ESXi 5: Recommend a SATA controller

[anga1010]

Hello:

Need to add a second SATA controller to a Dell Precision T5500.

New to ESXi and SATA controllers and hence having a hard time choosing one.

Appreciate recommendations for a couple of cards that meet the following criteria.

Maximum of 8 SATA ports (6 internal, 2 external: preferred breakup); can live with 4 internal ports

Prefer a well-tested, robust, standard card; don't care about RAID or   SAS or blazing speed or SATA 6 or the latest features. It must work,   work well and few compatibility issues. ESXi 5  compatibility required.

Cost: as low as possible

Thanks

[Dave_Mishchenko]

If you're looking for RAID you'll need a hardware based RAID controller.  ESXi doesn't support software RAID (e.g. Intel Storage Matrix / ICH*R controllers).   The Dell 5 / 6 Perc cards are LSI based controllers which work well with ESXi (but I don't think they external ports).  You'll want to look around at LSI or Adapter based cards (but you'll want to stay away for software or HostRAID - which is another name for software RAID).

[anga1010]

I do not need RAID.

Just 6 internal and 2 external ports.

Failing that 4 to 8 internal ports.

I do not have the expertise to evaluate SATA controller cards.

Helps if you can narrow it down to a couple of cards and I can go on from there.