Hardware user guide

Intel® Integrated RAID Module RMS25KB0x0 and RMS25JB0x0 Hardware User’s Guide 1
1 Overview
The Intel
®
Integrated RAID Module RMS25KB080, RMS25KB040, RMS25JB080 and
RMS25JB040 provide reliable and fault-tolerant disk subsystem management based on
the Intel
®
Entry Hardware RAID (IR) Stack. This is an ideal RAID solution for the
internal large capacity storage needs of mid to low-end servers and workstations for use
by workgroups and departmental-sized organizations or individuals. The Intel
®
Integrated
RAID Module RMS25KB080, RMS25KB040, RMS25JB080 and RMS25JB040 offer a
cost-effective way to implement RAID in a server for internal storage.
As the third generation PCI Express* storage adapters, the Intel
®
Integrated RAID
Module RMS25KB080, RMS25KB040, RMS25JB080 and RMS25JB040 address the
growing demand for increased data throughput and scalability requirements across mid to
low-end servers and workstations.
The controller can be connected to up to four drives (RMS25KB040 and RMS25JB040)
or eight drives (RMS25KB080 and RMS25JB080) directly and allows the use of
expanders to connect to additional drives. For more information about the use of
expanders, see the ANSI SAS Standard, version 2.0 specification.
SATA and SAS are serial, point-to-point, device interfaces that use simplified cabling,
smaller connectors, lower pin counts, and lower power requirements than parallel SCSI.
Benefits of SAS and SATA
SAS is a serial, enterprise-level device interface that leverages the proven SCSI protocol
set. SAS is a convergence of the advantages of SATA, SCSI, and FC, and is the future
mainstay of the enterprise and high-end workstation storage markets. SAS offers a higher
bandwidth per pin than parallel SCSI and improves signal and data integrity.
The SAS interface uses the proven SCSI command set to ensure reliable data transfers,
while providing the connectivity and flexibility of point-to-point serial data transfers. The
serial transmission of SCSI commands eliminates clock skew challenges. The SAS
interface provides improved performance, simplified cabling, smaller connectors, lower
pin count, and lower power requirements than parallel SCSI.
SAS controllers leverage a common electrical and physical connection interface that is
compatible with Serial ATA technology. The SAS and SATA protocols use a thin, 7-wire
connector instead of the 68-wire SCSI cable or 40-wire ATA cable. The SAS/SATA
connector and cable are easier to manipulate, connect to smaller devices, and do not
inhibit airflow. The point-to-point SATA architecture eliminates difficulties created by the
legacy ATA master-slave architecture, while maintaining compatibility with existing
ATA firmware.