LSI Computer Hardware 25083 User Manual

USER’S  
GUIDE  
MegaRAID® 6Gb/s SAS  
RAID Controllers  
N ov e m b e r 2 0 0 9  
41450-02 Rev. B  
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Preface  
This document is the primary reference and user’s guide for the LSI  
®
MegaRAID Serial Attached SCSI/SATA II RAID controllers based on the  
6Gb/s SAS/SATA RAID On-a-Chip devices. This document contains  
complete installation instructions for these RAID controllers and includes  
specifications for them.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) RAID controller family  
consists of the following controllers:  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with an Internal  
Connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with Internal  
Connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-4i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile Serial-  
Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with an Internal  
Connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with Internal  
Connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9260DE-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with Internal  
Connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9261-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with Internal  
Connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with an Internal  
Connector and an External Connector  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controllers User’s Guide  
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MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile Serial-  
Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with External  
Connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9280DE-8e PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller with External  
Connectors  
For information about how to configure the RAID controllers, refer to the  
MegaRAID SAS Software User’s Guide. For information about the  
operating system drivers, refer to the MegaRAID SAS Device Driver  
Installation User’s Guide.  
Audience  
This document assumes that you have some familiarity with RAID  
controllers and related support devices. The people who benefit from this  
document are:  
Engineers who are designing a system that will include a MegaRAID  
6Gb/s SAS RAID controller  
Anyone who is installing a MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controller in  
a system  
Organization  
This document contains the following chapters and appendix:  
Chapter 1, Overview, provides an overview of the MegaRAID 6Gb/s  
SAS RAID controllers.  
procedures for installing the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers.  
provides the characteristics and technical specifications for the  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers.  
defines the terms and abbreviations used in this document.  
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Related Publications  
MegaRAID SAS Device Driver Installation User’s Guide  
Document Number: 80-00163-01 Rev. D  
This document describes how to install the MegaRAID device driver for  
your operating system. The information in this document is independent  
of the back-end bus and applies to the MegaRAID SAS RAID controllers.  
MegaRAID SAS Software User’s Guide  
Document Number: 80-00156-01 Rev. H  
This document describes how to use the MegaRAID Storage Manager,  
WebBIOS, and command line interface (CLI) utilities to configure,  
monitor, and maintain MegaRAID SAS RAID controllers and the  
storage-related devices connected to them.  
MegaRAID iBBU07 Intelligent Battery Backup Unit Quick Installation  
Guide  
Document Number: 34231-00 Rev. C  
This quick installation guide explains how to install the LSIiBBU07  
intelligent Battery Backup Unit 07 directly and remotely on your  
MegaRAID controller. The LSIiBBU07 is used with the MegaRAID SAS  
9260 RAID controller and the MegaRAID SAS 9280 RAID controller. The  
LSIiBBU07 protects the integrity of the cached data on a MegaRAID  
controller for up to 72 hours in case of a complete AC power failure or a  
brief power outage.  
Preface  
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Conventions  
The following table describes how the user interacts with the product.  
Notation  
Example  
Meaning and Use  
Courier typeface  
.nwk file  
Names of commands, files, and directories, as well as  
code and screen messages, are shown in Courier.  
Bold typeface  
Italics  
fd1sp  
In a command line, keywords are shown in bold, non-italic  
typeface. Enter them exactly as shown.  
module  
In command lines and names, italics indicate user vari-  
ables. Replace italicized text with appropriate user-  
specified items. Enter items of the type called for, using  
lowercase.  
Initial capital letters  
Undo  
Edit  
Apply  
Names of menu commands, options, check buttons, text  
buttons, options buttons, text boxes, list boxes, and so on,  
are shown in text with initial capital lettering to avoid mis-  
reading. These elements might appear on your screen in  
all lowercase.  
Semicolon, and other  
punctuation  
Use as shown in the text.  
Notes contain supplementary information that can affect  
system performance.  
Caution:  
Cautions are notifications that an action has the potential to  
adversely affect equipment operation, system performance,  
or data integrity.  
Revision History  
Document Number Date/Version  
Remarks  
41450-02 Rev. B  
November 2009  
Added the SAS 9240-4i, SAS 9240-8i, and SAS 9280-4i/4e  
RAID controllers; added the SAS 9261-8i RAID controller  
41450-02 Rev. A  
July 2009  
Added the SAS 9260-4i, SAS 9260DE-8i, SAS 9280-8e,  
and SAS 9280DE-8e RAID controllers.  
41450-01 Rev. A  
41450-00 Rev. A  
June 2009  
Documented the SAS 9260-8i RAID controller.  
Initial release of this document.  
March 2009  
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Safety Instructions  
Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer system  
from potential damage and to ensure your own personal safety.  
Note:  
Use the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers  
with UL-listed Information Technology Equipment (ITE)  
products only.  
When Using Your Computer System – As you use your computer  
system, observe the following safety guidelines:  
Caution:  
Do not operate your computer system with any covers  
(such as computer covers, bezels, filler brackets, and  
front-panel inserts) removed.  
To avoid damaging your computer, make sure that the voltage  
selection switch on the power supply is set to match the alternating  
current (AC) power available at your location:  
115 volts (V)/60 hertz (Hz) in most of North American and South  
American countries, and some Asian countries, such as Japan,  
South Korea, and Taiwan.  
230 V/50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Also  
make sure that your monitor and attached peripherals are  
electrically rated to operate with the AC power available in your  
location.  
To avoid possible damage to the system board, wait 5 seconds after  
you turn off the system before you remove a component from the  
system board or disconnect a peripheral device from the computer.  
To prevent electric shock, connect the computer and peripheral  
power cords into correctly grounded power sources. These cords are  
equipped with three-prong plugs to ensure correct grounding.  
Do not use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong from a  
cable. If you must use an extension cable, use a three-wire cable  
with correctly grounded plugs.  
To protect your computer system from sudden, transient increases  
and decreases in electrical power, use a surge suppressor, line  
conditioner, or uninterruptible power supply (UPS).  
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Make sure that equipment does not rest on your computer system  
cables and that the cables are not located where they can be  
stepped on or tripped over.  
Do not spill food or liquids on your computer. If the computer gets  
wet, consult the documentation that came with it.  
Do not push any objects into the openings of your computer. Doing so  
can cause fire or electric shock by shorting out interior components.  
Keep your computer away from radiators and heat sources. Also, do  
not block cooling vents. Avoid placing loose papers underneath your  
computer; do not place your computer in a closed-in wall unit or on  
a rug.  
When Working Inside Your Computer –  
Caution: Do not attempt to service the computer system yourself,  
except as explained in this document and elsewhere in LSI  
documentation. Always follow installation and service  
instructions closely.  
1. Turn off your computer and any peripherals.  
2. Disconnect your computer and peripherals from their power sources.  
Also disconnect any telephone or telecommunications lines from  
the computer.  
Performing these actions reduces the potential for personal injury or  
shock. Also note these safety guidelines:  
When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector or on its  
strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself. Some cables have a  
connector with locking tabs. If you are disconnecting this type of  
cable, press in on the locking tabs before you disconnect the  
cable. As you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned to  
avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before you connect a  
cable, make sure that both connectors are correctly oriented and  
aligned.  
Handle components and cards with care. Do not touch the  
components or contacts on a card. Hold a card by its edges or  
by its metal mounting bracket. Hold a component, such as a  
microprocessor chip, by its edges, not by its pins.  
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Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge – Static electricity can  
harm delicate components inside your computer. To prevent static  
damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any  
of your computer’s electronic components, such as the microprocessor.  
To discharge static electricity, touch an unpainted metal surface, such as  
the metal around the card-slot openings at the back of the computer.  
As you continue to work inside the computer, periodically touch an  
unpainted metal surface to remove any static charge that your body  
might have accumulated. In addition to the preceding precautions, you  
also can take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic  
discharge:  
When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping  
carton, do not remove the component from the antistatic packing  
material until you are ready to install the component in your  
computer. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure  
to discharge static electricity from your body.  
When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an  
antistatic container or packaging.  
Handle all sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use  
antistatic floor pads and workbench pads.  
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2.5.2  
Connecting the SAS RAID Controller with External  
Connectors to a Drive Enclosure  
2-10  
Chapter 3  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
Power Supply Requirements for SAS 9240 RAID  
Controllers  
Operating and Non-operating Conditionsfor the  
SAS 9240 RAID Controllers  
Power Supply Requirements for SAS 9260 RAID  
Controllers  
Operating and Non-operating Conditions for SAS  
9260 RAID Controllers  
Power Supply Requirements for the SAS 9261  
RAID Controller  
Operating and Non-operating Conditions for the  
SAS 9261 RAID Controller  
Power Supply Requirements for SAS 9280 RAID  
Controllers  
3-17  
3-18  
3-18  
3-19  
3-20  
3-21  
3-21  
3.3.5  
Operating and Non-operating Conditions for SAS  
9280 RAID Controllers  
3-22  
Appendix A  
Glossary of Terms  
xii  
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Figures  
1.2  
Example of an LSI SAS RAID Controller Configured with  
an LSISASx12 Expander  
Example of the MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i Board Installation  
in a PCI Express Slot  
Internal SAS Cable for Connection to SAS Drives, SATA II  
Drives, or Both  
1-7  
2-4  
2.1  
2.2  
2-7  
2.4  
SAS Plugs and SATA II Plugs and SAS Backplane  
Receptacle Connector  
2-9  
2.6  
Connecting the SAS 9280-8e RAID Controller to a Drive  
Enclosure  
Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i RAID  
Controller  
Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i RAID  
Controller  
Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9261-8i RAID  
Controller  
Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e RAID  
Controller  
Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID  
Controller  
2-11  
3-2  
3.1  
3.2  
3.3  
3.4  
3.5  
3-4  
3-7  
3-9  
3-11  
Contents  
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Tables  
3.1  
SAS 9240-4i/SAS 9240-8i RAID Controller – Jumpers and  
Connectors  
3-3  
3.2  
SAS 9260-8i/SAS 9260DE-8i RAID Controller – Jumpers  
and Connectors  
3-5  
3.4  
SAS 9280-8e and SAS 9280DE-8e RAID Controllers –  
Connectors  
3-9  
Contents  
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xviii  
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Chapter 1  
Overview  
This chapter provides an overview of the MegaRAID 6Gb/s Serial  
Attached SCSI/Serial ATA II controllers with RAID control capability.  
It consists of the following sections:  
1.1 Overview  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers are high-performance  
intelligent PCI Express-to-SCSI/Serial ATA II adapters with RAID control  
capability. MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers provide reliability, high  
performance, and fault-tolerant drive subsystem management. They are  
an ideal RAID solution for the internal storage of workgroup,  
departmental, and enterprise systems. MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID  
controllers offer a cost-effective way to implement RAID in a server.  
SAS technology brings a wealth of options and flexibility with the use of  
SAS and Serial ATA (SATA) II devices within the same storage  
infrastructure. However, SAS and SATA devices bring individual  
characteristics that make each one a more suitable choice depending on  
your storage needs. MegaRAID gives you the flexibility to combine these  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controllers User’s Guide  
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two similar technologies on the same controller, within the same  
enclosure, and in the same virtual drive.  
Note:  
LSI recommends that you carefully assess any decision to  
mix SAS drives and SATA drives within the same virtual  
drives. Although you can mix drives, LSI strongly  
discourages the practice.  
LSI offers a family of MegaRAID SAS RAID controllers addressing the  
needs for both internal and external solutions. The MegaRAID 6Gb/s  
SAS RAID controllers are based on the LSI first-to-market SAS IC  
technology and proven MegaRAID technology. As second-generation  
PCI Express RAID controllers, these controllers address the growing  
demand for increased data throughput and scalability requirements  
across midrange and enterprise-class server platforms. These controllers  
provide:  
6.0 Gb/s Serial Attached SCSI performance  
3.0 Gb/s SATA II performance  
Eight-lane, 5-Gb/s PCI Express host interface  
The SAS 9260DE-8i RAID controller and the SAS 9280DE-8i RAID  
controller offer data security using disk encryption. This feature offers the  
ability to encrypt data on drives and use disk-based key management to  
provide data security. This solution provides data protection in the event  
of theft or loss of physical drives. With self-encrypting drives, if you  
remove a drive from its storage system or the server it is housed in, the  
data on that drive is encrypted and useless to anyone who attempts to  
access without the the appropriate security authorization.  
For more information about self-encrypting drives, refer to the MegaRAID  
SAS Software User’s Guide.  
The SAS 9260 RAID controllers, the SAS 9261 RAID controller, and the  
SAS 9280 RAID controllers use the LSI intelligent Battery Backup Unit  
07 (LSIiBBU-07) to provide cached data protection and allow system  
builders to protect cached data even during the most catastrophic system  
failures.  
Refer to the battery backup documentation on the MegaRAID Universal  
Software Suite CD for more information about this battery backup unit.  
1-2  
Overview  
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The SAS controllers support the ANSI Serial Attached SCSI standard,  
version 2.0. In addition, the controller supports the SATA II protocol  
defined by the Serial ATA specification, version 1.0a. Supporting both the  
SAS interface and the SATA II interface, the SAS controller is a versatile  
controller that provides the backbone of both server and high-end  
workstation environments.  
Each port on the SAS RAID controller supports SAS devices, SATA II  
devices, or both, using the following protocols:  
SAS Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP), which enables communication with  
other SAS devices  
SATA II, which enables communication with other SATA II devices  
Serial Management Protocol (SMP), which communicates  
topology management information directly with an attached SAS  
expander device  
Serial Tunneling Protocol (STP), which enables communication with  
a SATA II device through an attached expander  
1.2 SAS Controller Descriptions  
The 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers are described as follows:  
The MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller is a PCI-Express  
2.0, half-size, full-height RAID controller based on the LSISAS2008  
PCI Express-SAS/SATA I/O Processor chip. The MegaRAID SAS  
9240-4i controls four internal 6-Gb/s SAS/SATA ports through one  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector.  
The MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller is a PCI-Express  
2.0, half-size, full-height RAID controller based on the LSISAS2008  
PCI Express-SAS/SATA I/O Processor chip. The MegaRAID SAS  
9240-8i controls eight internal 6-Gb/s SAS/SATA ports through two  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connectors.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS 9260-4i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller controls four  
internal SAS/SATA ports through one SFF-8087 x4 internal mini  
SAS connector.  
SAS Controller Descriptions  
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The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS 9260-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller controls eight  
internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connectors.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS 9260DE-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller controls eight  
internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connectors and offers data security using disk encryption.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS 9261-8i PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller controls eight  
internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8087 mini-SAS 4i  
connectors.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS 9280-4i/4e PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller controls four  
internal SAS/SATA ports through one SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connector and four external SAS/SATA ports through one SFF-8088  
x4 external mini SAS connector.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS 9280-8e PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller controls eight  
external SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8088 x4 external mini  
SAS connectors.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS 9280DE-8e PCI Express 2.0 Low-Profile  
Serial-Attached SCSI/SATA II Disk Array Controller controls eight  
external SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8088 x4 external mini  
SAS connectors and offers data security using disk encryption.  
1.3 General Description  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers bring 6.0 Gb/s Serial  
Attached SCSI and 3.0 Gb/s SATA II performance to host adapter,  
workstation, and server designs. The controllers support internal storage  
devices and external storage devices, which allow you to use a system  
that supports enterprise-class SAS drives and desktop-class SATA II  
drives. Each MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controller can connect to  
drives directly and can use expanders to connect to additional drives.  
Simplified cabling between devices is an additional benefit.  
1-4  
Overview  
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These SAS controllers are based on the LSISAS2108 RAID On-a-Chip  
(ROC) device or the LSISAS2008 PCI Express-SAS/SATA I/O Processor  
chip. These devices are compliant with the Fusion-MPT™ architecture  
and provides a PCI Express x8 interface.  
Note:  
All of these RAID controllers provide an x8 PCI Express 2.0  
interface.  
The LSISAS2108 ROC device provides an eight-lane, 5-Gb/s PCI  
Express host interface, eight 6.0 Gb/s SAS ports or eight 3.0 Gb/s SATA  
ports, and a full-featured, hardware-based RAID implementation. In  
addition, it integrates a high-speed DDR/DDR2 800 MHz SDRAM  
interface with a hardware RAID assist engine for parity calculations. The  
LSISAS2108 ROC device provides the maximum benefits of a RAID  
system and enables you to configure the system to satisfy your system  
requirements.  
The LSISAS2108 ROC device increases system performance and  
provides fault-tolerant data storage. The LSISAS2108 supports data  
striping across multiple drives, which reduces drive access time because  
multiple drives simultaneously read or write data. The LSISAS2108 ROC  
device backs up data with either data mirroring or a parity block. Either  
backup method enables you to recover lost data in the event of a drive  
failure. You can select the data backup method that best suits your  
needs. A hardware RAID assist exclusive-OR (XOR) engine speeds  
parity generation and checking and reduces system-access times.  
The SAS RAID controllers integrate eight high-performance SAS/SATA II  
PHYs and a PCI Express bus master DMA core. Each of the eight PHYs  
is capable of 6.0 Gb/s SAS link rates and 3.0 Gb/s SATA II link rates.  
These devices adhere to the PCI Express Specification, Revision 2.0.  
The PCI Express software is backward compatible with previous  
revisions of the PCI bus and PCI-X bus.  
The SAS RAID controllers support the SAS protocol as described in the  
Serial Attached SCSI Standard, version 2.0. The controllers also support  
the Serial ATA II (SATA II) protocol defined by the Serial ATA  
Specification, Version 1.0a and the Serial ATAII; Extension to the Serial  
ATA Specification, Version 1.1. SATA II is an extension to SATA 1.0a.  
In addition, the SAS RAID controllers support the following SATA II  
features:  
General Description  
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3Gb/s SATA II  
Staggered spin-up  
Hot plug  
Native command queuing  
Activity and fault indicators for each PHY  
Port selector (for dual-port drives)  
Each port on the SAS controllers supports SAS devices, SATA II devices,  
or both using SSP, SMP, STP, and SATA II. SSP enables communication  
with other SAS devices. SATA II enables the SAS controllers to  
communicate with other SATA II devices.  
1.4 Configuration Scenarios  
There are three main scenarios in which you can use the SAS RAID  
controllers:  
Low-end, internal SATA II configurations: In this configuration, use  
the RAID controller as a high-end SATA II compatible controller that  
connects up to eight drives either directly or through a port expander.  
This configuration is mostly for low-end or entry servers. Enclosure  
2
management is provided through out-of-band I C bus. Side bands of  
both types of internal SAS connectors support the SFF-8485  
(SGPIO) interface.  
Midrange internal SAS configurations: This is like the internal  
SATA II configurations, but with high-end SAS drives. This is more  
suitable for low-range to midrange servers.  
High-end external SAS/SATA II configurations: This configuration  
is for external connectivity using SATA II drives, SAS drives, or both.  
External enclosure management is supported through in-band,  
SCSI-enclosed storage. The configuration must support STP and  
SMP.  
2
Figure 1.1 shows a direct-connect configuration. The Inter-IC (I C)  
interface communicates with peripherals. The external memory bus  
provides a 32-bit memory bus, parity checking, and chip select signals  
for pipelined synchronous burst static random access memory  
1-6  
Overview  
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(PSBRAM), nonvolatile static random access memory (NVSRAM), and  
Flash ROM.  
Figure 1.1 Example of an LSI SAS Direct-Connect Application  
SAS/SATA II Device  
32-Bit Memory  
Address/Data  
Flash ROM/  
PSBRAM/  
NVSRAM  
SAS  
PCI Express  
RAID Controller  
Bus  
SAS/SATA II Device  
SAS/SATA II Device  
I2C  
Interface  
I2C  
SAS/SATA II Device  
PCI Express Interface  
Figure 1.2 shows an example of a SAS RAID controller configured with  
an LSISASx12 expander that is connected to SAS drives, SATA II drives,  
or both.  
Figure 1.2 Example of an LSI SAS RAID Controller Configured  
with an LSISASx12 Expander  
PCI Express Interface  
8
Peripheral  
Bus  
Flash ROM/  
NVSRAM/  
SAS  
RAID Controller  
LSISAS2108  
2
I C/UART  
72-bit DDR/DDR2  
with ECC  
PCI Express to SAS ROC  
Interface  
SDRAM  
LSISASx12  
Expander  
LSISASx12  
Expander  
Configuration Scenarios  
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1.5 Benefits of the SAS Interface  
SAS is a serial, point-to-point, enterprise-level device interface that  
leverages the proven SCSI protocol set. SAS is a convergence of the  
advantages of SATA II, SCSI, and Fibre Channel, 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 it  
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 when compared to  
parallel SCSI.  
SAS controllers leverage a common electrical and physical connection  
interface that is compatible with Serial ATA technology. The SAS and  
SATA II protocols use a thin, 7-wire connector instead of the 68-wire  
SCSI cable or 26-wire ATA cable. The SAS/SATA II connector and cable  
are easier to manipulate, allow connections to smaller devices, and do  
not inhibit airflow. The point-to-point SATA II architecture eliminates  
inherent difficulties created by the legacy ATA master-slave architecture,  
while maintaining compatibility with existing ATA firmware.  
1.5.1 PCI Express Architecture  
PCI Express is a local bus system designed to increase data transfers  
without slowing down the central processing unit (CPU). You can install  
MegaRAID PCI Express RAID controllers in PCI Express computer  
systems with a standard bracket type. With these controllers in your  
system, you can connect SAS devices and SATA II devices over the bus.  
Note:  
Some PCI-E slots support PCI-E graphics cards only; if a  
RAID controller is installed on those PCI-E slots, it will not  
function.  
PCI Express goes beyond the PCI specification in that it is intended as  
a unifying I/O architecture for various systems: desktops, workstations,  
mobile, server, communications, and embedded devices.  
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1.5.2 Operating System Support  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers supports the following  
operating systems:  
Windows Vista, Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008  
Red Hat Linux  
SUSE Linux  
Novell NetWare  
SCO OpenServer  
SCO UnixWare  
Solaris  
FreeBSD  
To download the latest operating system drivers, go to:  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers use Fusion-MPT™  
architecture for all major operating systems, thinner drivers, and better  
performance.  
1.6 Summary of SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
This section provides a summary of the features and benefits of the  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers. It contains information on SAS  
features, SATA II features, PCI performance, integration, usability, and  
flexibility.  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers have the following features:  
PCI Express x8 lane width (with support for x16 connections)  
PCI Express performance up to 5Gb/s per lane  
Support for 512-Mbyte DDR2 800 MHz on-board SDRAM intelligent  
battery-backed module  
One internal connector for the SAS 9240-4i, SAS 9260-4i, and SAS  
9280-4i/4e RAID controllers  
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Two internal connectors for the SAS 9240-8i, SAS 9260-8i, SAS  
9261-8i, and SAS 9260DE-8i RAID controllers  
One external connector for the SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID controller  
Two external connectors for the SAS 9280-8e RAID controller and  
the SAS 9280DE-8e RAID controller  
Support for RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 00, 10, 50, and 60  
Advanced array configuration and management utilities  
Support for global hot spares and dedicated hot spares  
Support for user-defined stripe sizes: 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512,  
or 1024 KB  
Advanced array configuration and management utilities offer:  
Online capacity expansion to add space to an existing drive or  
new drive  
Online RAID level migration  
Drive migration  
Drive roaming  
No reboot necessary after expansion  
Load balancing  
Media scan  
User-specified rebuild rate (specifying the percentage of system  
resources to use from 0%-100%)  
32-Kbyte nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM) for storing  
RAID system configuration information; the MegaRAID SAS firmware  
is stored in flash ROM for easy upgrade.  
1.6.1 SAS Features  
The following list describes the SAS features of the RAID controllers:  
Provides four fully independent PHYs or eight fully independent  
PHYs, depending on the controller  
Supports 6Gb/s and 3Gb/s SAS data transfers per PHY  
Supports SMP to communicate topology management information  
Supports SSP to enable communication with other SAS devices  
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Supports STP to enable communication with a SATA II device  
through an attached expander  
Provides a serial, point-to-point, enterprise-level storage interface  
Simplifies cabling between devices  
Provides a scalable interface that supports up to 240 devices through  
the use of expanders  
Note:  
The number of devices varies depending on the MegaRAID  
product. Check the LSI web site (http://www.lsi.com) for  
specific details about your product.  
Supports wide ports consisting of 2, 3, or 4 PHYs within a single  
quad port  
Supports narrow ports consisting of a single PHY  
Transfers data using SCSI information units  
1.6.2 SAS Array Limitations  
This section describes the array limitations of the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS  
RAID controllers. These limitations include the number of drives  
supported per controller, the maximum number of drives per controller,  
and the maximum number of virtual drives allowed per controller.  
Table 1.1 lists the array limitations for the 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers.  
Table 1.1  
SAS RAID Controller Array Limitations  
Specification  
Maximum virtual  
drives per controller  
16  
8
16  
8
64  
16  
16  
32  
64  
16  
16  
32  
64  
16  
16  
32  
64  
16  
16  
32  
64  
16  
16  
32  
Maximum drive groups  
per controller  
Maximum virtual  
drives per drive group  
16  
16  
16  
16  
Maximum drives per  
drive group  
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Table 1.1  
SAS RAID Controller Array Limitations  
Specification  
Maximum drives per  
controller  
16*  
8
16*  
8
32  
32  
8
32  
32  
8
32  
32  
8
240  
240  
8
240  
240  
8
Maximum hot spares  
per controller  
Maximum spans per  
virtual drive  
8
8
Maximum enclosures  
per port**  
2
2
2
2
2
10  
2
10  
2
Number of ports  
1
2
1
2
2
* - Can support up to 64 devices, but only 16 can be used in a RAID  
configuration.  
** - Assumes one Storage Enclosure Processor (SEP) per enclosure.  
The maximum numbers in Table 1.1 depend on how many physical  
devices you have connected to the RAID controller. For example, the  
maximum number of drive groups is equal to the number of drives  
supported by the controller. Thus, for the SAS 9240-4i RAID controller,  
the maximum number of drive groups per controller is eight, which is  
based on the maximum number of physical devices that can be  
connected. In addition, the maximum number of hot spares per controller  
is equal to the maximum number of drives per controller.  
Although you can have up to 16 virtual drives per drive group and up to  
16 drive groups per controller (depending on the controller), there is a  
limit of 64 virtual drives per controller.  
These RAID controllers support 64-bit logical block addressing (LBA),  
which makes it possible to connect a large number of drives to the RAID  
controller, directly and through expanders. However, the actual number  
of drives that you can attach depends on the limits listed in Table 1.1  
rather than by actual RAID volume capacity.  
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1.6.3 SATA II Features  
The following list describes the SATA II features of the RAID controllers:  
Supports SATA II data transfers of 3Gb/s  
Supports STP data transfers of 3Gb/s  
Provides a serial, point-to-point storage interface  
Simplifies cabling between devices  
Eliminates the master-slave construction used in parallel ATA  
Allows addressing of multiple SATA II targets through an expander  
Allows multiple initiators to address a single target (in a fail-over  
configuration) through an expander  
1.6.4 PCI Express Performance  
The following list describes the PCI Express performance features of the  
RAID controllers:  
Provides a PCI Express interface that:  
Supports a dedicated PCI Express bus  
Supports x8 lane configuration  
Supports transfer rates of up to 5Gb/s per lane  
Complies with the PCI Express Specification, Revision 2.0  
Provides unequaled performance through the Fusion-MPT  
architecture  
Provides high throughput and low CPU utilization to offload the host  
processor  
1.6.5 Usability Features  
The following list describes the usability features of the RAID controllers:  
Simplifies cabling with point-to-point, serial architecture  
Supports smaller, thinner cables that do not restrict airflow  
Provides drive spin-up sequencing control  
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Provides one LED signal for each PHY to indicate link activity (this  
is a fault LED only for controllers with internal port connectors)  
Note:  
The SAS 9280-8e RAID controller and the SAS 9280DE-8e  
RAID controller do not have any LEDs to indicate link  
activity.  
2
Provides an I C interface for enclosure management  
Supports the internal SAS Sideband signal SFF-8485 (SGPIO)  
interface  
1.6.6 Flexibility Features  
These features increase the flexibility of the RAID controllers:  
Supports a Flash ROM interface, a nonvolatile static RAM  
(NVSRAM) interface, and a pipelined synchronous burst SRAM  
(PSBRAM) interface  
Offers a flexible programming interface to tune I/O performance  
Allows mixed connections to SAS targets or SATA II targets  
Leverages compatible connectors for SAS connections and SATA II  
connections  
Allows grouping of up to four PHYs in a single quad port to form a  
wide port  
Allows programming of the World Wide Name  
1.6.7 Drive Roaming  
Drive roaming occurs when the drives are changed to different ports on  
the same controller. When the drives are placed on different channels,  
the controller detects the RAID configuration from the configuration data  
on the drives.  
Configuration data is saved in both the NVRAM on the RAID controller  
and on the drives attached to the controller. This action maintains the  
integrity of the data on each drive, even if the drives have changed their  
physical device ID.  
Note:  
If you move a drive that is being rebuilt, the rebuild  
operation will restart, not resume.  
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Follow these steps to use drive roaming:  
Step 1. Turn off power to the server and all drives, enclosures, and  
system components. Disconnect the power cords from  
the system.  
Step 2. Open the host system by following the instructions in the host  
system technical documentation.  
Step 3. Move the drives to different positions on the backplane to  
change the targets.  
Step 4. Determine the SAS target requirements.  
Step 5. Perform a safety check.  
a. Make sure that the drives are inserted correctly.  
b. Close the cabinet of the host system.  
Step 6. Reconnect the power cords to the system.  
Step 7. Turn on the power to the system.  
The controller then detects the RAID configuration from the  
configuration data on the drives.  
1.6.8 Drive Migration  
Drive migration is the transfer of a set of drives in an existing  
configuration from one controller to another. The drives must remain on  
the same channel and must be reinstalled in the same order as in the  
original configuration. The controller to which you migrate the drives  
cannot have an existing configuration.  
Note:  
Partial configurations, including individual virtual drives, can  
be migrated.  
Note:  
Drive roaming and drive migration cannot be supported at  
the same time.  
Follow these steps to migrate drives:  
Step 1. Make sure that you clear the configuration on the system to  
which you migrate the drives, to prevent a configuration data  
mismatch between the drives and the NVRAM.  
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Note:  
When you migrate drives, move only the drives that make  
up the virtual drive (not all of the drives in an array), so you  
do not see an NVRAM mismatch error (providing a  
configuration is on the destination controller). The NVRAM  
mismatch error appears only if you move all of the drives  
to the other controller.  
Step 2. Turn off power to the server and all drives, enclosures, and  
system components. Disconnect the power cords from  
the systems.  
Step 3. Open the host system by following the instructions in the host  
system technical documentation.  
Step 4. Either remove the SAS cable connectors from the internal  
drives, or remove the shielded cables from the external drives  
that you want to migrate.  
a. Make sure that pin 1 on the cable matches pin 1 on the  
connector.  
b. Make sure that the SAS cables conform to all SAS  
specifications.  
Step 5. Remove the drives from the first system, and insert them into  
drive bays on the second system.  
Step 6. Connect the SAS cables to the drives in the second system.  
Step 7. Determine the SAS target requirements.  
Step 8. Perform a safety check.  
a. Make sure that all of the cables are attached correctly.  
b. Make sure that the RAID controller is installed correctly.  
c. Close the cabinet of the host system.  
Step 9. Reconnect the power cords to the system.  
Step 10. Turn on the power to the system.  
The controller detects the RAID configuration from the  
configuration data on the drives.  
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1.7 Hardware Specifications  
You can install the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers in a computer  
with a motherboard that has a PCI Express slot. Table 1.2 describes the  
hardware configuration features for the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID  
controllers.  
Table 1.2  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Features  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i, SAS 9240-8i, SAS 9260-4i,  
SAS 9260-8i, SAS 9260-8e, SAS 9260DE-8i, SAS  
9280-4i/4e, SAS 9280-8e, and SAS 9280DE-8e RAID  
Controllers  
Specification  
RAID levels  
0, 1, 5, 6, 00, 10, 50, 60  
Devices supported  
per port  
Up to 15 SAS devices or SATA II devices (such as  
drives and expanders)  
Number of ports  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i RAID controller – Four ports  
through one SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i RAID controller – Eight  
ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-4i RAID controller – Four ports  
through one SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i RAID controller – Eight  
ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9260DE-8i RAID controller – Eight  
ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9261-8i RAID controller – Eight  
ports through two SFF-8087 mini-SAS 4i connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID controller – Four  
ports through one SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connector and four ports through one SFF-8088 x4  
external mini SAS connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e RAID controller – Eight  
ports through two SFF-8088 x4 external mini SAS  
connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9280DE-8e RAID controller – Eight  
ports through two SFF-8088 x4 external mini SAS  
connectors  
Data transfer rate  
Bus  
Up to 6Gb/s per PHY  
PCI Express 2.0  
Hardware Specifications  
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Table 1.2  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Features (Cont.)  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i, SAS 9240-8i, SAS 9260-4i,  
SAS 9260-8i, SAS 9260-8e, SAS 9260DE-8i, SAS  
9280-4i/4e, SAS 9280-8e, and SAS 9280DE-8e RAID  
Controllers  
Specification  
Cache function  
Write-back, write-through, adaptive read ahead,  
non-read ahead, read ahead, cache I/O, direct I/O  
Multiple virtual drives Up to 64 (this value is dependent on the firmware)  
per controller  
Online capacity  
expansion  
Yes  
Dedicated and global Yes  
hot spares  
Hot-swap devices  
supported  
Yes  
Non-drive devices  
supported  
Yes  
Mixed capacity drives Yes  
supported  
Number of external  
connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID controller – One  
SFF-8088 x4 external mini SAS connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e RAID controller – Two SFF-  
8088 x4 external mini SAS connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9280DE-8e RAID controller – Two  
SFF-8088 x4 external mini SAS connectors  
Number of internal  
connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i RAID controller – One  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i RAID controller – Two  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-4i RAID controller – One  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i RAID controller – Two  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9260DE-8i RAID controller – Two  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9261-8i RAID controller – Two  
SFF-8087 mini-SAS 4i connectors  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID controller – One  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector  
Hardware exclusive  
Yes  
OR (XOR) assistance  
Direct I/O  
Yes  
Architecture  
Fusion-MPT  
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1.8 Technical Support  
For assistance installing, configuring, or running your MegaRAID 6Gb/s  
SAS RAID controller, contact LSI Technical Support. Click the following  
link to access the LSI Technical Support page for storage and board  
support:  
From this page, you can send an email or call Technical Support, or  
submit a new service request and view its status.  
Note:  
Record your controller serial number in a safe location in  
case you need to contact LSI about your RAID controller.  
E-mail:  
Phone Support:  
Note:  
The international toll-free number does not require country-  
specific access codes.  
Technical Support  
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Chapter 2  
MegaRAID SAS  
Hardware Installation  
This chapter describes the procedures you can follow to install the  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s Serial Attached SCSI/Serial ATA II controllers with  
internal and external connectors. It consists of the following sections:  
2.1 Requirements  
The following items are required to install a MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID  
controller:  
A MegaRAID SAS 92xx RAID controller  
A host system with an available x8 PCI Express 2.0 slot  
Note:  
These controllers also work in PCI Express first generation  
slots. The PCI Express software is backward compatible  
with previous revisions of the PCI bus and the PCI-X bus.  
The MegaRAID Universal Software Suite CD, which contains the  
drivers and documentation  
The necessary internal cables, external cables, or both  
SAS drives or SATA II drives  
Note:  
LSI strongly recommends using an uninterruptible power  
supply.  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controllers User’s Guide  
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2.2 Quick Installation  
The following steps are for quick installation of your MegaRAID 6Gb/s  
SAS RAID controller. These steps are for experienced computer users  
or installers. Section 2.3, “Detailed Installation,contains the steps for all  
others to follow.  
Step 1. Turn off the power to the system, all drives, enclosures, and  
system components, and disconnect the PC power cord.  
Step 2. Open the cabinet of the host system by following the  
instructions in the host system technical documentation.  
Step 3. Check the jumper settings to make sure that they are in the  
desired position. The jumpers are set at the factory and you  
usually do not need to change them.  
Note:  
Characteristics” for detailed information about the jumpers  
and the connectors.  
Step 4. Install the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controller in the server,  
and connect SAS devices or SATA II devices to it. Make sure  
that the cables you use conform to all specifications.  
Step 5. Perform a safety check.  
a. Make sure that all cables are attached correctly.  
b. Make sure that the RAID controller is installed correctly.  
c. Close the cabinet of the host system  
Step 6. Reconnect the power cords to the system.  
Step 7. Turn on the power to the system.  
Make sure that the power is turned on to any external drives,  
before the power is turned on to the host computer. If the  
computer is powered up before these devices, the devices  
might not be recognized.  
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2.3 Detailed Installation  
This section provides detailed instructions for installing your MegaRAID  
6Gb/s SAS RAID controller.  
Step 1. Unpack the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controller  
Unpack and remove your RAID controller. Inspect it for  
damage. If it appears damaged, or if any of the following items  
are missing, contact your LSI support representative. The RAID  
controller is shipped with the following items:  
A CD containing MegaRAID drivers for supported  
operating systems, an electronic version of this  
User’s Guide, and other related documentation  
A license agreement  
Warranty information  
Step 2. Turn off the Power to the System  
Turn off the power to the computer, and disconnect the AC  
power cord. Remove the computer cover. Refer to the system  
documentation for instructions. Before you install the controller,  
make sure that the computer is disconnected from the power  
and from any networks.  
Step 3. Review the RAID Controller Jumpers and Connectors  
The jumpers are set at the factory, and you usually do not need  
Controller Characteristics” for diagrams of the MegaRAID  
6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers with their jumpers and connectors.  
Step 4. Install the RAID Controller  
Select a PCI Express slot, and align the controller’s PCI  
Express bus connector to the slot. Press down gently, but firmly,  
to make sure that the card is seated correctly in the slot. Secure  
the bracket to the computer chassis with the bracket screw.  
Figure 2.1 shows the installation of the MegaRAID SAS  
9260-8i RAID controller in a PCI Express slot.  
Detailed Installation  
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Note:  
Some PCI-E slots support PCI-E graphics cards only; if a  
RAID controller is installed on those PCI-E slots, it will not  
function.  
Figure 2.1 Example of the MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i Board  
Installation in a PCI Express Slot  
Bracket Screw  
Press here  
Press here  
85039-05  
32-bit slots  
(3.3 V)  
PCI-e  
slot  
Edge of  
Motherboard  
64-bit slots  
(3.3 V)  
Step 5. Configure and Install the SAS Devices, SATA II Devices, or  
Both in the Host Computer Case  
Refer to the documentation for the devices for any  
preinstallation configuration requirements.  
Step 6. Connect the RAID Controller to the Devices  
Use SAS cables to connect SAS devices, SATA II devices, or  
both to the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controller.  
cable and connector information. See Section 2.5.1,  
Drives,for information about connecting the controller to drives.  
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The maximum cable length is 10 meters (393.37 in.). You can  
connect one device per SAS PHY unless you use an expander.  
System throughput problems can occur if the SAS cables are  
not the correct type. To minimize the potential for problems, use  
the following guidelines:  
a. Use cables no longer than 10 meters (393.37 in.) (LSI  
recommends using shorter cables, if possible.)  
b. Use cables that meet the SAS specification.  
c. Route the SAS cables carefully.  
Step 7. Turn on the Power to the System  
Reinstall the computer cover, and reconnect the AC power  
cords. Turn power on to the host computer. Make sure that the  
power is turned on to the SAS devices, SATA II devices, or both  
before or at the same time that the power is turned on to the  
host computer. If the computer is powered up before these  
devices, the devices might not be recognized.  
During boot, a BIOS message appears. The firmware takes  
several seconds to initialize. The configuration utility prompt  
times out after several seconds. The second portion of the  
BIOS message shows the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID  
controller number, firmware version, and cache SDRAM size.  
The numbering of the controllers follows the PCI slot scanning  
order used by the host motherboard.  
Step 8. Run the WebBIOS Configuration Utility  
Run the WebBIOS Configuration Utility to configure the drive  
groups and the virtual drives. When the message Press  
CTRL+H for WebBIOS appears on the screen, immediately  
press CTRL+H to run the utility.  
Step 9. Install the Operating System Driver  
The SAS RAID controllers can operate under various operating  
systems. To operate under these operating systems, you must  
install the software drivers. The MegaRAID Universal Software  
Suite CD includes software drivers for the supported operating  
systems, along with documentation. You can view the  
supported operating systems and download the latest drivers  
Detailed Installation  
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for RAID controllers on the LSI website at:  
For information about installing the driver, refer to the  
MegaRAID SAS Device Driver Installation User’s Guide on the  
MegaRAID Universal Software Suite CD. Be sure to use the  
latest service packs provided by the operating system  
manufacturer and to review the readme file that accompanies  
the driver.  
2.4 After Installing the RAID Controller  
After you install the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controller, you must  
configure the controller and install the operating system driver. The  
MegaRAID SAS Software User’s Guide instructs you on the configuration  
options and how to set them on your MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID  
controller. The MegaRAID SAS Device Driver Installation User’s Guide  
provides detailed installation instructions for operating system drivers.  
2.5 SAS Device Cables and Connectors  
This section describes the cables and the connectors used on the SAS  
controllers and provides step-by-step instructions for connecting SAS  
drives, SATA II drives, or both to the SAS RAID controller. The SAS and  
SATA II protocols use a thin, 7-wire connector instead of the 68-wire  
SCSI cable or 40-wire ATA cable.  
Note:  
Use only straight SAS cables, not crossover SAS cables.  
Figure 2.2 shows the SAS cable that connects the internal connectors on  
a SAS RAID controller to SAS drives, SATA II drives, or both.  
2-6  
MegaRAID SAS Hardware Installation  
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Figure 2.2 Internal SAS Cable for Connection to SAS Drives,  
SATA II Drives, or Both  
HDD  
Connector  
Power  
Connector  
85039-06  
Figure 2.3 shows the SATA II device plug connector that connects a SAS  
RAID controller with internal connectors to the host receptable connector  
on a backplane. A SATA II connector consists of a signal connector and  
a power connector.  
SAS Device Cables and Connectors  
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Figure 2.3 SATA II Connectors  
Device Plug  
Connector  
Serial ATA  
Signal Connector  
(pin 1)  
Serial ATA  
Power Connector  
(pin 1)  
Host Receptacle  
Connector  
Figure 2.4 shows SAS connectors and SATA II connectors on SAS drives  
and SATA II drives, respectively. Cables connect internal connectors on  
the RAID controllers to connectors on SAS drives, SATA II drives, or  
both. Both SAS drives and SATA II drives can connect to SAS backplane  
receptable connectors. The difference between the SAS connector and  
the SATA II connector is the bridge between the SAS primary physical  
link and the power connector on the SAS controller, which the SATA II  
connector does not have.  
Note:  
SAS backplane connectors accept SAS drives or SATA II  
drives, but SATA II backplane connectors cannot accept  
SAS drives.  
2-8  
MegaRAID SAS Hardware Installation  
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Figure 2.4 SAS Plugs and SATA II Plugs and SAS Backplane  
Receptacle Connector  
SAS Primary  
Physical Link  
Serial Attached SCSI  
Power  
SAS Backplane  
Receptacle Connector  
SAS Secondary  
Physical Link  
Power  
Serial ATA  
SAS Secondary  
Physical Link  
Power  
SATA II/SAS  
Primary  
Physical Link  
SATA II  
Physical Link  
Note: SATA II backplane connectors  
do not accept SAS drives.  
The following subsections provide step-by-step instructions for  
connecting the SAS RAID controllers to SAS drives and SATA II drives,  
either directly or through an expander.  
2.5.1 Connecting a SAS RAID Controller with Internal Connectors to  
Drives  
This section provides step-by-step instructions for connecting the SAS  
cable from the internal connectors on the RAID controller to SAS drives  
and SATA II drives.  
Follow these steps to connect your RAID controller with internal SAS port  
connectors directly to SAS drives, SATA II drives, or both.  
Note:  
The SAS 9260-8i RAID controller is shown as an example.  
You can connect other SAS controllers with internal SAS  
port connectors in the same way.  
Step 1. Insert the SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector on the  
cable into a SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector on the  
SAS 9260-8i RAID controller, as shown in Figure 2.5.  
SAS Device Cables and Connectors  
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Step 2. Plug the HDD connector on the other end of the internal cable  
into the connector on the SAS drive or the SATA II drive.  
Step 3. If you have another drive, connect it to another plug on the  
internal cable.  
You can connect other devices if the cable has more  
connectors.  
Figure 2.5 Connecting the SAS 9260-8i RAID Controller to a Drive  
HDD  
Connector  
Power  
Connector  
85039-06  
2.5.2 Connecting the SAS RAID Controller with External Connectors to  
a Drive Enclosure  
This section provides step-by-step instructions for connecting a SAS  
RAID controller with external SAS port connectors to a drive enclosure  
containing SAS drives, SATA II drives, or a combination of both drive  
types.  
2-10  
MegaRAID SAS Hardware Installation  
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Follow these steps to connect the cable from your controller to a drive  
enclosure.  
Note:  
The SAS 9280-8e RAID controller is shown as an example.  
You can connect other SAS controllers with external SAS  
port connectors in the same way.  
Step 1. Connect the connector on one end of the cable to external port  
J1A4 or J1B1 on the SAS 9280-8e RAID controller, as shown  
in Figure 2.6.  
Step 2. Connect the other end of the cable to the external port on the  
drive enclosure.  
Figure 2.6 Connecting the SAS 9280-8e RAID Controller to a Drive  
Enclosure  
To Drive Enclosure  
iBBU (Top View)  
Mini SAS x4  
Cable Plug  
Connector  
LS00  
Caution:  
R
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spose  
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es valent  
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ended  
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ectly  
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placed.  
anufacturer  
r'  
m
nstructi  
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85040-10  
ons.  
.
e1  
Pb  
SAS Device Cables and Connectors  
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2-12  
MegaRAID SAS Hardware Installation  
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Chapter 3  
MegaRAID SAS RAID  
Controller Characteristics  
This chapter describes the characteristics of the LSI MegaRAID Serial  
Attached SCSI/Serial ATA II 6Gb/s RAID controllers. It consists of the  
following sections:  
3.1 MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Family  
The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers are dual PHY, SAS  
PCI Express RAID controllers and are used in a system with a  
PCI Express slot. PCI Express goes beyond the PCI specification in that  
it is intended as a unifying I/O architecture for various systems: desktops,  
workstations, mobile, server, communications, and embedded devices.  
The following subsection provides graphics and connector information for  
the 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers.  
3.1.1 MegaRAID SAS 9240 RAID Controllers  
The MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls four internal SAS/SATA ports through one SFF-8087 x4 internal  
mini SAS connector.  
The MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls eight internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal  
mini SAS connectors.  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controllers User’s Guide  
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Note:  
The SAS 9240-4i RAID controller does not contain the J5  
connector, which supports ports 4–7. The SAS 9240-8i  
RAID controller contains the J5 connector.  
This subsection provides the board layout and connector and jumper  
information for the RAID controller. Figure 3.2 shows the jumpers and  
connectors on the SAS 9240-8i RAID controller.  
Figure 3.1 Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i RAID  
Controller  
J2  
J3  
J5  
J4  
85043-00  
J6  
Table 3.2 describes the jumpers and connectors on the SAS 9240-4i and  
9240-8i RAID controllers.  
3-2  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
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Table 3.1  
SAS 9240-4i/SAS 9240-8i RAID Controller – Jumpers  
and Connectors  
Jumper Type  
Description  
J1  
J2  
J3  
RISCwatch header  
16-pin header  
Reserved for LSI use.  
CPLD header  
10-pin header  
Reserved for LSI use.  
4-pin connector  
External LED drive  
activity/fault header  
Connects to external, green or red LEDs  
that indicate drive activity or faults.  
J4  
J5  
x4 SAS Ports 0–3  
x4 SAS Ports 4–7  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector  
Connects the cables from the controller to  
SAS drives or SATA II drives, or a SAS  
expander.  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector  
Connects the cables from the controller to  
SAS drives or SATA II drives, or a SAS  
expander.  
Note: The SAS 9240-4i RAID controller  
does not have the J5 connector.  
J6  
PCI Express x8 board  
edge connector  
x8 interface that provides connections on  
both the top and the bottom of the board.  
TP1  
Universal Asynchronous 4-pin connector  
Receiver/Transmitter  
(UART) debugging  
Reserved for LSI use.  
U2  
MegaRAID RAID Key  
connector  
2-pin connector  
To create a RAID 5 configuration, you have  
to plug a 1-wire key into this connector.  
3.1.2 MegaRAID SAS 9260 RAID Controllers  
The MegaRAID SAS 9260-4i low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls four internal SAS/SATA ports through one SFF-8087 x4 internal  
mini SAS connector.  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Family  
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The MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls eight internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal  
mini SAS connectors.  
The MegaRAID SAS 9260DE-8i low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls eight internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8087 x4 internal  
mini SAS connectors and offers data security using disk encryption.  
Note:  
The SAS 9260-4i RAID controller does not contain the JT7  
connector, which supports ports 4–7. The SAS 9260DE-8i  
has the same connectors as the SAS 9260-8i.  
This subsection provides the board layout, and connector and jumper  
information for the RAID controller. Figure 3.2 shows the jumpers and  
connectors on the SAS 9260-8i RAID controller.  
Figure 3.2 Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i RAID  
Controller  
JT2  
JT1  
JT4  
JT3  
JT10  
JT9  
JT7  
JT6  
JT12  
JT13  
Port  
7-4  
Port  
3-0  
JT11  
JT8  
85039-04  
Note:  
JT1, JT2, and JT4 are behind the LSIiBBU07 when the  
iBBU is installed, but they are still accessible.  
Table 3.2 describes the jumpers and connectors on the SAS 9260-8i and  
9260DE-8i RAID controllers.  
3-4  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
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Table 3.2  
SAS 9260-8i/SAS 9260DE-8i RAID Controller – Jumpers  
and Connectors  
Jumper Type  
Description  
JT1  
2-pin connector  
Write-pending Indicator  
(dirty cache) LED  
connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates when the  
data in the cache has yet to be written to the  
storage devices. Used when the write-back  
feature is enabled.  
JT2  
JT3  
JT4  
SAS Activity LED header 2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates drive  
activity.  
Battery Backup Unit  
connector  
20-pin connector  
Connects the intelligent Battery Backup Unit  
LSIiBBU07 remotely to the RAID controller.  
Global Drive Fault LED  
header  
2-pin connector  
Connects to a single LED to indicate  
whether any drive is in a fault condition.  
JT6  
JT7  
x4 SAS Ports 3–0  
x4 SAS Ports 7–4  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector  
Connects the cables from the RAID  
controller to SAS drives, SATA II drives, or a  
SAS expander.  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connector  
Note: The SAS 9260-4i  
RAID controller  
Connects the cables from the RAID  
controller to SAS drives, SATA II drives, or a  
does not have this SAS expander.  
connector.  
JT8  
Modular RAID Key  
header  
2-pin connector  
Reserved for LSI use.  
2-pin connector  
JT9  
Set Factory Defaults  
connector  
Reserved for LSI use.  
2-pin connector  
JT10  
LSI Test header  
Reserved for LSI use.  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Family  
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Jumper Type  
Description  
JT11  
IPMI-style SMBus  
3-pin shielded header  
(System Manage-  
2
ment)/I C header  
Provides enclosure management support.  
JT12  
Individual Drive Fault LED 16-pin connector  
header for Eight Phys (0-  
7)  
Indicates drive faults. There is one LED per  
port. When lit, each LED indicates the  
corresponding drive has failed or is in the  
Unconfigured-Bad state. Refer to the  
MegaRAID SAS Software User’s Guide for  
more information about drive states.  
The LEDs function in a direct-attach  
configuration (there are no SAS expanders).  
Direct attach is defined as a maximum of  
one drive connected directly to each port.  
Note: This header is used for RAID  
controllers with internal SAS ports  
only.  
JT13  
Universal Asynchronous 4-pin connector  
Receiver/Transmitter  
(UART) debugging  
Reserved for LSI use.  
3.1.3 MegaRAID SAS 9261 RAID Controller  
The MegaRAID SAS 9261-8i low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls eight internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8087 mini-SAS  
4i connectors.  
This subsection provides the board layout, and connector and jumper  
information for the RAID controller. Figure 3.3 shows the jumpers and  
connectors on the SAS 9261-8i RAID controller.  
3-6  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
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Figure 3.3 Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9261-8i RAID  
Controller  
Table 3.3 describes the jumpers and connectors on the SAS 9261-8i  
RAID controller.  
Table 3.3  
SAS 9261-8i RAID Controller – Jumpers and  
Connectors  
s
Jumper Type  
Description  
J4L1  
Remote Battery Backup 20-pin connector  
Unit connector (on the  
backside of the controller) Connects the LSIiBBU07 intelligent Battery  
Backup Unit remotely to the RAID controller.  
JT3B1 Battery Backup Unit  
connector  
20-pin connector  
Connects the LSIiBBU07 intelligent Battery  
Backup Unit directly to the RAID controller.  
JT5A1 x4 SAS Ports 0–3  
Mini-SAS 4i connector  
Connects the cables from the RAID  
controller to SAS drives or SATA II drives, or  
a SAS expander.  
JT5B1 x4 SAS Ports 4–7  
Mini-SAS 4i connector  
Connects the cables from the RAID  
controller to SAS drives or SATA II drives, or  
a SAS expander.  
JT5B2 Universal Asynchronous 4-pin connector  
Receiver/Transmitter  
(UART) debugging  
Reserved for LSI use.  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Family  
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Jumper Type  
Description  
JT5B3 Set Factory Defaults  
connector  
2-pin connector  
Reserved for LSI use.  
2-pin connector  
JT6B1 Test header  
Reserved for LSI use.  
2-pin connector  
JT6B2 Global Drive Fault LED  
header  
Connects to an LED that indicates whether  
a drive is in a fault condition.  
JT6B3 SAS Activity LED header 2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates drive  
activity.  
3.1.4 MegaRAID SAS 9280 RAID Controllers  
The MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls four internal SAS/SATA ports through one SFF-8087 x4 internal  
mini SAS connector and four external SAS/SATA ports through one  
SFF-8087 x4 external mini SAS connector.  
The MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls eight external SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8088 x4  
external mini SAS connectors.  
The MegaRAID SAS 9280DE-8e low-profile SAS/SATA II RAID controller  
controls eight external SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8088 x4  
external mini SAS connectors and offers data security using disk  
encryption.  
This section provides the board layout and connector information for the  
SAS 9280 controllers.  
Figure 3.4 shows the jumpers and connectors on the SAS 9280DE-8e  
and SAS 9280-8e controllers.  
Note:  
The SAS 9280DE-8e has the same connectors as the SAS  
9280-8e.  
3-8  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
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Figure 3.4 Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e RAID  
Controller  
J6A2  
J6A1 J6A3  
J1A1  
J1A2 J1A3  
J1A4  
Port  
4-7  
J6B1  
J1B1  
Port  
0-3  
J6B2  
85040-00  
Note:  
Connectors J6A1, J6A2, and J6A3 are behind the  
LSIiBBU07 when the iBBU is installed, but they are still  
accessible.  
Table 3.4 describes the jumpers and connectors on the SAS 9280-8e  
RAID controller.  
Table 3.4  
SAS 9280-8e and SAS 9280DE-8e RAID Controllers –  
Connectors  
Connector Description  
Comments  
J1A1  
J1A2  
J1A3  
J1A4  
Universal Asynchronous 4-pin connector  
Receiver/Transmitter  
(UART) debugging  
Reserved for LSI use.  
Test header  
2-pin connector  
Reserved for LSI use.  
2-pin connector  
Set Factory Defaults  
connector  
Reserved for LSI use.  
x4 SAS Ports 4–7  
SFF-8088 x4 external mini SAS  
connector  
Connects the cables from the controller  
to SAS drives or SATA II drives, or a SAS  
expander.  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Family  
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Table 3.4  
SAS 9280-8e and SAS 9280DE-8e RAID Controllers –  
Connectors (Cont.)  
Connector Description  
Comments  
J1B1  
x4 SAS Ports 0–3  
SFF-8088 x4 external mini SAS  
connector  
Connects the cables from the controller  
to SAS drives or SATA II drives, or a SAS  
expander.  
J6A1  
J6A2  
J6A3  
Global Drive Fault LED  
header  
2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates  
whether a drive is in a fault condition.  
SAS Activity LED header 2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates drive  
activity.  
Write-pending Indicator  
(dirty cache) LED  
connector  
2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates when  
the data in the cache has yet to be  
written to the storage devices. Used  
when the write-back feature is enabled.  
J6B1  
J6B2  
Remote Battery Backup 20-pin connector  
Unit connector  
Connects the intelligent Battery Backup  
Unit, LSIiBBU07, remotely to the RAID  
controller.  
Battery Backup Unit  
connector  
20-pin connector  
Connects the intelligent Battery Backup  
Unit, LSIiBBU07, directly to the RAID  
controller.  
Figure 3.5 shows the jumpers and connectors on the SAS 9280-4i/4e  
controller.  
3-10  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
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Figure 3.5 Card Layout for the MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID  
Controller  
J6A2  
J6A1  
J6A3  
J1A4  
J1A1  
J2B2  
Port  
3-0  
J1A2  
J1A3  
J1A5  
J6B1  
Port  
7-4  
J1B1  
J6B2  
85062-00  
Note:  
Connectors J6A1, J6A2, and J6A3 are behind the  
LSIiBBU07 when the iBBU is installed, but they are still  
accessible.  
Table 3.4 describes the jumpers and connectors on the SAS 9280-4i/4  
RAID controller.  
Table 3.5  
SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID Controller – Connectors  
Comments  
Connector Description  
J1A1  
J1A2  
J1A3  
J1A4  
Universal Asynchronous 4-pin connector  
Receiver/Transmitter  
(UART) debugging  
Reserved for LSI use.  
LSI Test header  
2-pin connector  
Reserved for LSI use.  
2-pin connector  
Set Factory Defaults  
connector  
Reserved for LSI use.  
3-pin connector.  
IPMI-style I2C  
connector  
Supports SES (SCSI Enclosure  
Services) over I C over internal I C  
backplane cable  
2
2
J1A5  
Modular RAID Key  
header  
2-pin shielded header  
Enables support for RAID 5  
configurations and self-encrypting disks  
(SED).  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Family  
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Table 3.5  
SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID Controller – Connectors (Cont.)  
Connector Description  
Comments  
J1B1  
J2B1  
x4 SAS Ports 7–4  
SFF-8088 x4 external mini SAS  
connector  
Connects the controller by cable to SAS  
drives or SATA II drives, or a SAS  
expander.  
Standard edge card  
connector  
The RAID controller interfaces with the  
host system though a standard edge  
card x8 PCI-Express 2.0 bus connection  
as defined in the PCI-Express  
specification. This interface provides  
2
power to the board and to an I C  
2
interface connected to I C bus one for  
IPMI.  
J2B2  
x4 SAS Ports 3-0  
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS  
connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates  
whether a drive is in a fault condition.  
J6A1  
J6A2  
Global Drive Fault  
LED header  
2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates  
whether a drive is in a fault condition.  
SAS Activity LED  
header  
2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates  
drive activity.  
3-12  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
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Table 3.5  
SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID Controller – Connectors (Cont.)  
Connector Description  
Comments  
J6A3  
Write-pending Indicator  
(dirty cache) LED  
connector  
2-pin connector  
Connects to an LED that indicates when  
the data in the cache has yet to be  
written to the storage devices. Used  
when the write-back feature is enabled.  
J6B1  
J6B2  
Remote Battery Backup 20-pin connector  
Unit connector  
Connects the LSIiBBU07 intelligent  
Battery Backup Unit remotely to the  
RAID controller.  
Battery Backup Unit  
connector  
20-pin connector  
Connects the LSIiBBU07 intelligent  
Battery Backup Unit remotely to the  
RAID controller.  
Note:  
Connectors J6A1, J6A2, and J6A3 are behind the  
LSIiBBU07 when the iBBU is installed, but they are still  
accessible.  
3.2 MegaRAID SAS 6Gb/s RAID Controller Characteristics  
Table 3.6 shows the general characteristics for all MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS  
RAID controllers.  
Table 3.6  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
Flash Serial  
SCSI  
1
2
ROM EEPROM  
Data Transfer Rates  
SCSI Features Termination  
Yes  
Yes  
Up to 6Gb/s per port for Plug and Play  
SAS and up to 3Gb/s per Scatter/Gather  
Active  
port for SATA II  
Activity LED  
1.  
2.  
For boot code and firmware.  
For BIOS configuration storage.  
Each MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controller ensures data integrity by  
intelligently validating the compatibility of the SAS domain.  
MegaRAID SAS 6Gb/s RAID Controller Characteristics  
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The MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers use Fusion-MPT  
architecture, which allows for thinner drivers and better performance.  
3.3 Technical Specifications  
The design and implementation of the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID  
controllers minimize electromagnetic emissions, susceptibility to radio  
frequency energy, and the effects of electrostatic discharge. The  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers show the following marks and  
certifications:  
CE mark  
C-Tick mark  
FCC Self-Certification logo  
Canadian Compliance Statement  
Korean MIC  
Taiwan BSMI  
Japan VCCI  
CISPR Class B  
The following hardware is compliant with CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1,  
UL 60950-1 First Edition-listed accessory, UL file number E257743:  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-4i RAID controller (model 25083)  
MegaRAID SAS 9240-8i RAID controller (model 25091)  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-4i RAID controller (model 25121-45A)  
MegaRAID SAS 9260-8i RAID controller (model 25121-44)  
MegaRAID SAS 9260DE-8i RAID controller (model 25121)  
MegaRAID SAS 9261-8i RAID controller (model ??)  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID controller (model 25305)  
MegaRAID SAS 9280-8e RAID controller (model 25152)  
MegaRAID SAS 9280DE-8e RAID controller (model 25152)  
LSI intelligent battery backup unit (model 25034)  
3-14  
MegaRAID SAS RAID Controller Characteristics  
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3.3.1 RAID Controller Specifications  
Table 3.7 lists the specifications for the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID  
controllers.  
Table 3.7  
RAID Controller Specifications  
MegaRAID SAS 9240, SAS 9260, SAS 9261, and SAS  
9280 RAID Controllers  
Specification  
Processor  
SAS 9240 - LSISAS2008 PCI Express-SAS/SATA I/O  
(PCI Express host Processor chip  
controller to PCI  
secondary I/O  
controller)  
SAS 9260 and SAS 9280 - LSISAS2108 ROC device with  
Integrated PowerPC processor  
Part number  
SAS 9240-4i RAID controller: 25083  
SAS 9240-8i RAID controller: 25091  
SAS 9260-4i RAID controller: 25121  
SAS 9260-8i RAID controller: 25121  
SAS 9260DE-8i RAID controller: 25121  
SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID controller: 25305  
SAS 9280-8e RAID controller: 25152  
SAS 9280DE-8e RAID controller: 25152  
LSIiBBU07 intelligent Battery Backup Unit: 25034  
Operating voltage  
Card size  
+3.3 V, +12 V  
SAS 9240-4i RAID controller: Low-profile PCI Express  
adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
SAS 9240-8i RAID controller: Low-profile PCI Express  
adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
SAS 9260-4i RAID controller: Low-profile PCI Express  
adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
SAS 9260-8i RAID controller: Low-profile PCI Express  
adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
SAS 9260DE-8i RAID controller: Low-profile PCI  
Express adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
SAS 9261-8i RAID controller: Low-profile PCI Express  
adapter card size (167.64 mm x 94.31 mm)  
SAS 9280-4i/4e RAID controller: Low-profile PCI  
Express adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
SAS 9280-8e RAID controller: Low-profile PCI Express  
adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
SAS 9280DE-8e RAID controller: Low-profile PCI  
Express adapter card size (167.64 mm x 68.91 mm)  
Array interface to the PCI Express Rev. 2.0  
host  
Technical Specifications  
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Table 3.7  
RAID Controller Specifications (Cont.)  
MegaRAID SAS 9240, SAS 9260, SAS 9261, and SAS  
9280 RAID Controllers  
Specification  
PCI Express bus  
data transfer rate  
Up to 5 Gb/s per lane  
x8 lane width  
Serial port  
4-pin RS232-compatible connector (for manufacturing  
use only)  
SAS controller  
LSISAS2108 Single SAS controller  
LSISAS2008 PCI Express-SAS/SATA I/O Processor  
chip  
SAS bus speed  
SAS ports  
6Gb/s  
SAS connectors with four SAS ports each  
Cache configuration The RAID controllers support the following battery-backed  
cache configuration:  
512 MB – 72b arrangement (5) 64Mx16, Double Data  
Rate II (DDR2) @ 800 MHz battery-backed module  
Size of flash ROM 8 Mbytes  
for firmware  
Nonvolatile random 32 Kbytes for storing RAID configurations  
access memory  
(NVRAM)  
3.3.2 Array Performance Features  
Table 3.8 shows the array performance features for the MegaRAID 6Gb/s  
SAS RAID controllers.  
Table 3.8  
Array Performance Features  
MegaRAID SAS 9240, SAS 9260, SAS  
9261, and SAS 9280 RAID Controllers  
Specification  
PCI Express host data transfer rate 5Gb/s per lane  
Drive data transfer rate  
6Gb/s per lane  
Maximum scatter/gather I/O  
Maximum size of I/O requests  
80 elements  
6.4 Mbytes in 64-Kbyte stripes  
3-16  
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Table 3.8  
Array Performance Features (Cont.)  
MegaRAID SAS 9240, SAS 9260, SAS  
9261, and SAS 9280 RAID Controllers  
Specification  
Maximum queue tags per drive  
Stripe sizes  
As many as the drive can accept  
8 Kbytes, 16 Kbytes, 32 Kbytes, 64 Kbytes,  
128 Kbytes, 256 Kbytes, 512 Kbytes, or  
1 Mbyte  
Maximum number of concurrent  
commands  
255  
3.3.3 Fault Tolerance  
Table 3.9 lists the fault tolerance features for the MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS  
RAID controllers.  
Table 3.9  
Fault Tolerance Features  
MegaRAID SAS 9240, SAS 9260, SAS 9261,  
and SAS 9280 RAID Controllers  
Specification  
1
Support for SMART  
Yes  
Drive failure detection  
Automatic  
Automatic  
Drive rebuild using hot spares  
Parity generation and checking Yes  
1.  
The Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) detects  
up to 70 percent of all predictable drive failures. In addition, SMART  
monitors the internal performance of all motors, heads, and drive  
electronics.  
3.3.4 Electrical Characteristics  
This subsection provides the power supply requirements for the  
MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers.  
3.3.4.1  
Power Supply Requirements for SAS 9240 RAID Controllers  
All power is supplied to the SAS 9240 RAID controllers through the PCI  
Express 3.3V rails and the 12V rail. Onboard switching regulator circuitry  
operating from the 3.3V rails and the 12V rail provide the necessary  
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voltages. The following states determine the typical current consumption  
of the controller:  
State 1: During a hard reset  
State 2: During a drive stress test  
State 3: While sitting idle at the DOS prompt  
The supply voltages are 12V 8 percent (from PCI edge connector only)  
and 3.3V 9 percent (from PCI edge connector only). Table 3.10 lists  
the power supply for the RAID controllers for each of the three states at  
the different voltages.  
Table 3.10 Power Supply for SAS 9240 RAID Controllers  
PCI Edge Connector  
State 1  
State 2  
State 3  
3.3V supply  
330mA  
1.00A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.81A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.53A  
30mA  
+12V supply  
3.3V auxiliary supply  
3.3.4.2  
Operating and Non-operating Conditionsfor the SAS 9240 RAID Controllers  
For the SAS 9240 RAID controllers, the operating (thermal and  
atmospheric) conditions are:  
Relative humidity range is 20 percent to 80 percent noncondensing.  
Airflow must be at least 200 linear feet per minute (LFPM) to avoid  
operating the LSISAS2008 processor above the maximum  
ambient temperature.  
Temperature range: +10 ° C to +60 °C.  
The parameters for the non-operating (such as storage and transit)  
environment for these controllers are:  
Relative humidity range is 5 percent to 90 percent noncondensing.  
Temperature range: 30°C to +80° C.  
3.3.4.3  
Power Supply Requirements for SAS 9260 RAID Controllers  
All power is supplied to the SAS 9260 RAID controllers through the PCI  
Express 3.3V rails and the 12V rail. Onboard switching regulator circuitry  
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operating from the 3.3V rails and the 12V rail provide the necessary  
voltages. The following states determine the typical current consumption  
of the controller:  
State 1: During a hard reset  
State 2: During a drive stress test  
State 3: While sitting idle at the DOS prompt  
The supply voltages are 12V 8 percent (from PCI edge connector only)  
and 3.3V 9 percent (from PCI edge connector only). Table 3.11 lists  
the power supply for the RAID controllers for each of the three states at  
the different voltages.  
Table 3.11 Power Supply for SAS 9260 RAID Controllers  
PCI Edge Connector  
State 1  
State 2  
State 3  
3.3V supply  
330mA  
1.00A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.81A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.53A  
30mA  
+12V supply  
3.3V auxiliary supply  
Note:  
+12V is used in the charging circuitry for the battery pack  
on the optional iBBU battery-backed daughter card. If the  
BBU daughter card is mounted, the following power  
consumption figures apply:  
During trickle charging of the battery pack: N/A (no  
trickle charge for Li-ION)  
During fast charging of the battery pack: 230mA in +12V  
current  
3.3.4.4  
Operating and Non-operating Conditions for SAS 9260 RAID Controllers  
For the SAS 9260 RAID controllers, the operating (thermal and  
atmospheric) conditions are:  
Relative humidity range is 5 percent to 90 percent noncondensing  
(20 percent to 80 percent noncondensing for the RAID controllers)  
Airflow must be at least 200 linear feet per minute (LFPM) to avoid  
operating the LSISAS2108 processor above the maximum  
ambient temperature  
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Temperature range: +10 ° C to +60 °C without battery backup unit  
Temperature range: +10 ° C to +44.5 ° C with iBBU battery backup  
The parameters for the non-operating (such as storage and transit)  
environment for these controllers are:  
Temperature range: 30° C to +80°C without the battery backup unit  
Temperature range: 0° C to +45°C with the battery backup unit  
3.3.4.5  
Power Supply Requirements for the SAS 9261 RAID Controller  
All power is supplied to the SAS 9261 RAID controller through the PCI  
Express 3.3V rails and the 12V rail. Onboard switching regulator circuitry  
operating from the 3.3V rails and the 12V rail provide the necessary  
voltages. The following states determine the typical current consumption  
of the controller:  
State 1: During a hard reset  
State 2: During a drive stress test  
State 3: While sitting idle at the DOS prompt  
The supply voltages are 12V 8 percent (from PCI edge connector only)  
and 3.3V 9 percent (from PCI edge connector only). Table 3.11 lists  
the power supply for the RAID controller for each of the three states at  
the different voltages.  
Table 3.12 Power Supply for SAS 9261 RAID Controllers  
PCI Edge Connector  
State 1  
State 2  
State 3  
3.3V supply  
330mA  
1.00A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.81A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.53A  
30mA  
+12V supply  
3.3V auxiliary supply  
Note:  
+12V is used in the charging circuitry for the battery pack  
on the optional iBBU battery-backed daughter card. If the  
BBU daughter card is mounted, the following power  
consumption figures apply:  
During trickle charging of the battery pack: N/A (no  
trickle charge for Li-ION)  
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During fast charging of the battery pack: 230mA in +12V  
current  
3.3.4.6  
Operating and Non-operating Conditions for the SAS 9261 RAID Controller  
For the SAS 9261 RAID controllers, the operating (thermal and  
atmospheric) conditions are:  
Relative humidity range is 5 percent to 90 percent noncondensing  
(20 percent to 80 percent noncondensing for the RAID controllers)  
Airflow must be at least 200 linear feet per minute (LFPM) to avoid  
operating the LSISAS2108 processor above the maximum  
ambient temperature  
Temperature range: +10 ° C to +60 °C without battery backup unit  
Temperature range: +10 ° C to +44.5 ° C with iBBU battery backup  
The parameters for the non-operating (such as storage and transit)  
environment for these controllers are:  
Temperature range: 30° C to +80°C without the battery backup unit  
Temperature range: 0° C to +45°C with the battery backup unit  
3.3.5  
Power Supply Requirements for SAS 9280 RAID Controllers  
All power is supplied to the SAS 9280-8e and SAS 9280DE-8e RAID  
controllers through the PCI Express 3.3V rails and the 12V rail. Onboard  
switching regulator circuitry operating from the 3.3V rails and the 12V rail  
provide the necessary voltages. The following states determine the  
typical current consumption of the controller:  
State 1: During a hard reset  
State 2: During a disk stress test  
State 3: While sitting idle at the DOS prompt  
The supply voltages are 12V 8 percent (from PCI edge connector only)  
and 3.3V 9 percent (from PCI edge connector only). Table 3.13 lists  
the power supply for the controller for each of the three states at the  
different voltages.  
Technical Specifications  
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Table 3.13 Power Supply for SAS 9280 RAID Controllers  
PCI Edge Connector  
State 1  
State 2  
State 3  
3.3V supply  
330mA  
1.00A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.81A  
30mA  
330mA  
1.53A  
30mA  
+12V supply  
3.3V auxiliary supply  
Note:  
+12V is used in the charging circuitry for the battery pack  
on the optional iBBU battery-backed daughter card. If the  
iBBU daughter card is mounted, the following power  
consumption figures apply:  
During fast charging of the battery pack: 230mA in +12V  
current  
3.3.5.1  
Operating and Non-operating Conditions for SAS 9280 RAID Controllers  
The operating (thermal and atmospheric) conditions for the SAS 9280-8e  
RAID controller are:  
Relative humidity range is 5% to 90% noncondensing.  
Airflow must be at least 200 linear feet per minute (LFPM) to avoid  
operating the LSISAS2108 processor above the maximum  
ambient temperature.  
Temperature range: +10 ° C to +60 °C without battery backup unit.  
Temperature range: +10 ° C to +44.5 ° C with iBBU battery backup.  
The parameters for the non-operating (such as storage and transit)  
environment for the controller are:  
Temperature range: 30 °C to +80 °C without battery backup unit.  
Temperature range: 0 ° C to +45 ° C with iBBU battery backup.  
3.3.6 Safety Characteristics  
All MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID controllers meet or exceed the  
requirements of UL flammability rating 94 V0. Each bare board is also  
marked with the supplier name or trademark, type, and UL flammability  
rating. For the boards installed in a PCI Express bus slot, all voltages are  
lower than the SELV 42.4V limit.  
3-22  
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Appendix A  
Glossary of Terms  
and Abbreviations  
BIOS  
Acronym for Basic Input/Output System. Software that provides basic  
read/write capability. Usually kept as firmware (ROM-based). The system  
BIOS on the motherboard of a computer boots and controls the system.  
The BIOS on your host adapter acts as an extension of the system BIOS.  
configuration  
device driver  
Refers to the way a computer is set up, the combined hardware  
components (computer, monitor, keyboard, and peripheral devices) that  
make up a computer system, or the software settings that allow the  
hardware components to communicate with each other.  
A program that allows a microprocessor (through the operating system)  
to direct the operation of a peripheral device.  
domain  
validation  
A software procedure in which a host queries a device to determine its  
ability to communicate at the negotiated data rate.  
drive group  
A group of physical drives that combines the storage space on the drives  
into a single segment of storage space. A hot spare drive does not  
actively participate in a drive group.  
EEPROM  
Acronym for Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory.  
It is a memory chip that typically stores configuration information, as it  
provides stable storage for long periods without electricity and can be  
reprogrammed. Refer to NVRAM.  
external SAS  
device  
A SAS device installed outside the computer cabinet. These devices are  
connected using specific types of shielded cables.  
Fusion-MPT  
architecture  
An acronym for Fusion-Message Passing Technology architecture.  
Fusion-MPT consists of several main elements: Fusion-MPT firmware,  
the Fibre Channel and SCSI hardware, and the operating system level  
drivers that support these architectures. Fusion-MPT architecture offers  
a single binary, operating system driver that supports both Fibre Channel  
and SCSI devices.  
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host  
The computer system in which a RAID controller is installed. It uses the  
RAID controller to transfer information to and from devices attached to  
the SCSI bus.  
host adapter  
board  
A circuit board or integrated circuit that provides a device connection to  
the computer system.  
hot spare  
An idle, powered on, standby drive that is ready for immediate use in  
case of drive failure. A hot spare does not contain any user data. A hot  
spare can be dedicated to a single redundant array or it can be part of  
the global hot-spare pool for all arrays managed by the controller.  
When a drive fails, the controller firmware automatically replaces and  
rebuilds the data from the failed drive to the hot spare. Data can be  
rebuilt only from virtual drives with redundancy (RAID levels 1, 5, 6, 10,  
50, and 60; not RAID level 0), and the hot spare must have sufficient  
capacity.  
internal SAS  
device  
A SAS device installed inside the computer cabinet. These devices are  
connected by using a shielded cable.  
main memory  
The part of computer memory that is directly accessible by the CPU  
(usually synonymous with RAM).  
NVRAM  
Acronym for nonvolatile random access memory. An EEPROM  
(electronically erasable read-only memory) chip that stores configuration  
information. Refer to EEPROM.  
PCI  
Acronym for peripheral component interconnect. A high-performance,  
local bus specification that allows the connection of devices directly to  
computer memory. The PCI Local Bus allows transparent upgrades from  
32-bit data path at 33 MHz to 64-bit data path at 33 MHz, and from 32-bit  
data path at 66 MHz to 64-bit data path at 66 MHz.  
PCI Express  
Acronym for peripheral component interconnect Express. A high-  
performance, local bus specification that allows the connection of devices  
directly to computer memory. PCI Express is a two-way, serial connection  
that transfers data on two pairs of point-to-point data lines. PCI Express  
goes beyond the PCI specification in that it is intended as a unifying I/O  
architecture for various systems: desktops, workstations, mobile, server,  
communications, and embedded devices.  
A-2  
Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations  
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peripheral  
devices  
A piece of hardware (such as a video monitor, drive, printer, or CD-ROM)  
used with a computer and under the control of the computer. SCSI  
peripherals are controlled through a SAS MegaRAID SAS RAID  
controller (host adapter).  
PHY  
The interface required to transmit and receive data packets transferred  
across the serial bus.  
Each PHY can form one side of the physical link in a connection with a  
PHY on a different SATA device. The physical link contains four wires that  
form two differential signal pairs. One differential pair transmits signals,  
while the other differential pair receives signals. Both differential pairs  
operate simultaneously and allow concurrent data transmission in both  
the receive and the transmit directions.  
RAID  
Acronym for Redundant Array of Independent Disks (originally  
Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). An array of multiple independent  
drives managed together to yield higher reliability, performance, or both  
exceeding that of a single drive. The RAID array appears to the controller  
as a single storage unit. I/O is expedited because several drives can be  
accessed simultaneously. Redundant RAID levels (RAID levels 1, 5, 6,  
10, 50, and 60) provide data protection.  
RAID levels  
SAS  
A set of techniques applied to drive groups to deliver higher data  
availability, performance characteristics, or both to host environments.  
Each virtual drive must have a RAID level assigned to it.  
Acronym for Serial Attached SCSI. A serial, point-to-point,  
enterprise-level device interface that leverages the proven SCSI protocol  
set. The SAS interface provides improved performance, simplified  
cabling, smaller connections, lower pin count, and lower power  
requirements when compared to parallel SCSI. SAS controllers leverage  
a common electrical and physical connection interface that is compatible  
with Serial ATA. The SAS controllers support the ANSI Serial Attached  
SCSI Standard, Version 2.0. In addition, the controller supports the  
Serial ATA II (SATA II) protocol defined by the Serial ATA Specification,  
Version 1.0a. Supporting both the SAS interface and the SATA II  
interface, the SAS controller is a versatile controller that provides the  
backbone of both server and high-end workstation environments. Each  
port on the SAS RAID controller supports SAS devices, SATA II devices,  
or both.  
A-3  
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SAS device  
SATA  
Any device that conforms to the SAS standard and is attached to the  
SAS bus by a SAS cable. This includes SAS RAID controllers  
(host adapters) and SAS peripherals.  
Acronym for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. A physical storage  
interface standard, SATA is a serial link that provides point-to-point  
connections between devices. The thinner serial cables allow for better  
airflow within the system and permit smaller chassis designs.  
SMP  
Acronym for Serial Management Protocol. SMP communicates topology  
management information directly with an attached SAS expander device.  
Each PHY on the controller can function as an SMP initiator.  
SSP  
Acronym for Serial SCSI Protocol. SSP enables communication with  
other SAS devices. Each PHY on the SAS controller can function as an  
SSP initiator or SSP target.  
STP  
Acronym for Serial Tunneling Protocol. STP enables communication with  
a SATA II device through an attached expander. Each PHY on the SAS  
controller can function as an STP initiator.  
stripe size  
The total drive space consumed by a stripe not including a parity drive.  
For example, consider a stripe that contains 64 Kbytes of drive space  
and has 16 Kbytes of data residing on each drive in the stripe. In this  
case, the stripe size is 64 Kbytes and the stripe element size is  
16 Kbytes. The stripe depth is four (four drives in the stripe). You can  
specify stripe sizes of 8 Kbytes, 16 Kbytes, 32 Kbytes, 64 Kbytes,  
128 Kbytes, 256 Kbytes, 512 Kbytes, or 1 Mbyte for each virtual drive.  
A larger stripe size produces improved read performance, especially if  
most of the reads are sequential. For mostly random reads, select a  
smaller stripe size.  
striping  
Drive striping writes data across two or more drives. Each stripe spans  
two or more drives but consumes only a portion of each drive. Each  
drive, therefore, may have several stripes. The amount of space  
consumed by a stripe is the same on each drive that is included in the  
stripe. The portion of a stripe that resides on a single drive is a stripe  
element. Striping by itself does not provide data redundancy; striping in  
combination with parity provides data redundancy.  
A-4  
Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations  
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MegaRAID 6Gb/s SAS RAID Controllers User’s Guide  
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