User guide

Chapter 1. Introducing the 3ware® SATA RAID Controller
2 3ware Serial ATA RAID Controller User Guide
(RAID 6 and RAID 50 are available only with 3ware RAID controller
models that have 8 or more ports)
• Choice of 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, or 24 SATA ports
• PCI Express® x1, x4 and x8 connectivity
• If you have a 3ware Sidecar, the drive Locate feature allows you to easily
identify a drive in the enclosure by blinking the LED associated with it
System Requirements
3ware 9650SE, 9590SE, and 9550SX model RAID controllers have the
following requirements:
Motherboard and Slot Requirements
A workstation-class or server-class motherboard, with slots that support the
specific 3ware RAID controller model, as shown in Table 2.
Table 2: Required Slots for 3ware RAID Controller Models
Controller Model PCI-E X1 PCI-E X4 PCI-E X8 PCI-E x16 PCI-X (64-bit)
9650SE-2LPML Y
ES YES YES Yes No
9650SE-4LPML N
O YES YES Yes No
9650SE-4LPME N
O YES YES Yes No
9650SE-8LPML N
O YES YES Yes No
9650SE-12ML N
O NO YES Yes No
9650SE-16ML N
O NO YES Yes No
9650SE-24M8 N
O NO YES Yes No
9590SE N
O YES YES Yes No
9550SX N
O NO NO No Yes
Notes:
3ware 9650SE and 9590SE RAID controllers must be installed in a PCI Express
slot that complies with PCI 1.1 or later standards.
The 3ware 9550SX Controller performs best when installed in a PCI-X 133MHz 64-
bit slot. However, it can also operate at 66MHz or 100MHz.
PCI Slots used for the 9550SX controllers must comply with PCI 2.2 or later
standards and must meet the Plug and Play and PC99 specifications.