MP 1,1-5,1 SSDs and card for upgraded 2009 Mac Pro

[Jlames]

After rebuilding my 2009 MacPro to Mojave with all the upgrades to get it there successfully, I’m now looking to storage. I’d like to do with 1) bootable SSD and 2) taking full advantage of throuput, but am getting conflicting info. Does anyone know if the following still holds true;

Note that PCIe SSDs installed in a Mac Pro 5,1 (MP6,1 have exactly the same PCIe 2.0 limits too) are limited to ~1,500 MB/s unless installed on a PCIe switch card in slot 1 or 2 such as a HighPoint SSD7101A-1 or Amfeltec Squid that converts the Mac Pro PCIe 2.0 x16 to the PCIe 3.0 x4 needed for full throughput.

and finally, it needs to carry 4-SSDs so the question is, best card and best SSDs for the build? Thanks as always.

 

[hwojtek]

Yes, it still holds true. The MP5,1 hasn't evolved by itself to grow a limb with a new, faster PCIe interface. You might want to read this thoroughly.

 

[Jlames]

Thank you. This is the post from which I was quoting in the original question. So, may I assume that, if I purchase the High Point card for example, that the HighPoint card, when plugged into PCIe#2 slot, will convert it to full high-speed throughput? In re-reading, that appears to be true but I’m just making sure before I spend seven or $800 on the card and memory.

 

[h9826790]

Thank you. This is the post from which I was quoting in the original question. So, may I assume that, if I purchase the High Point card for example, that the HighPoint card, when plugged into PCIe#2 slot, will convert it to full high-speed throughput? In re-reading, that appears to be true but I’m just making sure before I spend seven or $800 on the card and memory.

Can.

Anyway, that's storage, not memory (RAM)

 

[Jlames]

Still Brain Freezing after doing this crap for 35-years! I meant "storage". And thanks again.

 

[hwojtek]

Yes. In short: if you have a card with a PCIe switch, it will run at whatever speeds the SSDs are to deliver. Not all cards with a PCIe switch work with a Mac, though.

 

[Jlames]

Well, I’m going to try for the HighPoint and hope for the best!

 

[h9826790]

Yes. In short: if you have a card with a PCIe switch, it will run at whatever speeds the SSDs are to deliver. Not all cards with a PCIe switch work with a Mac, though.

AFAIK, That's not entirely correct now. The card will only support up to PCIe 3.0 x4 for a SINGLE NVMe.

e.g. If the NVMe is PCIe 4.0 x4, on the 7101A, it can still deliver up to ~3000MB/s, but not full 6000MB/s (PCIe 2.0 x16 limit).

But the card itself can deliver up to 6000MB/s for MULTIPLE NVMe.

 

[Jlames]

So that’s as close as I’ll get?

 

[h9826790]

So that’s as close as I’ll get?

It depends on the PCIe switch spec. If that's a PCIe 3.0 switch, and the NVMe only has 4 lanes. Then it's impossible for the card to populate at higher than PCIe 3.0 x4 (between the card and the NVMe). Therefore, even the card itself can deliver 6000MB/s (between itself and cMP). A PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe can still work at max 3000MB/s on cMP.

 

[Jlames]

Thanks. That all make sense. My system is a 2009 MacPro single processor that I’ve brought up to Mojave O/S specs and is running great with a single 5690, Pixlas Mod, RX580 8gig and 48gig RAM 1666. The last upgrade (I think) is the Storage. I‘m running 1-3gig and 3-1gig 7200 spinning drives that I’m really looking forward to stack A 4-1gig RAID SSD setup on. The HighPoint will be going in slot 2 as my GPUs card is in 1.

 

[Jlames]

Looks like I got 2-16@2.0 and 2-4@2.0 PCIe slots so what would your choice be?

 

[h9826790]

Looks like I got 2-16@2.0 and 2-4@2.0 PCIe slots so what would your choice be?

Slot 2 is the best choice in general

 

[Jlames]

Then slot to with 2.0 and x16 is the one! Thanks again.

 

[hwojtek]

Slot 2 is the best choice in general

In my case it would not make any sense to move my NVMe to slot 2 since I use a simple generic $10 adapter, but why is Apple marking slot 4 as the "RAID card" slot? I understood there is no difference between slots 2, 3 and 4 in a 5,1?

 

[h9826790]

In my case it would not make any sense to move my NVMe to slot 2 since I use a simple generic $10 adapter, but why is Apple marking slot 4 as the "RAID card" slot? I understood there is no difference between slots 2, 3 and 4 in a 5,1?

Depends. If BOTH of your slot 3 and 4 are empty. Then yes, there is no difference for you between slot 2,3,4.

But if there is any other card in slot 3 or 4. Then no, because slot 3 and 4 share use the same x4 lanes.

 

[mikas]

They are not the same, please see Mac Pro 2010 diagram.
I do not know about why RAID-card is marked on the 4th slot, but possibly there might be a hint in the diagram. Follow the arrows to the SAS/SATA Mux.

 

[hwojtek]

OK, I had to take a look on the mobo itself - I think slot 4 is marked "RAID" simply because the connector for the SATA backplane is nearby and placing a SATA RAID card into any other slot would make physical connection between the card and backplane impossible.

Thanks for the insight, @h9826790 and @mikas! It actually does make some sense for me to move the NVMe adapter to slot #2, as my #3 PCIe slot is populated with an USB3 card. Every little improvement counts.