hi ya francisco..
thanx for the relatively good summary of the controllers..
- hope ya don't mind... but will put references to this "excerpted" email..
have fun
alvin
http://www.Linux-Consulting.com/Raid/Docs/
> Francisco Jose Montilla wrote:
>
>
> Hi,
>
> On Tue, 25 May 1999, Bobby Hitt wrote:
>
> > Hello all:
> >
> > I'm looking for a Linux HARDWARE RAID solution that supports booting from
> > the RAID. The hardware I know about that supports this:
>
> > DPT
> > ICP Vortex
>
> And as people have noted, Mylex. I had to recommend one for a
> customer recently, and as is actual No-Thanks server is going to be a
> Linux+samba one as soon as I feel confortable with Samba PDC capabilities
> for NT clients, I looked closely to these three controllers.
>
> > I just returned an DPT 2044UW controller and caching module, performance was
> > AWFUL. Before I buy a ICP Vortex controller, I wanted to see if anyone knows
> > about any other alternatives.
>
> I didn't consider low-end solutions like that or the megaraid, or
> models like that within these three brands.
>
> My criteria was simple:
>
> 1.- Level/quality of 'raw' support by the Linux Kernel
> 2.- Level/quality of utilities (for configuring, monitoring and
> such)
> 3.- Price/performance
>
> This is the conclusion I reach with
>
> DPT:
>
> 1: Seems to be well supported, drivers included in the kernel.
> 2: There are no linux native utilities AFAIK, you must boot dos to
> configure the controller also.
> 3: It seems to me this brand is like Adaptec: Much hype, but
> performance/quality/price doesn't match.
>
> Mylex (DACPGM):
>
> 1: Drivers are beta patches (by Leonard Zubkoff, the same guy who
> made the Buslogic ones). I don't have nothing against beta as I stated
> recently about 'alpha' regarding to sw raid to a list mate, But a customer
> that spend $600-$800+ on a hw raid solution may think differently. Even
> myself.
>
> 2: No Linux native utilities. You must boot dos to configure the
> controller.
>
> Also, I can't see why Mylex can't pay/support to produce it's own
> production drivers, I don't know with kind of relationship Leonard has
> with Mylex and former Buslogic, but I guess if enough money were deployed,
> he'll have the time. And from my point of view, Hardware makers that want
> to support Linux must hire/pay someone to produce its production drivers.
>
> 3: Uses to be cheaper than DPT, so performance and price goes
> along.
>
> ICP Vortex:
>
> 1: They provide production-quality drivers.
> 2: They have linux native utilities. (The least one expects when
> one buys a medium/high end piece of hardware! Don't know if they're more
> useful than direct /proc/ cat'ing though...)
> 3: I Haven't tried performance, but it seems is good (VA
> choosed them for iys 8way xeon monster).
>
> So my choice will be ICP Vortex...
>
> greetings,
>
> *****---(*)---**********************************************---------->
> Francisco J. Montilla Systems & Network administrator
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] irc: pukka Seville Spain
> INSFLUG (LiNUX) Coordinator. www.insflug.org - ftp.insflug.org
>
>
