AOC-USAS-L8i Add-on Card User’s Manual

7-5 Fusion-MPT Support

The BIOS uses the LSI Fusion-MPT® interface to communicate to the SAS controller and firmware to enable IM and IME volumes. This includes reading the Fusion-MPT configuration to access the parameters that are used to define behavior between the SAS controller and the devices connected to it. The Fusion-MPT drivers for all supported operating systems implement the Fusion-MPT interface to communicate with the controller and firmware.

7-6 IM/IME Configuration Overview

You can use the SAS BIOS CU to create one or two IM/IME volumes on each SAS controller, with one or two optional global hot spare disks. All disks in an IM/IME volume must be connected to the same SAS controller.

Although you can use disks of different size in IM and IME volumes, the smallest disk in the volume will determine the logical size of all disks in the volume. In other words, the excess space of the larger member disk(s) will not be used. For example, if you create an IME volume with two 100-GB disks and two 120-GB disks, only 100-GB of the larger disks will be used for the volume.

Refer to Section 7-2below for more information about Integrated Mirroring volumes.

7-7 Creating IM and IME Volumes

The SAS BIOS CU is part of the Fusion-MPT BIOS. When the BIOS loads during boot and you see the message about the Configuration Utility, press CTRL-C to start the CU. After you do this, the message changes to:

Please wait, invoking SAS Configuration Utility...

After a brief pause, the main menu of the SAS BIOS CU appears. On some systems, however, the following message appears next:

LSI Configuration Utility will load following initialization!

In this case, the SAS BIOS CU will load after the system has completed its power-on self test.

You can configure one or two IM or IME volumes per Fusion-MPT controller. You can also configure one IM/IME and one Integrated Striping (IS) volume on the same controller, up to a maximum of twelve physical disk drives for the two volumes. In addition, you can create one or two hot spares for the IM/IME array(s).

The following guidelines also apply when creating an IM or IME volume:

All physical disks in a volume must be either SATA (with extended command set support) or SAS (with SMART support). SAS and SATA disks cannot be combined in the same volume. However, you can create one volume with SAS disks and a second volume with SATA disks on the same controller.

Disks must have 512-byte blocks and must not have removable media.

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SUPER MICRO Computer AOCS2308LL8E Fusion-MPT Support, IM/IME Configuration Overview, Creating IM and IME Volumes

AOCS2308LL8E specifications

Supermicro, a renowned leader in high-performance computing solutions, has introduced the AOC-S2308LL8E, a powerful SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) controller card designed to enhance storage performance and capability in enterprise systems. This cutting-edge controller provides exceptional functionality for organizations looking to handle large volumes of data efficiently.

The AOC-S2308LL8E features the LSI SAS2308 dual-core processor, which supports 12Gb/s data transfer rates, ensuring swift and reliable connections to storage devices. With its eight internal SAS/SATA ports, this controller card facilitates the connection of multiple drives, allowing for increased data throughput and redundancy, which are essential for critical applications such as database management and virtualization.

One of the standout characteristics of the AOC-S2308LL8E is its compatibility with both SAS and SATA drives. This flexibility allows organizations to choose between high-performance SAS drives or more economical SATA drives based on their specific storage requirements. The controller supports a wide array of RAID levels, including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, providing users with the ability to select configurations that enhance data integrity and availability.

Additionally, the card is designed with an advanced cache memory that optimizes data access times, further enhancing overall performance. The AOC-S2308LL8E also features a low-profile form factor, making it suitable for various server chassis configurations, even in space-constrained environments.

In terms of connectivity, the AOC-S2308LL8E is equipped with dual mini-SAS connectors, enabling seamless connectivity to multiple storage devices. With support for a high number of simultaneous I/O operations, this controller card is well-suited for tasks requiring substantial bandwidth, like large-scale data processing and analytics.

Moreover, Supermicro's AOC-S2308LL8E comes with robust management and monitoring features, ensuring that users can maintain optimal performance levels while responding proactively to any potential issues. Built-in support for advanced error recovery techniques helps guarantee data integrity, a feature critical in any enterprise setting.

To summarize, the Supermicro AOC-S2308LL8E is an ideal solution for businesses looking to enhance their storage capabilities. With its combination of high data transfer rates, RAID support, compatibility with various storage drive types, and advanced management features, the AOC-S2308LL8E stands out as a reliable choice for maximizing performance in demanding environments. Organizations investing in this controller will benefit from its efficiency, reliability, and scalability, crucial for future-proofing their IT infrastructure.