Promise Technology SX4300, SX8300 user manual Product Overview, XOR Acceleration, Hot-Swapping

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FastTrak SX4300, SX8300 User Manual

Product Overview

FastTrak SX4300 and SX8300 are Serial ATA RAID controllers. When used with WebPAM software, the FastTrak RAID Controllers offer a feature-rich, secure and versatile enterprise-wide ATA RAID solution. In addition, the FastTrak SX Series supports RAID expansion. The resulting RAID environment allows users and administrators to configure, manage, and monitor everything from single logical drives on local systems to logical drive networks residing in offsite locations.

The FastTrak SX4300 and SX8300 RAID Controller cards support 1.5 Gb/s and

3.0Gb/s Serial ATA hard drives. At their core, all both FastTrak cards provide advanced RAID management functions: creating logical drives, monitoring them, keeping them online and operating at optimum efficiency. FastTrak can also perform many other tasks, such as:

Create logical drives at various RAID levels (0, 1, 5, 10, and JBOD), depending on the application being used

Set up a network of FastTrak RAID servers (all running under different RAID levels) and monitor those servers from any workstation on the network

Create a series of FastTrak RAID networks at any number of offsite locations

Monitor and/or repair FastTrak RAID logical drives using the Internet from an offsite location—all without compromising the integrity of secure servers

XOR Acceleration

The FastTrak SX4300 and SX8300 Controllers have a Hardware XOR accelerator, which offloads the parity calculation workload from the main CPU and transfers it to the controller card, boosting the performance of the entire system.

Hot-Swapping

Each FastTrak SX4300 can support up to four Serial ATA disk drives while each FastTrak SX8300 can support up to eight Serial ATA disk drives. With either Controller card you can configure the drives as RAID levels 1, 5, or 10. Attached drives can be hot swapped when used with the optional Promise SuperSwap drive enclosures.

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Contents SX4300, SX8300 Copyright TrademarksImportant data protection information RecommendationsRadio Frequency Interference Statement May cause undesired operationPage Contents Troubleshooting & Tips SupportIntroduction About This ManualHot-Swapping Product OverviewXOR Acceleration WebPAM Management Software Page SX8300 InstallationSX4300 Installing the FastTrak Card Installing the Disk Drives JbodLED Pins Create a Logical Drive Page Installation Page FastTrak Bios FastBuild UtilityMain 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 System Resources Logical Drive ProblemsHalt On Error Page RAID 0 and Jbod Page Installing Software Drivers Windows Server Install Driver During New OS InstallationInstall Driver in an Existing System Confirm Installation Windows XPInstall Driver in an Existing System Windows Red Hat Linux 8.0, 9.0, EL 3.0, EL SuSE Linux 9.1, 9.2, ES Install Driver During New OS Installation Single ProcessorInstall Driver During New OS Installation Multi-Processor Install Driver in an Existing System Adapter Bios ConceptsAbout FastTrak Introduction to RAIDRAID 0 Stripe RAID 0 Stripe interleaves data across multiple drivesRAID 1 Mirror RAID 1 Mirrors identical data to two drivesRAID 5 Block Striping with Distributed Parity RAID 5 Stripes all drives with data and parity informationRAID 10 Mirror / Stripe About Dual Data RedundancyJbod Single Drive CH1 CH2 CH3 CH4Choosing a RAID Level Advantages DisadvantagesJbod Other Logical Drive Features Stripe Block SizeGigabyte Boundary Initialization Fast InitCache Settings Logical Drive ExpansionRAID Level Migration Level Current Number Possible Number DrivesFrom Increase Redundancy Capacity Add LoseRanges of Disk Array Expansion Current LD Size Maximum LD Sector Size Expansion Size Page Troubleshooting & Tips Motherboard IssuesSystem Cmos Issues Drive-Related ErrorsOperating System-Related Issues Drive cannot be formed into an logical drivePerformance Tips Promise Windows driver does not appear in Device ManagerSupport Frequently Asked QuestionsPre-Installation Speed, Device Types, Capacity, Cabling Drive Issues How can I change the resources that the FastTrak uses?Other array configurations will not work for this purpose Installation Issues Capacity, Booting Post-InstallationTechnical Support Services Contact Technical SupportUnited States Europe, Africa, Middle EastTaiwan GermanyItaly China Limited WarrantyDisclaimer of other warranties Your Responsibilities Return Product For Repair
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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.