ASUS Z9PE-D16 Raid Boot Configuration

[peterlyttle]

Hello,

I was hoping for some guidance on setting up my boot / datastore drives.  I have the following hardware -

1x Asus Z9PE-D16 server board  with ports (http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/Socket2011/Z9PE-D16/Manual/e7223_Z9PE-D16_Series.pdf) -

     Intel C602

          2x SATA6G

          4x SATA3G

     Intel C602 PCH

          4x ISAS 3G

     LSI MegaRaid?

     6x PSAS 6G

2x 250GB WD WD2500AAKX (6G)

6x 2TB WD WD20EARX (6G)

1x LSI 9240-8i (http://www.lsi.com/downloads/Public/MegaRAID%20Common%20Files/MegaRAID_SAS_SW_UG_51530-00_RevJ.pdf)

Basically I had planned to do is use the motherboard to create a Raid1 (2x C602 SATA6G) volume for ESXi5.1 boot disk and then use the 9240-8i for a Raid5 datastore.

When I create the Raid1 volume ESXi only sees 2x 250GB drives and not the Raid1 volume.

Can anyone suggest what I am doing wrong or if I should use different ports.  I know the system board isnt on the HCL but I have seen posts by other users who have done a similar configuration.

Anyone have any tips?

Thanks,

Pete

[JarryG]

That's beause ESXi does not support on-board "fake-raid". AFAIK, only true hardware raid-controllers are supported. They might be sometimes part of motherboard, but this is not the case. "raid"-function of your motherboard is done by C602 chipset...

My tip: Attach even those two drives you want to use for system to LSI controller and create raid1 there (use expander if 8 ports of your LSI raid controller are not enough). But I think it is maybe "overkill". The drive where you install ESXi is not used normally for anything else, except reading boot-image...

[peterlyttle]

After posting this had crossed my mind.  Do you have any suggestions for models of expander cards as I believe the 9240-8i supports upto 64 physical drives (in jbod or 16 per volume)?  I've never used them before.

Also how does this impact performance (using the expander cards)

Thanks.

[peterlyttle]

From my reading of the following link it looks it this "Intel RES2SV240" or the Chenbro cards that I cant seem to find anywhere

http://www.lsi.com/downloads/Public/RAID%20Controllers/RAID%20Controllers%20Common%20Files/MegaRAID_Entry_Interop_List_SAS2.pdf

[JarryG]

I have seen expanders of various form and it is up to you to pick the suitable one. I have been using one in the form of "pcie-card" because I could mount it in an empty slot (apart from that, it does not use any pcie-pins). Something like this:

http://www.ebay.at/itm/TOP-Chenbro-CK12804-24x-SAS-SATA-Expander-Low-Profile-TOP-/190820907490?pt=Controller&hash=item2c6dcff9e2

There are other types, i.e. one you can mount in empty 2.5" or 3.5"-drive position. And there are also special expanders for which mounting position is already prepared in server-case. Just pick the one with SFF-8087/SFF-8087 connectors, because that's what you have on your LSI raid controller.

[peterlyttle]

I've been finding it hard to get the chenbro cards so ordered the Intel one instead.  I should have put in the OP that I am planning on adding another 3 drives to the current 3 and also migrating another Raid5 array of 5 disks to the card so I guess I would need the expander either way. (total of 13 drives)