we upgraded adaptec, lsi, high point or areca drivers to get worry free installation for our users - all these drivers were not available in the base distributions (redhat and debian) on that time.
Management tools: if you have any issues, just post it here. as long as the tools can be installed on Debian you are most time on the save side.
Just google, e.g. this site is always a good start - http://hwraid.le-vert.net/
I personally use a lot of Adaptec Raid Controllers (3805, 5805Z, 6805 with Flash) - there is no web interface but a Java console, working trouble free on Proxmox VE since years.
See also http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Adaptec_Storage_Manager
Most raid controller works out of the box. We also include drivers in the past to support new raid controller by default, e.g. we upgraded adaptec, lsi, high point or areca drivers to get worry free installation for our users - all these drivers were not available in the base distributions (redhat and debian) on that time.
Management tools: if you have any issues, just post it here. as long as the tools can be installed on Debian you are most time on the save side.
Just google, e.g. this site is always a good start - http://hwraid.le-vert.net/
I personally use a lot of Adaptec Raid Controllers (3805, 5805Z, 6805 with Flash) - there is no web interface but a Java console, working trouble free on Proxmox VE since years.
See also http://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Adaptec_Storage_Manager
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
So, I've downloaded the kernel headers, done a make menuconfig to look at the config of the kernel and guess what? The kernel has options built in for mvsas, even there are folders created on a proxmox install - but the modules are missing;
/lib/modules/xxx/kernel/drivers/scsi/mvsas - no module in this directory
It looks like the someone made a decision to have deleted/removed from the proxmox installation, as menuconfig shows it selected as a module by default, same as other scsi drivers - is there a reason for this exclusion? Here http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/SCSI_MVSAS.html it tells me this module supports a hell of a lot of marvel sas raid cards, and I can imagine its one of the few 6Gbit Sata cards supported in-kernel.
I'd love to know how to recompile the kernel or the modules, but I just checked out the git archive (git clone git://git.proxmox.com/git/pve-kernel-2.6.32.git) from the repository and after downloading about 2GB(!) it left me with a folder with some crap in it, an 85MB rpm (what - this is debian?) and a 1.9GB GIT directory.
This seems way, way too hard for what should just be a download, recompile a module (which seems to already have kernel support for the module) and off I go.
So, I've downloaded the kernel headers, done a make menuconfig to look at the config of the kernel and guess what? The kernel has options built in for mvsas, even there are folders created on a proxmox install - but the modules are missing;
/lib/modules/xxx/kernel/drivers/scsi/mvsas - no module in this directory
It looks like the someone made a decision to have deleted/removed from the proxmox installation, as menuconfig shows it selected as a module by default, same as other scsi drivers - is there a reason for this exclusion? Here http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/SCSI_MVSAS.html it tells me this module supports a hell of a lot of marvel sas raid cards, and I can imagine its one of the few 6Gbit Sata cards supported in-kernel.
I'd love to know how to recompile the kernel or the modules, but I just checked out the git archive (git clone git://git.proxmox.com/git/pve-kernel-2.6.32.git) from the repository and after downloading about 2GB(!) it left me with a folder with some crap in it, an 85MB rpm (what - this is debian?) and a 1.9GB GIT directory.
This seems way, way too hard for what should just be a download, recompile a module (which seems to already have kernel support for the module) and off I go.
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
Hi Tom, thanks for the reply. It's the scsi->low level->mvsas module I'm after, the card is the Highpoint 2720 SAS/SATA controller.
P.S. it's listed as the Marvell 88SE64XX/88SE94XX in the menuconfig (which seems like 3GBit/6Gbit controllers)
P.P.S I also have tried an Intel SRCSATAWB controller (8 Port) - installs fine, got console admin going, but can't get the remote interface to work (and it's some dodgy java thing anyhow not a proper web interface) and sata2 only. I'm not about to drop a pile of cash on a server when I don't even know if I'll like the raid admin tools.
Hi Tom, thanks for the reply. It's the scsi->low level->mvsas module I'm after, the card is the Highpoint 2720 SAS/SATA controller.
P.S. it's listed as the Marvell 88SE64XX/88SE94XX in the menuconfig (which seems like 3GBit/6Gbit controllers)
P.P.S I also have tried an Intel SRCSATAWB controller (8 Port) - installs fine, got console admin going, but can't get the remote interface to work (and it's some dodgy java thing anyhow not a proper web interface) and sata2 only. I'm not about to drop a pile of cash on a server when I don't even know if I'll like the raid admin tools.
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Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
compiling the driver module works here without problems (you just need the kernel header, no git), but this will not help if you need to boot from this controller.
the driver is not GPL so I doubt than we can include it in our ISO.
compiling the driver module works here without problems (you just need the kernel header, no git), but this will not help if you need to boot from this controller.
the driver is not GPL so I doubt than we can include it in our ISO.
Code:
root@proxmox-6-183:~# modinfo rr272x_1x
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.32-17-pve/kernel/drivers/scsi/rr272x_1x/rr272x_1x.ko
license: Proprietary
description: RAID driver
author: HighPoint Technologies, Inc.
alias: pci:v00001103d00002711sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v00001103d00002710sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v00001103d00002722sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v00001103d00002721sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v00001103d00002720sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends:
vermagic: 2.6.32-17-pve SMP mod_unload modversions
parm: autorebuild:int
root@proxmox-6-183:~#Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
Heck just being able to use the card and test that the web admin works well would be great
So, you've got the rr272x_1x driver there (not GPL) - that's a highpoint driver, not the mvsas driver (should be in kernel source linux-2.6.xxxxx/drivers/scsi/mvsas/) - but the mvsas seems to be a generic driver included in the kernel? Maybe I'd need the full highpoint driver in there, I don't know but in a centos vmware server system I had built I just used the kernel driver with a 3500 series highpoint (I think supported by proxmox but only sata2) and that worked fine with the web interface etc.
So, I'd love your thoughts on the use of mvsas but I've got the kernel headers, I did download the driver (from http://www.highpoint-tech.com/BIOS_...x/rr272x_1x-linux-src-v1.1-100719-1113.tar.gz) followed the readme for 2.6 kernels and got an error on the second stage of compiling, I couldn't modprobe it - then gave up and looked harder at something that might be in the kernel (mvsas).
p.s. if I used a compiled highpoint driver for a certain kernel, I'd need to recompile the driver if I ever updated the kernel with proxmox right?
Heck just being able to use the card and test that the web admin works well would be great
So, you've got the rr272x_1x driver there (not GPL) - that's a highpoint driver, not the mvsas driver (should be in kernel source linux-2.6.xxxxx/drivers/scsi/mvsas/) - but the mvsas seems to be a generic driver included in the kernel? Maybe I'd need the full highpoint driver in there, I don't know but in a centos vmware server system I had built I just used the kernel driver with a 3500 series highpoint (I think supported by proxmox but only sata2) and that worked fine with the web interface etc.
So, I'd love your thoughts on the use of mvsas but I've got the kernel headers, I did download the driver (from http://www.highpoint-tech.com/BIOS_...x/rr272x_1x-linux-src-v1.1-100719-1113.tar.gz) followed the readme for 2.6 kernels and got an error on the second stage of compiling, I couldn't modprobe it - then gave up and looked harder at something that might be in the kernel (mvsas).
p.s. if I used a compiled highpoint driver for a certain kernel, I'd need to recompile the driver if I ever updated the kernel with proxmox right?
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
highpoint controller are not supported by a lot of distributions by default. they are cheap (in the beginning) but in fact you have a lot of work with them.
others work by default as the vendors works quite close with the linux distribution and kernel maintainers. if you are not familiar with compiling drivers and maintaining them after kernel upgrades I highly recommend you use another controller - see my post above.
highpoint controller are not supported by a lot of distributions by default. they are cheap (in the beginning) but in fact you have a lot of work with them.
others work by default as the vendors works quite close with the linux distribution and kernel maintainers. if you are not familiar with compiling drivers and maintaining them after kernel upgrades I highly recommend you use another controller - see my post above.
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
Tom, understand this card is not full hardware however I purchased it for testing - and certainly I have to point out not all highpoint cards are 'cheap'. My question about recompiling for new kernels was just out of interest. I imagine due to ignoring the whole question around the Marvell 88SE64XX/88SE94XX (mvsas) driver that it was decided to not include it in the kernel as you guys didn't want to support it (even though it looks like its there in the headers/config from the kernel you compiled), which I guess is entirely your decision as long as you're still providing the source.
I'd like to be able to try to recompile the kernel myself with the mvsas driver but I guess I'll have to work out how you've arranged the source - or buy a THIRD raid card so I can get proxmox working on a platform with a working raid GUI - probably a older highpoint 3/4000 series that only does sata2. I'm a bit frustrated now, you've recommended Adaptec, however they don't seem to me to have a decent web interface until the newest 7 series (maxview) and then we don't have them in Australia yet and they probably aren't supported in your kernel (but who knows).
Anyhow, thanks for your help so far - I'm sure I'll blow some more money on another card soon!
Tom, understand this card is not full hardware however I purchased it for testing - and certainly I have to point out not all highpoint cards are 'cheap'. My question about recompiling for new kernels was just out of interest. I imagine due to ignoring the whole question around the Marvell 88SE64XX/88SE94XX (mvsas) driver that it was decided to not include it in the kernel as you guys didn't want to support it (even though it looks like its there in the headers/config from the kernel you compiled), which I guess is entirely your decision as long as you're still providing the source.
I'd like to be able to try to recompile the kernel myself with the mvsas driver but I guess I'll have to work out how you've arranged the source - or buy a THIRD raid card so I can get proxmox working on a platform with a working raid GUI - probably a older highpoint 3/4000 series that only does sata2. I'm a bit frustrated now, you've recommended Adaptec, however they don't seem to me to have a decent web interface until the newest 7 series (maxview) and then we don't have them in Australia yet and they probably aren't supported in your kernel (but who knows).
Anyhow, thanks for your help so far - I'm sure I'll blow some more money on another card soon!
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
I use LSIs 3ware line of cards, their web based interface (3DM2) is available in a deb package. Not to mention it is very very easy to use.
I use LSIs 3ware line of cards, their web based interface (3DM2) is available in a deb package. Not to mention it is very very easy to use.
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
I have a few Proxmox servers using 3ware 9650se RAID cards. The 3DM2 interface is very easy to install.
I have a few Proxmox servers using 3ware 9650se RAID cards. The 3DM2 interface is very easy to install.
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
as you did not answer the question which version do you need I did not respond. I asked this because the drive is already included in our default kernel.
as you did not answer the question which version do you need I did not respond. I asked this because the drive is already included in our default kernel.
Code:
root@dsfdss1:~# modinfo mvsas
filename: /lib/modules/2.6.32-17-pve/kernel/drivers/scsi/mvsas/mvsas.ko
license: GPL
version: 0.8.2
description: Marvell 88SE6440 SAS/SATA controller driver
author: Jeff Garzik <jgarzik@pobox.com>
srcversion: F63DF838ABC694D6903E4A6
alias: pci:v00009005d00000450sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000017D3d00001320sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000017D3d00001300sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000011ABd00009180sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000011ABd00009480sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000011ABd00006485sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000011ABd00006440sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000011ABd00006440sv*sd00006480bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000011ABd00006340sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
alias: pci:v000011ABd00006320sv*sd*bc*sc*i*
depends: libsas,scsi_transport_sas
vermagic: 2.6.32-17-pve SMP mod_unload modversionsRe: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
Hi Tom. So, I wiped my machine and started again - I guess the highpoint driver killed by mvsas module when I tried to install it - makes sense, so I can see that driver now. The strange thing here is, that driver description is the one from the old kernel for Marvell 88SE6440 cards (http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/SCSI_MVSAS.html) - pre 2.6.30, not the kernel you're using here - also what's strange is in the kernel headers the references just downloaded (in drivers/scsi/mvsas) are specific to the new driver 88SE64XX/88SE94XX.
So, are these headers the headers for this actual kernel? I don't understand where the older mvsas driver is coming from - the kernel doc in that link says the old version of the kernel was in drivers/scsi/Kconfig - but the source headers just point to the mvsas folder (with the new driver). It looks like this card is pretty much the same thing, a 'lite' raid card.
p.s. I've ordered the a highpoint 35xx series card also that will probably take a few weeks as its from o/s, thanks also to bhennigar for the info but I looked at the 3ware and their interfaces look good - don't like buying into platforms that have been inhaled by other companies though - they have a habit of being killed off!
Hi Tom. So, I wiped my machine and started again - I guess the highpoint driver killed by mvsas module when I tried to install it - makes sense, so I can see that driver now. The strange thing here is, that driver description is the one from the old kernel for Marvell 88SE6440 cards (http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/SCSI_MVSAS.html) - pre 2.6.30, not the kernel you're using here - also what's strange is in the kernel headers the references just downloaded (in drivers/scsi/mvsas) are specific to the new driver 88SE64XX/88SE94XX.
So, are these headers the headers for this actual kernel? I don't understand where the older mvsas driver is coming from - the kernel doc in that link says the old version of the kernel was in drivers/scsi/Kconfig - but the source headers just point to the mvsas folder (with the new driver). It looks like this card is pretty much the same thing, a 'lite' raid card.
p.s. I've ordered the a highpoint 35xx series card also that will probably take a few weeks as its from o/s, thanks also to bhennigar for the info but I looked at the 3ware and their interfaces look good - don't like buying into platforms that have been inhaled by other companies though - they have a habit of being killed off!
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
There hasn't been update for my 3ware 9650se since November 2009 so I would say that it's basically dead to LSI.
I've updated a few systems with LSI MegaRAID cards but they're command line only in Proxmox. They do have a nice GUI interface which can be accessed as the system is first booting. I've used the command line maybe 2 times in the past year and it was only to manually check the RAID status. There's a spot in the GUI to set an email address for the card to mail errors to.
There hasn't been update for my 3ware 9650se since November 2009 so I would say that it's basically dead to LSI.
I've updated a few systems with LSI MegaRAID cards but they're command line only in Proxmox. They do have a nice GUI interface which can be accessed as the system is first booting. I've used the command line maybe 2 times in the past year and it was only to manually check the RAID status. There's a spot in the GUI to set an email address for the card to mail errors to.
Re: Hardware Recommendation / Raid controller with operational web interface on proxm
See also http://hwraid.le-vert.net/wiki/LSIMegaRAID
See also http://hwraid.le-vert.net/wiki/LSIMegaRAID