Promise Technology SX8300, SX4300 user manual RAID 1 Mirrors identical data to two drives

Page 43

Chapter 5: Concepts

RAID 1 – Mirror

When a logical drive is mirrored, identical data is written to a pair of disk drives, while reads are performed in parallel. The reads are performed using elevator seek and load balancing techniques where the workload is distributed in the most efficient manner. Whichever drive is not busy and is positioned closer to the data will be accessed first.

With RAID 1, if one disk drive fails or has errors, the other mirrored disk drive continues to function. This is called Fault Tolerance. Moreover, if a spare disk drive is present, the spare drive will be used as the replacement drive and data will begin to be mirrored to it from the remaining good drive.

Data Mirror

Disk Drives

Figure 2. RAID 1 Mirrors identical data to two drives

Due to the data redundancy of mirroring, the capacity of the logical drive is only the size of the smallest disk drive. For example, two 100GB disk drives which have a combined capacity of 200GB instead would have 100GB of usable storage when set up in a mirrored logical drive. Similar to RAID 0 striping, if disk drives of different capacities are used, there will also be unused capacity on the larger drive.

RAID 1 logical drives on the FastTrak SX Series consist of two disk drives.

When two drives do not offer sufficient data capacity, consider a RAID 10 logical drive, see page 39.

37

Image 43
Contents SX4300, SX8300 Recommendations CopyrightTrademarks Important data protection informationMay cause undesired operation Radio Frequency Interference StatementPage Contents Support Troubleshooting & TipsAbout This Manual IntroductionXOR Acceleration Product OverviewHot-Swapping WebPAM Management Software Page SX4300 InstallationSX8300 Installing the FastTrak Card 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 Halt On Error Logical Drive ProblemsSystem Resources Page RAID 0 and Jbod Page Installing Software Drivers Install Driver in an Existing System Install Driver During New OS InstallationWindows 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 Multi-Processor Install Driver During New OS Installation Single 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 ParityAbout Dual Data Redundancy RAID 10 Mirror / StripeCH1 CH2 CH3 CH4 Jbod Single DriveAdvantages Disadvantages Choosing a RAID LevelJbod Initialization Fast Init Other Logical Drive FeaturesStripe Block Size Gigabyte BoundaryLogical 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 TipsPre-Installation Speed, Device Types, Capacity, Cabling Frequently Asked QuestionsSupport 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, BootingEurope, Africa, Middle East Technical Support ServicesContact Technical Support United StatesItaly GermanyTaiwan Disclaimer of other warranties Limited WarrantyChina Your Responsibilities Return Product For Repair
Related manuals
Manual 70 pages 55.21 Kb

SX8300, 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.