[Discuss] Many SATA drives

[feenberg at nber.org (Daniel Feenberg)]

We would like to build a computer with many SATA drives, but NOT use a 
hardware RAID controller (because we want to be able to move individual 
drives to another system, connect them to a motherboard SATA port, and 
have the original data available). Is there a way to get a non-RAID SATA 
controller with 4 or more ports, or is there some way to find out if a 
particular RAID controller will allow the drive geometry to pass through 
without modification? Our initial experience with an LSI 8 port controller 
was that it always messed with the drive, even if you didn't ask for any 
RAID.

I am also thinking of "multiport" controllers but have similar worries 
about them. For example the Syba controller used in the Backblaze pod is 
very cheap and apparently supports 16 drives:

   http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124027

This isn't the sort of information a salesperson or user manual will 
cover, but perhaps someone has experience. If no one answers, I will 
probaby just buy one and test it.

Daniel Feenberg