RAID Controllers - Need help finding decent controllers.

[q2brass]

I have been looking for a decent 16-port RAID controller that doesn't cost $600 - 1000. Is there one out there?

I need it to support:
16 internal SATA drives
RAID 0/1/5/6
Hot Swap
vmware ESXi
ubuntu
microsoft windows 2008 server

Another controller I'm looking for:
Minimum 5 SATA Internal Ports
RAID 0/1/5
hot swap
vmware esxi
ubuntu
microsoft windows 2008

I've been looking at Highpoint RocketRaid and some of the 3ware products.
http://www.newegg.com/product/product.aspx?Item=N82E16816116045
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816115052&Tpk=highpoint rocketraid 3540

 

[Blue Fox]

Areca 1261ML? Honestly, there aren't too many worthwhile controllers that are cheap.

 

[q2brass]

I may have underestimated the costs of RAID controllers. I thought I could pick them up for cheaper. I'm working on building a vmware ESXi server so I can virtualize all of my personal servers.

Here is what I have so far:
Case: Norco 4020 -- $319
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811219021&Tpk=norco 4020

CPU: Intel Xeon E5520 -- $387
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&cm_re=intel_xeon_5520-_-19-117-185-_-Product

RAM: Kingston 4GB DDR3 1066 x 3 -- $133 x 3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0139024&cm_re=ecc_ddr3-_-20-139-024-_-Product

MB: ASUS Z8PE-D12 1 -- $384
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...sus_server_motherboard-_-13-131-373-_-Product

Raid: High Point RocketRAID 3540 -- $630
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=RocketRaid+3540&x=0&y=0

CPU Cooler ???
PSU ???
so far $2119

 

[nitrobass24]

Have you picked HDDs?
Are you going to start with 20?

You plan on using SAS or SATA drives?
How many servers are we talking about virtualizing?

If your just comparing controllers, i would pick the Areca 1261ML that BlueFox suggested over the HPT card just becuase of the cache.

 

[q2brass]

I was planning on starting with 7 x 2TB SATA drives in RAID 6.

 

[nitrobass24]

Also the new LSI 9240-8i might be worth looking at.
I know its only 8 drives, but honestly unless you are running more than 16VMs on this box you really dont need more than 8 drives.

This card keeps cost low by not having onboard cache instead allocates system RAM for it. It also does not have RAID6/60.

 

[pjkenned]

Although I'm switching my new server to something new, my Adaptec 31605's have just worked with every drive I've used with them (Seagate, WD, Hitachi 1TB -2TB greens/7200rpms). Fairly cheap to get ahold of. Not super fast by any means, but they handle multiple raid 6 arrays and 20TB+ of storage OK.