Motherboard for storage server

[Tokelil]

I'm building a new low cost storage server and could use some advice.

I want as many SATA ports as possible and ofc. RAID (1 and 5) support. Most boards I have looked at have only 6, but I was originally aiming for 8.

I was planning on adding a low end Core 2 Duo, so should be LGA775 board. Also it would be nice with Gigabit network.

Anyone knows of a good, stable (preferable ASUS) boards with RAID support and lots of SATA ports?

 

[Npl]

using a full PC as network-storage seems to me beeing a waste, except maybe if you already have all parts. You dont need a Core Duo for a Network-Server, it will idle all time and need way too much power for what its doing. An embedded CPU (MIPS, Arm, etc) is way more efficient.

A *pure* Network-Server will drain less power, be very quiet, smaller and cheaper aslong you dont want strange things like >4 Harddrives.

 

[Tokelil]

Well the machine needs to run Windows (XP or server 2003) so I need a "real" machine. (It will have a few roles to handle)

Anyway, we went with a an Asus with P35 chipset, so 6 disks will have to do.

Thanks for the input though. When I build a real NAS storage I will keep you words in mind. (Which is "planned", but I would like to go with a Via Epia platform for that I think)

 

[V3]

Can't you get those controller card, that'll expand the number of SATA ports ?

 

[Tokelil]

Can't you get those controller card, that'll expand the number of SATA ports ?

This will probably be the choice if 6 isn't enough at some point, but ie. a 8 port RAID sata controller is somewhat expensive. Probably we will never have to go there though...

 

[Blazkowicz]

if you're going to do raid 5 with six motherboard ports that'll be software raid anyway, you can look at 2 port and 4 port cards.