General Installation Process

1 Unpack the RAID Controller

CAUTION: It is good practice to back up your data before adding hardware, such as a RAID controller, to your system.

Unpack the RAID controller in a static-free environment. Remove the controller from the antistatic bag, and inspect it for damage. A low-proﬁle bracket is included with the RAID controller. If the RAID controller appears to be damaged or the low-proﬁle bracket is missing, contact Intel or your reseller support representative.

The latest versions of the documentation, drivers, and ﬁrmware are available on the Intel website at http://www.intel.com/support. See Reference Documents for more information.

The website contains utility programs, device drivers for various operating systems, and related documentation.

3 Install the RAID Controller

Insert the RAID controller into a PCIe slot on the motherboard in the host computer, as shown in the following ﬁgure. Press down gently, but ﬁrmly, to seat the RAID controller correctly in the slot. Secure the RAID controller to the host computer chassis with the bracket screw.

NOTE: This RAID controller is a PCIe x8 card, and it can operate in x8 or x16 slots. Some PCIe slots, however, support only PCIe graphics cards; if a RAID controller is installed in one of these slots, the RAID controller will not function. Refer to the guide for your motherboard for information about the PCIe slot.

	Bracket
	Screw
Press	Intel® RAID Controller
Here	Intel® RAID Controller
	RS3DC080 as shown
	Press
	Here

3_01495-01

PCIe Slot

Edge of

Motherboard

2 Prepare the Host Computer

CAUTION: Before you install the RAID controller, make sure that the host computer is disconnected from the power and from any networks.

Turn off the host computer, and unplug the power cords from the rear of the power supply. Remove the cover from the host computer.

4 Conﬁgure and Install the

SAS/SATA Devices

Conﬁgure and install the SAS devices, SATA devices, or both in the host computer case.

Refer to the documentation for the devices for any preinstallation conﬁguration requirements.

5 Connect the RAID Controller to the SAS/SATA Devices

Use SAS cables to connect the RAID controller to SAS devices, SATA devices, or both. Refer to 12Gb/s Intel® RAID Controller User Guide on the Intel website http://www.intel.com/support for information about the connector locations.

NOTE: Refer to the 12Gb/s Intel® RAID Controller User Guide on the Intel website http://www.intel.com/support for detailed information about the SAS cables.

RS3DC080 specifications

The Intel RS3DC080 is a high-performance RAID controller designed for enterprise storage solutions, offering a blend of advanced features and cutting-edge technology. Its primary purpose is to provide reliable data redundancy and enhanced data access speeds, making it a critical component for data centers and demanding applications.

One of the standout features of the RS3DC080 is its support for eight internal SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) ports, allowing it to manage multiple drives simultaneously. This capability is essential for users who require extensive storage solutions, as it facilitates the connection of a wide array of SAS and SATA drives. In total, the controller can support a maximum of 240 devices connected via expanders, enabling scalability.

The RS3DC080 is powered by the Intel RAID Software Stack (RSS), which offers an intuitive user interface for configuring and managing RAID arrays. This software supports various RAID levels, including 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, and 50, providing flexibility to users depending on their redundancy requirements and performance needs. The controller also features advanced capabilities such as RAID 60 and caching techniques that bolster performance for read and write operations.

This RAID controller supports synchronous as well as asynchronous processing, enhancing performance further by allowing multi-threaded operations. Additionally, it incorporates Intel's Virtual RAID on CPU (VROC) technology, allowing customers to create RAID arrays directly on NVMe SSDs connected to the CPU. VROC enables improved performance suited for high-speed applications.

A crucial characteristic of the RS3DC080 is its onboard cache memory, typically featuring an 8GB DDR4 cache. This cache helps in temporary data storage, significantly improving read/write speeds, further optimizing the disk performance. Moreover, the controller is equipped with a battery backup unit option, which ensures that data held in the cache is not lost during power outages, enhancing data protection.

Security is another cornerstone of the RS3DC080, featuring AES 256-bit hardware encryption that safeguards sensitive data across its RAID arrays. The controller also supports S.M.A.R.T monitoring, helping administrators keep track of the health and status of the drives, thus allowing for proactive maintenance.

Overall, the Intel RS3DC080 RAID controller combines reliability, performance, and scalability, making it an ideal choice for enterprise environments that require robust storage solutions to handle large volumes of data while ensuring data integrity and availability.