Highpoint RocketRAID 2720A 8-6GB/s SAS Port Raid HBA

I have 5-4TB drives connected in RAID5 using SAS to SATA Cables. Has been running for several months with no issue at all. Performance is great for a mass storage device, no issues playing 4K movies from it. Setup was painless.

Ja, das Produkt ist durchwachsen.Einerseits ist es die günstigste Karte mit guten Treibern für Macintosh, andereseits war bei der ersten Karte einer der beiden Controlerchips nach 3,5 Jahren kaputt (es gehen nur noch 2 der 4 Anschlüsse). Kulanz gab es leider nicht. Die Alternative wäre ATTO gewesen, mit 2 Ausgängen für 8 Platten fast 1000 Euro.Also doch wieder eine RR2744. Der Versuch, beide Karten im Mac zu betreiben, ging schief. Eine Anfrage brachte Gewissheit: es geht nicht. Aber gleichzeitig das Angebot, die Entwickler des Treibers zu bitten, diese Funktion einzubauen. Vier Wochen später gab es den neuen Treiber, jetzt laufen beide Karten im Mac. Für diesen super Service gibt es die 3 Sterne (ohne den neuen Treiber gäbe es ohnehin nur einen Stern, null geht ja nicht).

Unfortunately having purchased 3 of these cards found to my dismay that only one functioned correctlySo retuned item unopened to save all the headaches trying. To set it up

I use HighPoint RAID cards for several years and never had a problem until now.I am building and selling media servers with RAID, so I used RR2302 with 1to5 multipiers, RR620 with 1to5 multipiers, RR 640L and over year ago - only ones - RR 2720SGL. Never, ever had a problem with them. In my own server I used RR 640L for over two years and four 10TB IronWolf HDDs in RAID5 setup.Because I've run out of space I decided to expand volume from 30 to 50TB and decided to switch to RAID6 for additional protection. I've chosen RR 2720A, new replacement for 2720SGL which works in my client computer over the year without a problem so I expected the same from 2720A.Before I installed this card I built a backup server from spared parts and copied all media and documents on backup server which took a lot of time.I installed RR2720A with cables from CableDeconn. I started RAID5 expansion and conversion to RAID6. After couple of hours system failed. I touched controller and find out that it is very hot, fingers burning hot. .This is a reason I gave one star only. If HighPoint knows that 2720A it is hot (RR640L doesn’t have radiator and it isn't hot) they should build fan on this card.I restarted computer but controller was dead, so I requested replacement. Before new controller arrived I installed 140mm fan for new card, (Picture 1) replaced by 120mm later on.New card worked OK. I was able to create RAID6, however all data has been lost from new array. When new, 50TB volume was ready I copied all data from auxiliary server to new array, copied data from couple additional disks and SD cards, arranged data in some new folders and was sure that system works.I was wrong. I turned server off, installed cover and left server OFF for a night.I started server in the morning, opened management to check HDDs temperature and RAID status, copied more data onto server, but after around 1 hour controller started beeping and shown that FOUR HDDs failed. Four in the same time? All of them were working before without a glitch for two years in two different servers. (Picture 2 and 3)After restarting server everything was normal, no problem with disks. Controller was barely warm, fan does good job. HDDs are practically cold. (Picture 4) No one is warmer than 87° F. System works fine. (Picture 5)I copied couple of movies to array, but after ~90 minutes the same situation. Array is dead.I tried several options:Second PCIe slot. The same. Controller failed after no more than 90 minutes, but everything was fine after restarting for another hour, hour and+Reinserting cables. The same.I removed all software related to HighPoint controller, reinstalled drivers, and reinstalled RAID management 2.5.5.After starting server I was sure that server works, it started rebuilding RAID6, it was working around three hours and..... failed again. I didn't turn it ON, just left overnight.This morning I started server to let him continue rebuilding array, but it failed just after starting. I didn't do anything. I had no access to server, neither mouse neither keyboard was working. Frozen.Enough, I am done with this controller.Why I am 100% sure that problem is with controller? Because it never send me an email after falling and I was unable to open RAID management when it was beeping.I am on the fence now. I don't want to go back to RAID5, because with 10TB HDDs, RAID6 is better option, so I have two options; Replace RR 2720A second time or return it and go with RR 4520SGL.I am afraid that 4520 will not recognize my RAID6 and I have to start from scratch.Terrible and very time consuming experiences with RR 2720A. I do NOT recommend this controller.Sorry, for some reason I can't add pictures. No such option.Update April 08, 2020:I received information that replacement 2720A will be sent on May 1st. Potential order for RR 4520SGL can be shipped on May 1st also. WOW. Long time.Update April 10, 2020: I received third controller. WOW, it was fast! I love Amazon.I also opened tickets with HighPoint. I will update this story later on.

The other reviews for this card are uniformly negative. I do not know what their specific problems were, but this is what I found.I have been using Highpoint cards for nearly a decade now, and not once have I received a card with the most recent firmware installed.1. Always flash the most recent firmware, and while you're at it, unless you plan on using card for you boot drive, disable Int13 and EBTA functions.2. Understand this card is a software RAID card. As such it uses CPU capacity to maintain parity, etc.I'm using it on a Supermicro X10DAI motherboard with dual Xeon E-5 2600 CPU's and have had no problems. I doubt this would work smoothly on an Intel i5 or i7 CPU or equivalent.If you want to offload RAID maintenance, look at Highpoint's 45xx series, which is hardware RAID.I subtracted 1 star for the difficulty setting the thing up properly.