On-board RAID controller vs. Separate RAID Adapter
What are the major differences between an on-board RAID controller, such as the one found on the Gigabyte GA7VM400MP motherboard and a separate RAID Adapter such as the Adaptec ATA RAID 2400A?
I already know that the on-board RAID controller was designed for Serial ATA and the Adaptec card was designed for standard ATA-100 drives. If I choose to go with the on-board, I am also considering a pair of the WD RAPTOR 36GB w/ 8mb cache 10K RPM SATA drives.
Is this on-board RAID controller dependent on the system's CPU or does it have its own microprocessor, like the Adaptec card? Will their be any performance degredation during peak access periods with either the on-board or the Adaptec card?
Lastly, although off-topic, I've heard that these new drives get hot pretty easily. Would a 2U Skyhawk IPC-2025 w/ 3-to-3 riser be able to properly ventilate the system with these drives in operation?
Thanks for your time,
Dave
