4. RAID Modding and Final Assembly
As discussed in Part 2, there is some strange incompatibility between the TC SATA controller and the RAID box quad interface eSATA bridge that prevents proper sleep and wake behavior. The work around is to use the quad interface for Firewire when desired and to bypass it - connecting directly to the SATA connector on the hardware RAID card - when using it with the eSATA port on the TC. The tech services at DatOptic even sent me a free single port eSATA bracket (Figure 4-1). The problem with this is twofold. First, SATA connectors are not designed for repeated connecting and disconnecting, so repeatedly plugging and unplugging from the hardware RAID card will eventually degrade the connection. Secondly, it is a giant hassle to take off the sides of the RAID box, slide out the hardware RAID controller and change the SATA cable connections. This is not meant to be a gripe against DatOptic either; they really didn't have to do anything for me considering that I was using the RAID box in an unconventional way.
Figure 4-1. SCSI 1 form factor eSATA bracket sent by DatOptic.
The solution that I came up with actually works better than if the quad interface worked properly via the eSATA connection with sleep and wake functions anyway. First, a two-port eSATA bracket (Figure 4-2) was purchased from CalOptic. This had a SCSI 1 form factor, since the RAID box back panel has SCSI 1 cutouts (Figure 4-3).
Figure 4-2. SCSI 1 form factor eSATA 2 port bracket from CalOptic.
Figure 4-3. RAID box back panel with included quad interface. Note the SCSI 1 cutouts.
The RAID box was opened up (Figure 4-4) and the 2-port eSATA bracket was installed above the quad interface bridge board (Figure 4-5). The hardware RAID controller was connected to one of the SATA connections on the external eSATA bracket, and the quad interface was connected to the other.
Figure 4-4. View of the quad interface from the inside.
Figure 4-5. Two-port eSATA bracket installed above quad interface card.
The box was closed up again and the two newly added eSATA ports were labeled according to their respective connectivity and the eSATA port on the quad interface was covered up (Figure 4-6).
Figure 4-6. Back panel after installing 2-port eSATA bracket. Internal connectivity of eSATA ports were
labeled and old eSATA port on quad interface was covered.
During normal, NAS-type use, the "RAID" port is connected to the TC via an eSATA cable and everything operates as expected. If the RAID box needs to be used with the Firewire or USB connections, all that needs to be done is disconnect the eSATA cable from the TC and plug that end into the "Q.I. BRIDGE" eSATA port on the RAID box (after unmounting any shares in the OS to be sure the drives aren't being accessed). In this manner, the hardware RAID controller is connected to the quad interface bridge through a series of SATA and eSATA connections.
Setting up the box this way has some additional benefits too. First, by connecting the TC directly to the hardware RAID controller instead of going through the quad interface bridge, a potential bottleneck is removed. Additionally, it's now possible to leave the Firewire cables attached to the RAID box, a computer and any other external hard drives since the quad interface bridge will not be connected to the RAID array during normal use with the TC. The bridge will remain powered and therefore still function, allowing for use of the other external drives with the computer. What this all means is that I can switch from TC mode to Firewire mode by only changing one simple eSATA connection.
The finished RAID Capsule is shown in Figure 4-7 and the video in Figure 4-9 shows it in action with all its pretty lights.
Figure 4-7. Finished, stacked RAID Capsule.
Figure 4-8. Finished RAID Capsule in action.
[Part 1: TC Take Apart and Testing] [Part 2: RAID setup and testing] [Part 3: TC Modding] [Part 4: RAID Modding and Final Assembly]
