sas controller or sata controller? which would be best

[Melocco]

I am running a unraid server. I am running 3 pci-e sata controllers installed and the onboard (17 hard drives total). I have not had much issues (other than drives dying). and I have figured out that most of the drives are dying on one controller.

I was thinking about replacing that controller. But I was thinking about using a sas controller with 8 ports (two sas controllers with 4 sata ends) and replace two 4 port sata controllers with that one.

My question is, would it be better to use a single sas controller like this one

https://www.amazon.com/SAS9211-8I-8PORT-Int-Sata-Pcie/dp/B002RL8I7M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1531945449&sr=8-3&keywords=8+port+sas+controller

or just replace my 4 port sata with a 8 port

https://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-PEX40104-PCI-Express-Internal-Controller/dp/B01BBXMLQK/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1531945695&sr=1-5&keywords=8+port+sata+controller

Or just replace the 4 port with another 4 port?

I read that a single pci-e can't run more than one drive at a time anyway. So if I get this, it would slow my unraid down a lot. I'm not running a full server, just a gigabyte board with a amd 6300 cpu and 24gigs of ram. Mainly for storage.

Thanks in advance for any help...

 

[jojesa]

I am running a unraid server. I am running 3 pci-e sata controllers installed and the onboard (17 hard drives total). I have not had much issues (other than drives dying). and I have figured out that most of the drives are dying on one controller.

I was thinking about replacing that controller. But I was thinking about using a sas controller with 8 ports (two sas controllers with 4 sata ends) and replace two 4 port sata controllers with that one.

My question is, would it be better to use a single sas controller like this one

https://www.amazon.com/SAS9211-8I-8PORT-Int-Sata-Pcie/dp/B002RL8I7M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1531945449&sr=8-3&keywords=8+port+sas+controller

or just replace my 4 port sata with a 8 port

https://www.amazon.com/Syba-SD-PEX40104-PCI-Express-Internal-Controller/dp/B01BBXMLQK/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1531945695&sr=1-5&keywords=8+port+sata+controller

Or just replace the 4 port with another 4 port?

I read that a single pci-e can't run more than one drive at a time anyway. So if I get this, it would slow my unraid down a lot. I'm not running a full server, just a gigabyte board with a amd 6300 cpu and 24gigs of ram. Mainly for storage.

Thanks in advance for any help...

I have used a SATA controllers like these ones to connect several drives at once.
Also you could go with SATA controller cards with SAS mini connectors like these ones on a 8x or 4x PCI-e slot with 4 SATA hard drives connected to it.
Of course you will need a mini-SAS to 4x SATA cable.

I would go with larger capacity drives.
The more drives, more vibration, which could shorten the life span of the drives.

 

[Melocco]

Thanks for the information. The only reason I'm using these drives is because I already had them (3tb and 4tb). I plan on buying larger drives as needed. But I'll still be using alot. Also, the price difference is still high for anything larger than 5tb drives. Last 4tb I got was an ironwolf for $98. Compared to a standard 6tb drive for $190.

I think I'll go with the sas controller. Thanks again.