3ware Support Question

[Robert Covell]

Glenn Johnson wrote:

>On Wed, Jul 30, 2003 at 12:07:15PM -0500, Robert Covell wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Peter Elsner wrote:
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Have had no problems using the 6000/7000/8000 series of cards on 4.6
>>>to 4.8...  Have not tried 5.0/5.1
>>>
>>>Peter Elsner
>>>
>>>
>>>At 11:13 AM 7/30/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>>>I am wanting to use a 3ware raid card so I can get IDE RAID1+0 for
>>>>a new mail server.  Heard nothing but good things about them and
>>>>FreeBSD.
>>>>
>>>>The card is: 7506-4LP
>>>>
>>>>But do not know if 4.8 supports this specific card.  The notes say:
>>>>3ware Escalade ATA RAID controllers ( twe(4) driver) 5000 series
>>>>6000 series 7000 series
>>>>
>>>>The same support is in 5.0.
>>>>
>>>>Is 7506-4LP a 7000 series card or is it a 7500 series card?
>>>>
>>>>There was a previous thread about the 7500 series card potentially
>>>>causing corruption.  Has anybody heard additional information
>>>>regarding this?
>>>>        
>>>>
>>So then I can assume that a 7506 IS a 7000 series?
>>
>>Just trying to make sure before I buy all the hardware.
>>    
>>
>
>According to the 3ware Web site, the 7506 uses a different firmware,    
>driver, and utility series than the 7500 models.  I would not _assume_  
>that it would work.                                                     
>
>Although there is someone who recently started working on the FreeBSD
>driver for 3ware cards (sorry, can not remember the name), 3ware does
>not support FreeBSD in any way.  I have a 7500-8 card and I have had
>firmware issues with it.  It turns out that I can not use the card for
>RAID1+0, which is what you said you wanted, because the array can not
>initialize after a drive failure in RAID1+0 mode.  I had to reconfigure
>my array as RAID-5.  That was not fun but it does work well in RAID-5
>mode.  That being said, I know there are other FreeBSD users who have
>successfully used a 7500 card for RAID1+0.  It depends on what hardware
>revision you get.
>
>I would strongly encourage you to buy the 7506 from a vendor that will
>allow you to easily return it should it not work under FreeBSD for you.
>
>  
>
Ok, as much as I want to use 3ware it does not seem as if this card will 
work out because I can't be certain it will support the requirements. 
 Would anyone recommend another card that is fully supported for ide 
raid and freebsd?  I have thought about adaptec, but from what I have 
read on the list it is not the best.  I could be wrong.

-Bob

-- 

Sincerely,


Robert T. Covell
President / Owner
Rolet Internet Services, LLC
Web: www.rolet.com
Email: rcovell at rolet.com
Phone: 816.471.1095
Fax: 816.471.3447
24x7: 816.210.7145