Sata Controller Card Support

[garrettwp]

I am wondering if the next release of Proxmox will include more controller card support. I am looking into getting a LSI sas/sata 8 port card to add additional storage to my proxmox server. The LSI card is model number LSI SAS3081E-R. I am not sure which module this card uses. I think is uses the mptsas kernel module. I do not see this module in the modules directory. I would hate to buy a card and not have it supported in proxmox. My reason for adding addition controller card / storage to the proxmox server as I also use it to serve files. So the proxmox server has a dual purpose of running VM's and server files (file server).

Will we see additional drivers in the up coming proxmox release? Are we able to compile our own modules if we have the source code for the card?

- Garrett

 

[tom]

I am wondering if the next release of Proxmox will include more controller card support. I am looking into getting a LSI sas/sata 8 port card to add additional storage to my proxmox server. The LSI card is model number LSI SAS3081E-R. I am not sure which module this card uses. I think is uses the mptsas kernel module. I do not see this module in the modules directory. I would hate to buy a card and not have it supported in proxmox. My reason for adding addition controller card / storage to the proxmox server as I also use it to serve files. So the proxmox server has a dual purpose of running VM's and server files (file server).

Will we see additional drivers in the up coming proxmox release? Are we able to compile our own modules if we have the source code for the card?

- Garrett

I do not know if this on works or not - never tested here.

We got very good results with Adaptec (E.g. Adaptec RAID 5805) - and we really like the new models with Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection (http://www.adaptec.com/en-US/products/Controllers/Hardware/sas/performance/SAS-5805Z/)

Our Kernel sources are available so you can compile it by yourself but due to the complexity and the short release cycle of our Kernel I really recommend NOT going for a self compiled Kernel.

In our test lab we use several Adaptec controllers so all Kernels are tested on these servers before release -now and in future.

 

[garrettwp]

Thanks for the very fast update. I would love to get an Adaptec 5805 card, but unfortunately it is above my price range. This setup is for my personal use. What kernel version will be in the upcoming beta? I saw a thread that states the beta will be out next week. Is this the 2.0 beta? Would it be possible to include the mptsas modules in the upcoming releases?

Thanks,

- Garrett

 

[udo]

Hi garretwp,
are you sure with an lsi-raid? Because we use proxmox also on a Sun Blade with an lsi-raid-controller onboard. The performance is absolute bad!! I don't know, why Sun use lsi-chips for this... i think it's the linux-driver, but i would never buy an lsi-raid (perhaps with better driver...).
To compare the pveperf-output:
lsi:

proxmox1:~# pveperf 
CPU BOGOMIPS:      25540.73
REGEX/SECOND:      615114
HD SIZE:           49.22 GB (/dev/pve/root)
BUFFERED READS:    41.70 MB/sec
AVERAGE SEEK TIME: 16.15 ms
FSYNCS/SECOND:     119.00
DNS EXT:           96.79 ms
DNS INT:           0.58 ms

areca:

proxmox2:~# pveperf
CPU BOGOMIPS:      10451.49
REGEX/SECOND:      443861
HD SIZE:           94.49 GB (/dev/pve/root)
BUFFERED READS:    281.94 MB/sec
AVERAGE SEEK TIME: 5.50 ms
FSYNCS/SECOND:     3209.16
DNS EXT:           124.71 ms
DNS INT:           0.61 ms

Udo

 

[garrettwp]

Well to be honest with you. I am just looking for a good performing sata card that has about 8 ports to add more storage. I would prefer not to run raid. The drives would run independently. This is intended for personal use. The Proxmox server is running my dns, ldap, mail and webservers as VM's and the Proxmox host is running nfs/smb for file sharing. I have as of right now 6TB and would be upgrading to more disks in the near future. I would love to get the more expensive raid cards, but I do not need a raid option. I did see that a few companies are offering a none raid sas/sata card with 8 ports. I believe one of the manufacuters is Supermicro with a card that uses a Marvel chipset. I am trying to find a few cards in a good price range that is supported with Proxmox.

I was in the past running my kvm's via libvirt and virtmanager on ubuntu and wanted to give Proxmox a try on a new dedicated server I just built. So far I am liking it very much and would like to give it a chance.

What model card is the LSI card?

- Garrett

 

[udo]

Hi,
the lsi-controller isn't a card but onbord.
lspci-output:

02:00.0 SCSI storage controller: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic SAS1068E PCI-Express Fusion-MPT SAS (rev 04)
    Subsystem: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic Device 3150
    Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr+ Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx-
    Status: Cap+ 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B- ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
    Latency: 0, Cache Line Size: 64 bytes
    Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 19
    Region 0: I/O ports at 7800 [size=256]
    Region 1: Memory at 8bbfc000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Region 3: Memory at 8bbe0000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=64K]
    Expansion ROM at 8b400000 [disabled] [size=4M]
    Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
        Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
        Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
    Capabilities: [68] Express (v1) Endpoint, MSI 00
        DevCap:    MaxPayload 4096 bytes, PhantFunc 0, Latency L0s <64ns, L1 <1us
            ExtTag+ AttnBtn- AttnInd- PwrInd- RBE- FLReset-
        DevCtl:    Report errors: Correctable- Non-Fatal- Fatal- Unsupported-
            RlxdOrd+ ExtTag- PhantFunc- AuxPwr- NoSnoop+
            MaxPayload 128 bytes, MaxReadReq 128 bytes
        DevSta:    CorrErr- UncorrErr+ FatalErr- UnsuppReq+ AuxPwr- TransPend-
        LnkCap:    Port #0, Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x8, ASPM L0s L1, Latency L0 <64ns, L1 <1us
            ClockPM- Suprise- LLActRep- BwNot-
        LnkCtl:    ASPM Disabled; RCB 64 bytes Disabled- Retrain- CommClk-
            ExtSynch- ClockPM- AutWidDis- BWInt- AutBWInt-
        LnkSta:    Speed 2.5GT/s, Width x4, TrErr- Train- SlotClk- DLActive- BWMgmt- ABWMgmt-
    Capabilities: [98] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
        Address: 0000000000000000  Data: 0000
    Capabilities: [b0] MSI-X: Enable- Mask- TabSize=1
        Vector table: BAR=1 offset=00002000
        PBA: BAR=1 offset=00003000
    Kernel driver in use: mptsas
    Kernel modules: mptsas

You can use the Areca-Raids to pass-through the disks, but i think thats to expensive for a solution without raid-function (i would never miss the raid-feature! To many damage hds). The ARC-1220 cost 400 Euro - but think of the trouble if the data of one disk is lost...

Udo

 

[garrettwp]

Is the LSI controller running on Proxmox? I believe the LSI SAS3081E-R uses the same chip. If the controller is running on Proxmox, did you have to do anything special to get it going? Is the mptsas compiled in the Kernel? I do not see it in the modules directory. I am trying to find a card that has no raid functions and offers the disk as jbod. I have had to many bad experiences with raid and would rather have the disks seperate and me managing the data with my own custom scripts for backs etc.

Thanks,

- Garrett

 

[udo]

Hi,
yes the Sun-Blade ist running with proxmox without problems - just install (there are only two disk in the blade, running as raid-1) and all fine (only the performance would'nt fine).

Udo