Promise Technology SX8300 user manual Gigabyte Boundary, Initialization Fast Init, Hot Spare Drive

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Chapter 5: Concepts

Choose a stripe block size equal to or smaller than the smallest cache buffer found on any disk drive in your logical drive. A larger value slows the logical drive down because disk drives with smaller cache buffers need more time for multiple accesses to fill their buffers.

If your data retrieval consists of fixed-size data blocks, such as some database and video applications, choose that data block size as your stripe block size.

Generally speaking, email, POS and webservers prefer smaller stripe block sizes. Video and database applications prefer larger stripe block sizes.

Gigabyte Boundary

This feature is for fault tolerant logical drives (RAID 1, 5, 10 and 50). When a disk drive has failed and the user cannot replace the drive with the same capacity or larger, this feature permits you to install a replacement drive that is slightly smaller (within 1 gigabyte) than the remaining working drives. This can be helpful in the event that a drive fails and an exact replacement model is no longer available.

You must set the Gigabyte Boundary feature to ON when you create your logical drive. Gigabyte Boundary rounds the capacity of all disk drives to the common whole GB drive size. For example, with the Gigabyte Boundary feature enabled, the remaining working drives can be 80.5 GB and the replacement drive can be 80.3, since all are rounded down to 80GB. Note that the rounding function will cause you to lose a small amount of capacity from each disk drive.

Initialization (Fast Init)

This function erases the Master Boot Record (MBR) in all of the selected disk drives. Use this function when one or more disk drives has been used in a previous logical drive.

Hot Spare Drive

Any extra drive that is not assigned to an array is designated Free in the View Drive Assignments screen (see below). In order for a free drive to serve as a hot spare drive, you must designate the free drive as a spare using the WebPAM software.

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Contents SX4300, SX8300 Recommendations CopyrightTrademarks Important data protection informationMay cause undesired operation Radio Frequency Interference StatementPage Contents Support Troubleshooting & TipsAbout This Manual IntroductionProduct Overview XOR AccelerationHot-Swapping WebPAM Management Software Page Installation SX4300SX8300 Installing the FastTrak Card RAID Jbod Installing the Disk DrivesLED Pins Create a Logical Drive Page Installation Page FastBuild Utility FastTrak BiosMain Menu View Drive Assignments Create a Logical Drive One Logical Drive Two Logical Drives FastBuild Utility View Drive Assignments, Split Disk Drives Delete Logical Drive Controller Configuration Logical Drive Problems Halt On ErrorSystem Resources Page RAID 0 and Jbod Page Installing Software Drivers Install Driver During New OS Installation Install Driver in an Existing SystemWindows Server Windows XP Confirm InstallationInstall Driver in an Existing System Windows Red Hat Linux 8.0, 9.0, EL 3.0, EL Install Driver During New OS Installation Single Processor Install Driver During New OS Installation Multi-ProcessorSuSE Linux 9.1, 9.2, ES Install Driver in an Existing System Introduction to RAID Adapter BiosConcepts About FastTrakRAID 0 Stripe interleaves data across multiple drives RAID 0 StripeRAID 1 Mirrors identical data to two drives RAID 1 MirrorRAID 5 Stripes all drives with data and parity information RAID 5 Block Striping with Distributed ParityRAID 10 Mirror / Stripe CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 About Dual Data RedundancyRAID 50 Striping of Distributed Parity logical drives RAID 50 Striping of Distributed ParityChoosing a RAID Level Jbod Single DriveAdvantages Disadvantages Implemented as a mirrored logical drive Stripe Block Size Other Logical Drive FeaturesGigabyte Boundary Initialization Fast InitHot Spare Drive Logical Drive Expansion Cache SettingsAdd Lose RAID Level MigrationLevel Current Number Possible Number Drives From Increase Redundancy CapacityRanges of Disk Array Expansion Current LD Size Maximum LD Sector Size Expansion Size Page Motherboard Issues Troubleshooting & TipsDrive-Related Errors System Cmos IssuesDrive cannot be formed into an logical drive Operating System-Related IssuesPromise Windows driver does not appear in Device Manager Performance TipsFrequently Asked Questions Pre-Installation Speed, Device Types, Capacity, CablingSupport How can I change the resources that the FastTrak uses? Drive IssuesOther array configurations will not work for this purpose Post-Installation Installation Issues Capacity, BootingTechnical Support Services Contact Technical SupportUnited States Europe, Africa, Middle East GermanyItaly Limited Warranty TaiwanChina Disclaimer of other warranties Your Responsibilities Return Product For RepairOr retailer
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SX8300, FASTTRAK SX4300 specifications

Promise Technology has established itself as a leader in data storage solutions, particularly with its cutting-edge SX4300 and SX8300 series. These enterprise-grade solutions cater to businesses seeking high-performance, reliable, and scalable storage systems.

The Promise SX4300 and SX8300 are built around the M.2 NVMe interface, providing exceptional data transfer speeds and low latency, which are crucial for applications requiring rapid data access. Both models leverage PCIe Gen 3 technology, ensuring that they can handle the demands of modern workloads with ease, whether in cloud storage, media production, or enterprise databases.

One of the standout features of the SX4300 is its ability to support up to four NVMe M.2 SSDs. This configuration allows for impressive storage capacities ranging from 3.2TB to 12.8TB. It also includes advanced features like parity RAID for data redundancy, safeguarding against drive failures and ensuring data integrity. The SX4300 is particularly well-suited for users looking for a compact solution that does not compromise on performance.

In contrast, the SX8300 takes performance a step further with support for up to eight NVMe M.2 SSDs. This expansion allows for scalable storage solutions tailored to the evolving needs of growing enterprises. The SX8300 also implements advanced cooling technologies that prevent thermal throttling during intense operations, thus maintaining optimal performance across extended periods.

Both models support Promise Technology’s proprietary RAID management software which simplifies configuration and monitoring. Users can easily manage their storage environments, enhancing performance and monitoring the health of their drives in real time. Additionally, these devices are designed to be compatible with a wide range of operating systems, making them versatile solutions for various IT infrastructures.

Regarding connectivity, the SX4300 and SX8300 provide robust options, ensuring high availability for mission-critical applications. Their compact, rack-mounted design promotes effective space utilization in data centers, adhering to modern IT demands for efficiency.

In summary, Promise Technology's SX4300 and SX8300 series deliver exceptional performance, scalability, and reliability, making them ideal choices for enterprises looking to enhance their storage capabilities. With advanced RAID technology, immense storage capacity, and easy-to-use management software, these systems are positioned to meet the high demands of today’s data-intensive environments. Choosing between the SX4300 and SX8300 ultimately depends on the required capacity and scalability needs, but both models exemplify Promise Technology’s commitment to innovation in data storage solutions.