Chapter 5: Installing the Controller and Disk Drives 50

Connecting Disk Drives to Your Controllers

You can connect SAS disk drives, SATA disk drives, and SATA and SAS Solid State Drives (SSDs) to your Adaptec RAID controller. (See www.adaptec.com/compatibility for a list of compatible drives.) There are no jumpers or switches to set before installation.

If you plan to build a bootable array, ensure you install at least the minimum number disk drives required to support the RAID level you want. See page 41 for more information.

Note: Although you can connect both SAS and SATA disk drives to your SAS controller, we recommend that you not combine SAS and SATA disk drives within the same array or logical drive. See page 89 for more information.

You have two connection options:

To connect directly to the controller, see the following section.

To connect to a backplane, see page 51.

To connect Solid State Drives to your controller, see page 52.

Connecting Drives Directly to the Controller

In a direct-attach connection, SAS or SATA disk drives are connected directly to a SAS card with SAS cables. The number of direct-attached disk drives is limited to four per internal SAS connector. (For more information about direct-attach connections, see page 92.)

1Install your internal SAS or SATA disk drives, following the instructions in your system’s documentation.

2Use internal SAS or mini-SAS cables to attach the disk drives to the controller, as shown in the following example.

SAS/SATA disk drives

internal x4 mini-SAS connectors

mini-SAS to SATA fan-out cable Single-port connector

Note: SAS fan-out cables are also available with an additional sideband (SFF-8448) cable that caries SGPIO signals for enclosure management. This additional sideband cable is not used with direct-attached disk drives.

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Adaptec 2268300R manual Connecting Disk Drives to Your Controllers, Connecting Drives Directly to the Controller

2268300R specifications

The Adaptec 2268300R is a robust and versatile RAID controller designed for enterprise-level storage needs. Ideal for environments demanding high availability, performance, and data protection, this controller provides organizations with the ability to manage large volumes of data while ensuring reliability.

One of the standout features of the Adaptec 2268300R is its support for various RAID levels, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60. This flexibility allows users to choose the configuration that best suits their performance and redundancy requirements. By combining multiple drives into a single logical unit, the controller enhances data throughput and ensures data safety through redundancy.

The controller is built on a SATA and SAS architecture, allowing it to connect directly to both SATA and SAS drives. This broad compatibility is crucial for businesses looking to leverage existing hardware while also scaling their storage infrastructure. The Adaptec 2268300R is equipped with a powerful onboard processor that significantly boosts performance, driving down latency and increasing transaction speeds across connected drives.

Additionally, the Adaptec 2268300R features cache memory with a non-volatile option that enhances data integrity during unexpected power outages. This feature is essential for mission-critical applications where data loss can have severe repercussions. Moreover, the controller supports advanced caching algorithms, optimizing write and read performance to meet the demands of modern applications.

The controller also integrates seamlessly with Adaptec's management suite, providing users with a graphical interface to monitor and manage their storage solutions effectively. The web-based management tool allows administrators to configure RAID settings, monitor disk health, and perform troubleshooting, all from a centralized platform.

Security is another critical aspect of the Adaptec 2268300R. The controller comes equipped with encryption capabilities, enabling users to secure sensitive data at rest—protecting information from unauthorized access. Furthermore, with features like hot-spare drive support and automatic rebuilds, the controller assures continued operation even in the event of a disk failure.

In conclusion, the Adaptec 2268300R is a powerful RAID controller that delivers significant advantages in performance, flexibility, and reliability. With its support for multiple RAID levels, SAS and SATA compatibility, robust caching, and advanced management tools, it stands out as an ideal solution for businesses needing to safeguard and manage their vast data assets efficiently. Whether for enhancing data security or optimizing storage performance, the Adaptec 2268300R remains a sound choice in today’s data-driven landscape.