eSata and Magma 3T

[Jason DeSimone]

Greetings all!

I just wanted to pick some brains and see what esata cards folks are successfully using in their Magma3T or sonnet. I know there is limited compatibility with TB enclosures and some of the eSata cards on the market (tempo e2p etc).




Best

 

[Nick Shaw]

I have a Caldigit FASTA-6GU3 currently in my Magma ExpressBox 3T. It works, and the combined USB-3 eSATA connectivity is convenient, but I have to say it is not as fast as I had hoped. I have not seen more than about 200MB/s read and 100MB/s write speed via eSATA, and USB-3 is significantly slower. In any case 200MB/s read is enough to max out the eSATA REDMAG reader, but I use a LaCie eSATA hub daisy chained to the Magma which gives me better eSATA speeds.

 

[Michael Dalton]

I have a firmtek port multiplier card for my esata raids, and with a firmware update they work well in the Sonnet Echo Pro.

 

[Jeff Kilgroe]

Not with the Magma box, I'm using the Sonnet Echo expanders... But the CalDigit 6GU3 and the ATTO H680 both perform wonderfully.

 

[Steve Johnson]

I'm using the same 6EU3 card in my sonnet and works great. Connected to the sonnet Express34 pro gives more and also daisy chained like Nick to some Lacia little big disk.

Works great.

 

[Sulekh Suman]

I am using Sonnet's Tempo Sata Pro 6GB/s 4 port on Magma and it works fine.

 

[Shiblon Wixom]

The Caldigit 6GU3 seems to only use x1 shared lane for the eSATA ports and x1 shared lane for the usb3 ports. The performance is good as long as I have only one eSATA and one usb3 device connected, for both the Magma and Sonnet cases.

 

[Jason DeSimone]

Thanks for the info gents, much appreciated!

 

[Stephen Eufaula Kuns]

I didn't see the Caldigit 6GU3 on the Sonnet Express pro compatability chart. Is that your set up Jeff?

 

[Christopher Reig]

I also use the ATTO H680. Great card. Very reliable.

 

[Steve Johnson]

I didn't see the Caldigit 6GU3 on the Sonnet Express pro compatability chart. Is that your set up Jeff?

It isn't ont eh compatibility chart but it does work. Am using it right now with the RED USB3 SSD Reader in one of the USB3 ports and a GTECH RAID in the eSATA with a LaCia Little Big Disk on Thunderbolt and the RED Rocket Card inside. All running from a standard 11" MacBookAir!

 

[Zack CC]

10.8.2, MBPR w/ Magma here, definitely noticed ~1/2 write speed (80 MB/s) Full read speeds (190MB/s) on the CalDigit 6GU3 over E-sata. Also noticed that the LaCie TBolt-> Esata tap offers Full write (190 MB/s) / Full Read (190 MB/s). Both devices have both sata ports connected to CalDigit VR1s RAID 0 Config.

However, on the phone with CalDigit Support, they seemed to think that in a Tower config, I should see full speeds even with both ports used, or if not it would at least be the test that might prove the card is defective... curiouser and curiouser.