Why RAID controllers so expensive?

Question

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Why are hardware RAID solutions relatively expensive?

Well, this maybe a very stupid question. Shouldn't RAID controllers be very simple? Compare RAID controller with Linux-based network router, or MPEG decoders, I can't believe a RAID controller needs more technique. Why it's so complex and expensive?

score 4 · Answer 1 · answered Feb 08 '12 at 09:38

RAID controllers deal with higher bandwidth and lower latency data streams than your typical network router, and don't have the option of just throwing away data like a router does. I expect much more from any sort of disk controller than I do from a network router.

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 08 '12 at 09:01

3

It's just supply and demand. The market for RAID controllers is much smaller than the market for routers or MPEG decoders.

answered Feb 08 '12 at 09:01

David Schwartz

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On top of that, such products do not require the kind of performance RAID users demand. Performance = money. – surfasb Feb 08 '12 at 09:32
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True. Your average SOHO router doesn't have to process 6Gb/s. – David Schwartz Feb 08 '12 at 09:55

Why RAID controllers so expensive?

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