Hi Rich, With the Ultra 20M2 there is a very cheap/easy alternative that might work for you (until you need to expand past 2 more external devices anyway)
Pick up an eSATA pci bracket cable adapter, something like this- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812226003&cm_re=eSATA-_-12-226-003-_-Product (I haven't used this specific product but it was the first example I found) The U20M2 has slots for just 2 internal SATA drives but the motherboard has a total of 4 SATA connectors so there are two that normally go unused. Connect these to the bracket and connect your external eSATA enclosures to these. You'll get two eSATA ports without needing to use any PCI slots and I believe that if you use the very bottom pci slot opening you won't even block any of the actual pci slots from future use. -Mark D. On 05/ 6/11 12:04 PM, Rich Teer wrote:
Hi all, I'm looking at replacing my old D1000 array with some new external drives, most likely these: http://www.g-technology.com/products/g-drive.cfm . In the immediate term, I'm planning to use USB 2.0 connections, but the drive I'm considering also supports eSATA, which is MUCH faster than USB, but also (I think, please correct me if I'm wrong) more reliable. Neither of the machines I'll be using as my server (currently an SB1000 but will be an Ultra 20 M2 "soon"; this is my home network, very light workload) has an integrated eSATA port, so I must turn to add-on PCI cards. What are people recommending? I need to attach at least two drives (I'll be mirroring them), preferably three or more. The machines are currently running SXCE snv_b130, with an upgrade to Solaris Express 11 not too far away. Thanks!
_______________________________________________ zfs-discuss mailing list zfs-discuss@opensolaris.org http://mail.opensolaris.org/mailman/listinfo/zfs-discuss
