Chapter Integrated Striping | SUPER MICRO Computer AOCS2308LL8E

Chapter 8 Integrated Striping

This chapter provides an overview of the LSI Integrated Striping™ (IS) feature and explains how to create Integrated Striping (IS) volumes using the SAS BIOS Configuration Utility (SAS BIOS CU), which is used to setup IR Mode.

8-1 Introduction

The Integrated Striping (IS) feature is used for applications that require the faster performance and increased storage capacity of striping. The low-cost IS feature has many of the advantages of a more expensive RAID striping solution. A single IS logical drive may be configured as the boot disk or as a data disk.

The IS feature is implemented with controller firmware that supports the Fusion-MPT Interface. IS provides better performance and more capacity than individual disks, without burdening the host CPU. The firmware splits host I/Os over multiple disks and presents the disks as a single logical drive. In general, striping is transparent to the BIOS, the drivers, and the operating system.

The SAS BIOS CU is used to configure IS volumes, which can consist of two to ten disks.

8-2 IS Features

Integrated Striping supports the following features:

•Support for volumes with two to ten disks

•Support for two IS volumes (or one IS volume and one IM/IME volume) on a controller, with up to 12 disks total. (Requires Integrated RAID firmware v1.20.00 or above.)

NOTE: All physical disks in a volume must be connected to the same SAS controller.

•Presents a single virtual drive to the OS for each configured volume

•Support for both SAS and SATA drives, although the two types of drives cannot be combined in one volume

•Fusion-MPT architecture

•Easy-to-use SAS BIOS configuration utility

•Error notification

•Use of metadata to store volume configuration on disks

•OS-specific event log

•Error display inside the Fusion-MPT BIOS

8-1

AOCS2308LL8E specifications

Supermicro, a renowned leader in high-performance computing solutions, has introduced the AOC-S2308LL8E, a powerful SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) controller card designed to enhance storage performance and capability in enterprise systems. This cutting-edge controller provides exceptional functionality for organizations looking to handle large volumes of data efficiently.

The AOC-S2308LL8E features the LSI SAS2308 dual-core processor, which supports 12Gb/s data transfer rates, ensuring swift and reliable connections to storage devices. With its eight internal SAS/SATA ports, this controller card facilitates the connection of multiple drives, allowing for increased data throughput and redundancy, which are essential for critical applications such as database management and virtualization.

One of the standout characteristics of the AOC-S2308LL8E is its compatibility with both SAS and SATA drives. This flexibility allows organizations to choose between high-performance SAS drives or more economical SATA drives based on their specific storage requirements. The controller supports a wide array of RAID levels, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, providing users with the ability to select configurations that enhance data integrity and availability.

Additionally, the card is designed with an advanced cache memory that optimizes data access times, further enhancing overall performance. The AOC-S2308LL8E also features a low-profile form factor, making it suitable for various server chassis configurations, even in space-constrained environments.

In terms of connectivity, the AOC-S2308LL8E is equipped with dual mini-SAS connectors, enabling seamless connectivity to multiple storage devices. With support for a high number of simultaneous I/O operations, this controller card is well-suited for tasks requiring substantial bandwidth, like large-scale data processing and analytics.

Moreover, Supermicro's AOC-S2308LL8E comes with robust management and monitoring features, ensuring that users can maintain optimal performance levels while responding proactively to any potential issues. Built-in support for advanced error recovery techniques helps guarantee data integrity, a feature critical in any enterprise setting.

To summarize, the Supermicro AOC-S2308LL8E is an ideal solution for businesses looking to enhance their storage capabilities. With its combination of high data transfer rates, RAID support, compatibility with various storage drive types, and advanced management features, the AOC-S2308LL8E stands out as a reliable choice for maximizing performance in demanding environments. Organizations investing in this controller will benefit from its efficiency, reliability, and scalability, crucial for future-proofing their IT infrastructure.