Serial ATA Bios Setting Utility Introduction

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4-1-4 Serial ATA BIOS Setting Utility Introduction

RAID Levels

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a method of combining two hard disk drives into one logical unit. The advantage of an Array is to provide better performance or data fault tolerance. Fault tolerance is achieved through data redundant operation, where if one drives fails, a mirrored copy of the data can be found on another drive. This can prevent data loss if the operating system fails or hangs. The individual disk drives in an array are called members. The configuration information of each member is recorded in the reserved sector that identifies the drive as a member. All disk members in a formed disk array are recognized as a single physical drive to the operating system.

Hard disk drives can be combined together through a few different methods. The different methods are referred to as different RAID levels. Different RAID levels represent different performance levels, security levels and implementation costs. The RAID levels which the nVIDIA® nForce4 Ultra chipset supports are RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1 and JBOD.

RAID 0 (Striping)

RAID 0 reads and writes sectors of data interleaved between multiple drives. If any disk member fails, it affects the entire array. The disk array data capacity is equal to the number of drive members times the capacity of the smallest member. The striping block size can be set from 4KB to 128KB. RAID 0 does not support fault tolerance.

RAID 1 (Mirroring)

RAID 1 writes duplicate data onto a pair of drives and reads both sets of data in parallel. If one of the mirrored drives suffers a mechanical failure or does not respond, the remaining drive will continue to function. Due to redundancy, the drive capacity of the array is the capacity of the smallest drive. Under a RAID 1 setup, an extra drive called the spare drive can be attached. Such a drive will be activated to replace a failed drive that is part of a mirrored array. Due to the fault tolerance, if any RAID 1 drive fails, data access will not be affected as long as there are other working drives in the array.

RAID 0+1 (Striping + Mirroring)

RAID 0+1 combines the performance of data striping (RAID 0) and the fault tolerance of disk mirroring (RAID 1). Data is striped across multiple drives and duplicated on another set of drives.

JBOD (Spanning)

A spanning disk array is equal to the sum of the all drives when the drives used are having different capacities. Spanning stores data onto a drive until it is full, then proceeds to store files onto the next drive in the array. When any disk member fails, the failure affects the entire array. JBOD is not really a RAID and does not support fault tolerance.

GA-K8N Ultra-9 Motherboard

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GA-K8N ULTRA-9 specifications

The AMD GA-K8N ULTRA-9 is a prominent motherboard that showcases the advancements in computing technology during its era. Designed for AMD's Athlon 64 processors, the GA-K8N ULTRA-9 exemplifies the transition to 64-bit computing, offering enhanced performance for both gaming and professional applications. This motherboard supports Socket 754, allowing users to harness the power of AMD's CPU architecture effectively.

One of the standout features of the GA-K8N ULTRA-9 is its support for dual-channel DDR memory, facilitating improved memory bandwidth and system performance. The motherboard typically offers four DIMM slots, accommodating up to 4GB of DDR400/DDR333/DDR266 memory. This capability enables users to experience smoother multitasking and a more responsive system.

The GA-K8N ULTRA-9 is equipped with NVIDIA's nForce3 250 chipset, providing robust integrated graphics capabilities and better overall system stability. The chipset also supports PCI-Express, which was a significant advancement over the older PCI standard, allowing for faster data transfer rates and improved performance in graphics cards and other expansion cards.

In terms of storage, the GA-K8N ULTRA-9 offers a variety of options with its four SATA ports, enabling users to connect multiple high-speed SATA drives. Furthermore, it includes support for RAID 0, 1, and 0+1, allowing for enhanced data redundancy and performance.

Connectivity is another area where the GA-K8N ULTRA-9 shines. The motherboard features an array of USB 2.0 ports, allowing users to connect multiple peripheral devices easily. Additionally, the integrated Gigabit Ethernet controller provides fast network connectivity, making it suitable for both gaming and productivity tasks.

When it comes to audio, the GA-K8N ULTRA-9 boasts an integrated 6-channel audio system, delivering high-quality sound output for an immersive gaming and multimedia experience. This makes it an excellent choice for users who value audio performance in their computing setup.

Overall, the AMD GA-K8N ULTRA-9 represents a significant step forward in motherboard technology, combining performance, compatibility, and advanced features. Its support for 64-bit processing, high-speed memory, and various connectivity options make it a reliable choice for users seeking to build a powerful and future-proof computer system. Whether for gaming, content creation, or general use, the GA-K8N ULTRA-9 remains a noteworthy contender in the landscape of early 2000s computing hardware.