Intel Matrix Storage Manager 8.x User Guide

Intel® Matrix Storage Manager F ea t u r e s
14
ver7.0 / User's Manual
2.10 Advanced Host Controller I n t e r f ac e
Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is an interface specification that allows the
storage driver to enable advanced Serial ATA features such as Native Command
Queuing and Native Hot Plug.
2.10.1 Native Command Q u e u i ng
Native Command Queuing (NCQ) is a feature supported by AHCI that allows Serial
ATA hard drives to accept more than one command at a time. NCQ, when used in
conjunction with one or more hard drives that support NCQ, increases storage
performance on random workloads by allowing the drive to internally optimize the
order of commands.
Note: To take advantage of NCQ, you need the following:
• Chipset that supports AHCI
• Intel® Matrix Storage Manager
• One or more Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives that support NCQ
2.10.2 Hot P l ug
Hot plug, also referred to as hot swap, is a feature supported by AHCI that allows
Serial ATA hard drives to be removed or inserted while the system is powered on and
running. As an example, hot plug may be used to replace a failed hard drive that is in
an externally-accessible drive enclosure.
Note: To take advantage of hot plug, you need the following:
• Chipset that supports AHCI
• Intel® Matrix Storage Manager
• Hot plug capability correctly enabled in the system BIOS by the OEM/motherboard
manufacturer