Question about SSDs in RAID0

Computer Forum Storage Devices
1

Hi,

Right now I currently have one 60GB Corsair Force GT SATAIII SSD hooked up to one of my SATAIII ports on my Asus Sabertooth X58 MoBo, and one conventional WD Caviar black HD hooked up to the normal Intel-controlled SATA 3Gbps ports. Unfortunately, like most X58 chipset boards, the SATAIII ports are controlled by that horrendously bad Marvell 9128 controller. I plan on getting a second one of these SSDs in the near future and RAID0-ing it with my current SSD.

Here’s my question though: would hooking up these SSDs to the Intel 3Gbps ports and RAID0-ing them actually be the wiser choice, or should I stick with the Marvell ports? I’ve heard that the Marvell controller is really unreliable with RAID, and I’ve also heard that the Marvell controller lacks some technologies most SSDs are built for these days, such as TRIM. I also have to consider the speed I’d be getting. In the case of two SATAIII SSDs in RAID0, do you think that the Marvell 6Gbps ports would actually outperform the Intel 3Gbps ports much? I’ve heard that Marvell-controlled SATAIII ports aren’t true SATAIII, they’re just SATA ports tied to a PCIe x1 lane, instead of true ports tied to the southbridge chipset.

So there’s my question: considering I have two SATAIII SSDs in RAID0, which would be faster\more reliable in my case: using the Intel SATAII 3Gbps ports, or the Marvell SATAIII 6Gbps ports?

Simek

2

The PCIe x1 makes sense since the Marvell controller is an independent chip outside the x58 chipset and would need some means of communication with said chipset. PCI/PCIe are used for that purpose. But that in itself wouldn’t discount the SATA controller from what the maximum speed could be. It might limit the through put, just not negate it. For example, fitting a car with spare tires doesn’t make it something else, but it does affect the maximum speed you can (or should) travel.

With RAID 0, there is no redundancy, nixing the ‘R’ in the acronym “RAID”, and if you don’t want any additional problems tossed your way, I’d avoid an unreliable controller, even if it’s faster, it still isn’t worth it…unless you’d like to reload your OS all the time.

So, in a round about way, yes, it’s recommended that you run your RAID configuration on the Intel controller.