Contents

Safety Warnings and Instructions

iii

Regulatory and Certification Information

viii

Electromagnetic Compatibility Notices

xi

Preface

xiii

Audience

xiii

Organization

xiii

Related Publication

xiii

Chapter 1, Overview

1

SAS Controller Description

2

Configuration Scenarios

2

Benefits of SAS

3

PCI Express* Architecture

4

Operating System Support

4

Summary of SAS RAID Controller Features

4

SAS Features

5

SATA Features

5

PCI Performance

5

Flexibility

6

Drive Roaming

6

Drive Migration

7

Hardware Specifications

8

Chapter 2, Intel® RAID Controller SRCSAS18E Hardware Installation

9

Requirements

9

Quick Installation

10

Detailed Installation

10

SAS Device Cables

12

Replacing a Failed Controller that Contains Data in the Intel® RAID Portable Cache Module 2

17

 

After Installing the Storage Adapter

18

Chapter 3, Intel® RAID Controller SRCSAS18E Characteristics

19

Characteristics

20

Technical Specifications

21

Array Performance Features

22

Fault Tolerance

22

Electrical Characteristics

23

Thermal and Atmospheric Characteristics

23

Safety Characteristics

23

A. Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

24

Intel® RAID Controller SRCSAS18E User’s Guidel

xv

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Intel SRCSAS18E manual Contents

SRCSAS18E specifications

The Intel SRCSAS18E is a robust and high-performance storage controller card designed for data-intensive applications, primarily targeted at enterprise environments. Featuring support for both Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and SATA drives, this controller brings an impressive array of features, technologies, and characteristics that enhance storage performance, reliability, and scalability.

One of the standout features of the SRCSAS18E is its capability to manage up to 18 drives simultaneously. This is achieved through the use of eight internal ports, which can connect to a wide range of SAS and SATA drives, enabling organizations to build a scalable storage architecture. The controller supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, providing flexibility in data management and protection strategies. This RAID functionality ensures that data can be mirrored, striped, or spread across multiple drives to enhance performance and redundancy, which is crucial for minimizing downtime.

The SRCSAS18E incorporates advanced technologies such as Intel's RAID Response Technology, which allows for enhanced data protection and recovery options. This technology facilitates faster rebuilding of arrays in the event of a drive failure, significantly reducing the risk of data loss. Additionally, the controller includes battery-backed cache memory, which helps to ensure data integrity and performance by providing temporary storage during write operations, even in case of power loss.

For seamless integration with current infrastructure, the SRCSAS18E supports PCI Express interface. It offers up to 6 Gb/s data transfer rates per port, optimizing data throughput and overall system performance. This high-speed connectivity is essential for applications that require rapid access to vast amounts of data, including virtualization and high-performance computing tasks.

The controller also features compatibility with various operating systems and server platforms, enhancing its versatility. Organizations can take advantage of plug-and-play functionality, allowing for easier deployment and management in diverse IT environments.

Furthermore, the SRCSAS18E is built with enterprise-grade reliability in mind, supporting features like thermal monitoring and advanced error correction to safeguard against hardware failures. Its ability to manage a large number of drives effectively makes it an ideal solution for data centers and enterprises looking to enhance their storage solutions while ensuring maximum uptime and data availability.

In summary, the Intel SRCSAS18E is a feature-rich storage controller well-suited for demanding environments that require reliable and efficient data management. Its combination of high performance, support for multiple RAID configurations, and robust data protection technologies makes it a valuable addition to any enterprise storage infrastructure.