Re: Z370 Classified K M.2 RAID
2019/02/26 12:22:13
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This build has been under consideration for some time, while I have waited for various announcements. I had previously given X299 serious consideration (and that Dark is a thing of beauty), and your reply has prompted a review on my part. There is a lot of appeal in X299: I want to run Win7 Pro, so going Z3** would add another rod for my back. :). X299's oodles of lanes will provide a lot more flexibility, as my likely config gobbles up everything that Z3** has to offer.
The principle reason that I had settled on Z370 was that I would like to install a bootable RAID 1 on M.2 NVME - not possible on X299 w/o being pretty much forced to use over-priced and under-performing Intel M.2s, plus the VROC key, which adds another layer of difficulty and cost - Intel cite EVGA as an OEM source for the keys, yet there is nothing on the EVGA website.
According to Intel,"VROC was migrated to this client chipset to provide a compelling RAID alternative. Check with your X299 HEDT motherboard vendor for specific details of Intel VROC support on X299 platforms." Intel are dragging their heels over approving 3rd party NVME drives, with very few listed.
Additionally, a lot of the information on the Intel website is contradictory - one reference says that VROC on X299 is only supported by Win 10, while another states that Win 7 is supported.
Intel also state that VROC is intended to exploit the full potential of NVME drives and provide a bootable RAID solution (). By approving just a handful of (old generation) 3rd party drives and requiring an expensive and evasive dongle to access them and anything above RAID 0, they are doing the opposite. VROC was originally intended as a server and data centre solution, but most, if not all, X299 mobos are restricted to 2 x M.2 drives. IMV, there is little point in installing RAID 0 as a bootable drive: The performance gain is negligible (unmeasurable without software), and by doubling the number of drives, you double the probability of a drive failure in a non-resilient config, so RAID 1 is the only viable option without installing a 3rd party card. (Highpoint SSD7110 is expensive and the Asrock and ASUS cards still require the dongle and a very limited choice of NVME drive.)
In summary, the industry has given us M.2 NVME, two M.2 PCIe slots on most new mobos and desktop RAID, but, for some reason, Intel and, perhaps, the mobo manufacturers and Microsuck, don't want users to make the most of the three combined.
Sorry about the rant :) but this situation seems ridiculous. It exploits users and is of little benefit to any body involved.