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RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) controllers are hardware devices that manage multiple hard drives to increase data redundancy and performance. These controllers let you set up different RAID levels, such as RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 6, each of which offers a different level of speed and data protection. In order to guarantee data availability and integrity, RAID controllers are frequently used in servers and high-performance computing systems. RAID controllers are a safe and effective way to manage a lot of data because of their advanced features and capabilities.
RAID specifically developed for Server SSDs can provide redundancy while also improving performance. The front-end interface communicates with the server, often through a host-based adapter (HBA), while the backend connects to and handles the RAID or storage media, which is typically ATA, SCSI, SATA, SAS, or Fiber Channel.
RAID controllers are categorized based on several criteria such as the type of drive, such as SATA or SAS, the number of ports supported, the number of industries they can assist, and the specific RAID levels. The interface architecture as well as the quantity of cache memory in the native cache.
Here is the list of Best RAID Controllers
I/O Crest 4 Port SATA III Controller Card
Easily one of the best RAID Controllers available on the market, The I/O Crest SATA III Controller Card is one of the most customizable on the market today. It is based on the Marvell 88SE9235 controller, which is one of the most widely used controllers. The Crest SATA III supports the most recent SATA 3.0 version. It is backward compatible with earlier SATA devices since it is backward compatible.
It is available with two depending on your demands; it ranges from two to SATA ports. The first RAID setup features four exterior ports on the card’s rear and four additional internal ports. It is attached to a PCIe x2 port; but, like with any PCIe card, it is also compatible with an x4 or x16 slot.
High Point Rocket Raid 420SGL Controller
The High-Point Rocket Raid Controller 420SGL is the most costly and best RAID controller in this review. With five different RAID mode settings, the Rocket Raid allows you to make the most of your RAID arrangement. The Rocket Raid isn’t for everyone because the price tag is intimidating, especially when you consider how much other amazing controllers cost. The Rocket Raid 420SGL is a model to consider if you’re looking for the best RAID controller on the market.
The Rocket Raid 420SGL has a plethora of functions. It is RAID 1, RAID 0, RAID 5, RAID 10, and JBOD compatible, and it also supports NCQ-Native Command Queuing. Innovative array monitoring drives check your system and notify you of your hard disc and performance status. It is a wonderful function that will inform you if there is an issue with one of the attached drives. The Rocket Raid 420SGL has eight ports and can support SAS 6GB/s.
High Point SSD7101A-1 NVMe RAID Controller
This is a RAID controller card designed exclusively for NVMe RAID configurations. It has four M.2 slots that can work in PCIe 3.0 x4 mode, limiting the size and quantity of storage devices. However, if you require a fast RAID controller that supports maximum NVMe speeds, this is the one to choose.
The card is compatible with Windows 10, Windows Server 2012, Linux (kernel 3.3 or later), and MacOS 10.13 or later. It supports RAID 0, 1, and 10, as well as single drives and JBOD (simply a lot of discs) configurations. The maximum speed per channel is 8gbps. Currently, this is one of the best RAID Controllers that you can buy right now.
StarTech 4 Port PCI Express 2.0 SATA III 6Gbps RAID Controller
This card is primarily an add-on SATA card that adds four SATAIII ports to your PC, but it can also be used as a RAID controller for simple (up to four drive) RAID configurations. It’s a fantastic choice for relatively simple home server configurations because it’s reasonably priced and supports HyperDuo SSD Tiering, which allows one SSD to host the most frequently visited data.
The card has a PCIe 2.0 x2 interface, which means it can be put in a PCIe x4, x8, or x16 slot, depending on your motherboard and the number of PCIe slots it has. JBOD, RAID 0, 1, and 10 are supported by the card. Windows XP through Windows 10, Windows Server (from 2003 to 2016), macOS (10.6 to 10.14), and Linux are all supported operating systems (3.5.x to 4.11.x LTS versions only). The maximum speed per lane is 5gbps.
Adaptec RAID Controller
If you require a professional-level RAID controller card for a small business, this is another excellent alternative that is similar in many ways to HighPoint’s Rocket RAID 2320. This Adaptec model supports a wide range of RAID levels, including 0, 1, 10, 1E, and JBOD, making it suitable for a wide range of computing scenarios. However, the Rocket RAID 2320 provides a few additional possibilities, so keep that in mind if you need a RAID 5 or 50 configuration.
This model has eight SATA ports and enables Hybrid RAID installations with both solid state and hard disc drives, making it a viable option if you need to put together a Hybrid arrangement. It installs over PCIe, and the supplied utilities provide tools for remote configuration, monitoring, and BIOS level configuration. Overall, it is one of the best RAID Controllers that you can buy.
Vantec 4-Channel 6-Port SATA PCIe Raid Controller
The Vantec 4-Channel SATA PCIe Raid Controller Card features 6 SATA device ports. While only four ports can be active at any given time, FIS switching enables ports to be activated on the fly. It is compatible with both HyperDuo and the most recent SATA standards. The supported RAID modes are 1, 0, 1+0, and JBOD. Using four PCIe lanes, this card may provide a total functional bandwidth of up to 1200Mb/s, which is plenty for even power users.
The Vantec PCIe RAID controller excels in this area. The advantages of sophisticated RAID arrays become clear now that we have access to four full lanes of PCIe bandwidth. By combining four mid-level hard drives in a RAID 0 array, you might have 3TB of SSD-like speed for less than $400. Alternatively, four contemporary SSDs in RAID 0 could provide near-instant response to practically all of your laptop or computer’s regular operations.
Syba 4 Port USB 3.0 RAID Controller
The first thing to remember about this RAID controller card is that it is only suited for simple setups. This model does not provide many alternatives, but if it meets your requirements, it is an excellent choice. Keep in mind that this card only supports RAID 0, 1, and 0+1 levels, so keep that in mind if you intend to set up a more sophisticated RAID. However, if you just intend to use one of those levels, this is a fantastic controller card that accomplishes exactly what it should.
It’s a little slow, with 1.5 Gb/s transfer rates and only four SATA connections, but that’s probably adequate for a modest setup. If you just want a simple RAID system, you can’t match the pricing on this model, especially because more complicated cards often retail for four times the price. Thus, this product is one of the best RAID Controllers available right now.
LSI Logic SAS9260-8I SGL 8PORT Raid Controller
This LSI Logic RAID controller is ideal for both NAS systems and personal media servers. Despite its modest price, it is jam-packed with features. This RAID controller card can link up to 32 storage devices (SATA and SAS adapters are required to connect the maximum number of devices), has two mini-SAS connectors, and eight SATAIII and SAS ports.
The card includes an 800MHz Power PC CPU for managing RAID arrays. When it comes to RAID configuration support, this controller supports all of the standard RAID configurations. RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10, 50, and 60. There’s also 512MB of DDR3 cache memory for faster write speeds, and the card can be outfitted with an optional battery for added resilience in the event of a power outage. The maximum writing speed is 1,800MB/s.
Final Words
We chose the best RAID controllers available. There’s a high-end option, one designed for SSD-based RAID systems, and a handful of mid-range and cheap options. You’ll learn how to choose the best RAID controller for your needs at the end of this article. Finally, RAID may be designed to duplicate all of your data, ensuring that even if one of your discs fails, you will not lose a single bit of information.