Dual eSata enclosure with new eSata Plugs to allow RAID1?

[tyrken]

I'm looking to replace my desktop linux home server with a Plug equivalent, and wondered if the new eSata devices support dual drive enclosures - I think port multiplexing is needed?  I'd really want RAID1 support rather than a single disk, and eSata is faster than USB.

Something like http://www.amazon.co.uk/StarTech-com-3-5in-Removable-External-Enclosure/dp/B002GWQ4IW would be the idea...

[NewIT_Marcus]

We saw a question about port multiplication on the plugcompter.org forum. And the answers that we got when we asked upstairs seemed contradictory, but we do have clarification:

Port multiplication is not available in the out-of-the factory configuration, although the hardware is capable of this feature. See here

This isn't the complete answer so far as RAID is concerned, but it is a starting point.

[zachofalltrades]

The discussion over at plugcomputer.org basically concluded that the eSata interface on the chip word support port multiplication, but that it also had to be enabled by the kernal/drivers. Someone said that kernal 2.6.30 was the minimum for this support. I can not find any indication of the kernal version that comes with the eSata Sheeva (which I am considering purchasing, so can not just check for myself).

[NewIT_Marcus]

The original ex-factory Sheevaplugs come with kernel version 2.6.22.18.

I don't have any unmodified eSATA plugs with me right now, and I can't remember the kernel version; we supply 2.6.32.7 on the multiboot eSATA plugs. But upgrading using the kernels at http://sheeva.with-linux.com/sheeva/ is trivial in any case