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Introduction Intel® RAID Portable Cache Module AXXRPCM3 Technical Product Specification

Revision 1.1

Intel order number E20184-002

1. Introduction

This document specifies the key hardware components, firmware, and software utility

requirements for the Intel

RAID Portable Cache Module AXXRPCM3. The Portable Cache

Module is available as an accessory for the Intel

RAID Controller SRCSASJV to provide data

integrity for the RAID solution by ensuring that the data passing through the cache is written to

the hard drives.

Intel

RAID Portable Cache Module AXXRPCM3 is a compact package that contains the

following components

 Battery pack: Includes a circuit logic board and attached LiON (Lithium Ion) batteries.

The logic board provides sensing and management logic to support the battery charge,

discharge, and monitoring functionality. The battery includes a small cable that connects

the battery to the battery logic board (Smart Battery Circuit).

 Smart Battery Circuit: Ensures that the battery is maintained at optimal performance and

charge levels. This circuit is based on the Texas Instruments bq2060A SBS v1.1-

Compliant Gas Gauge IC*.

 Software to monitor / inform the user of issues and actions for the Intel

RAID Portable

Cache Module. Monitoring is accomplished through the Intel

RAID BIOS Console 2,

Intel

RAID Web Console 2, or Intel

RAID Command Line Utility 2 utilities.

The Intel

RAID Portable Cache Module AXXRPCM3 provides the Intel

RAID Controller

SRCSASJV adapter with battery-backed cache memory. Writing data to the controller’s cache

memory is much faster than writing it to a storage device. The write operation is completed

when data is transferred to the RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) cache.

After data is written to the cached memory, the Intel

RAID Controller SRCSASJV writes the

cached data to the storage device when system activity is low or when the cache is getting full.

One risk of using a write-back cache is the cached data can be lost if the AC power fails before

it is written to the storage device. The Portable Cache Module mitigates this risk by providing a

battery as a backup source of power. Users can adjust options for the highest performance

without increasing the risk of data loss. The Intel

RAID Portable Cache Module AXXRPCM3

provides additional fault tolerance when used in conjunction with a UPS (Uninterruptible Power

Supply).

The Intel

RAID Portable Cache Module AXXRPCM3 monitors the voltage level of the DRAM

modules installed on the Intel

RAID Controller SRCSASJV. If the voltage level drops below a

predefined level, the battery backup module portion of the Portable Cache Module switches the

memory power source from the Intel

RAID Controller SRCSASJV to the battery pack on the

Portable Cache Module. When the voltage level returns to an acceptable level, the battery

backup circuitry switches the power source back to the Intel

RAID Controller SRCSASJV and

all pending writes to storage devices are completed with no data loss.

The Intel

RAID Portable Cache Module AXXRPCM3 has built-in functionality to charge the

battery pack automatically and to communicate battery status information such as voltage,

temperature, and current to the host computer system. The Portable Cache Module will cache

data to a replacement controller if that data has not been written to a disk. This could be

necessary if the RAID controller fails after an unexpected power failure. After moving the