Gralgrathor
New Around Here
Hi!
In this, the latest installment of the telling of my quest to obtain more storage, I want to ask about eSATA multipliers.
Previously, I'd written a post inquiring after the right type of NAS for my needs:
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=4989
And a post asking for advice on software RAID management in DIY NASes:
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=4989
Earlier, I stated I'd decided to go with the low-powered Synology DS411j, and that I'd be buying the thing as soon as I could. That hasn't happened - yet. The reason for this is that I never leave well enough alone, and decided to keep on looking for alternatives: how many bays could I get for my box? What bitrates? How much storage space out of the collection of mismatched drives I own?
At some point, I realised that it may be that I don't need an entire NAS: after all, I built a HTPC/home server last year. It's hooked up to the net, it's got processor power to spare - all it lacks is storage. What if I could simply attach an array of disks to that server?
So my search extended to the entire scala of enclosures out there: Icy Box, Fantec, and so on. It wasn't long before I realised that, although the principle may seem easy enough - just plug your disks into the device, hook up the device to your eSATA port, and your OS will see and possibly mount the disks in it - there's always a catch.
In this case the catch is that I want the device to connect through a single eSATA cable. Which means that there's going to be a SATA multiplier in it. Which means that the controller for the eSATA port in my HTPC is going to have to support multiplying. I cannot seem to find a definitive answer to that question.
So I put it to you:
My HTPC sports an AT5IONT-I mainboard, apparently equipped with a JMicron JMB360 controller. My computer has this to say about itself:
I'd want to hook up an array of at least four drives to the eSATA connector. Is this possible? Does anybody have experience with this kind of setup? Does anybody know where to find data that'll help me determine whether or not SATA multiplication will work with this mainboard?
Thanks!
In this, the latest installment of the telling of my quest to obtain more storage, I want to ask about eSATA multipliers.
Previously, I'd written a post inquiring after the right type of NAS for my needs:
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=4989
And a post asking for advice on software RAID management in DIY NASes:
http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showthread.php?t=4989
Earlier, I stated I'd decided to go with the low-powered Synology DS411j, and that I'd be buying the thing as soon as I could. That hasn't happened - yet. The reason for this is that I never leave well enough alone, and decided to keep on looking for alternatives: how many bays could I get for my box? What bitrates? How much storage space out of the collection of mismatched drives I own?
At some point, I realised that it may be that I don't need an entire NAS: after all, I built a HTPC/home server last year. It's hooked up to the net, it's got processor power to spare - all it lacks is storage. What if I could simply attach an array of disks to that server?
So my search extended to the entire scala of enclosures out there: Icy Box, Fantec, and so on. It wasn't long before I realised that, although the principle may seem easy enough - just plug your disks into the device, hook up the device to your eSATA port, and your OS will see and possibly mount the disks in it - there's always a catch.
In this case the catch is that I want the device to connect through a single eSATA cable. Which means that there's going to be a SATA multiplier in it. Which means that the controller for the eSATA port in my HTPC is going to have to support multiplying. I cannot seem to find a definitive answer to that question.
So I put it to you:
My HTPC sports an AT5IONT-I mainboard, apparently equipped with a JMicron JMB360 controller. My computer has this to say about itself:
I'd want to hook up an array of at least four drives to the eSATA connector. Is this possible? Does anybody have experience with this kind of setup? Does anybody know where to find data that'll help me determine whether or not SATA multiplication will work with this mainboard?
Thanks!
