Lsi Logic LSI9260-8I Megaraid 8port PCI-E X8 512mb SAS Raid New

In the world of data storage and management, RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) controller cards play a crucial role. These cards help optimize data protection, performance, and management in various computing environments. The LSI Logic LSI9260-8I MegaRAID 8-Port PCI-E X8 512MB SAS RAID Controller Card is one such example of a powerful hardware solution. In this detailed guide, we will explore what this RAID controller card is, how it works, and what benefits it offers to users.

The LSI Logic LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card is a hardware component designed to manage and control multiple hard drives or SSDs in a server or storage system. It falls under the category of RAID controllers, which are responsible for optimizing data storage and retrieval by distributing and protecting data across multiple drives.

This particular RAID controller card, the LSI9260-8I, is known for its high performance and reliability. It is manufactured by LSI Logic, a company recognized for its innovative storage solutions. The "8I" in its name refers to the number of ports it has, which means it can manage up to eight drives simultaneously. These drives can be a combination of SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) or SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) drives, giving users the flexibility to choose the storage medium that best suits their needs.

The "PCI-E X8" part of the name indicates that the card is designed to be plugged into a PCI Express x8 slot on a server or motherboard. This slot type provides ample bandwidth for high-speed data transfer between the RAID controller and the connected drives.

Additionally, the LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card boasts 512MB of cache memory. This cache memory is essential for enhancing data transfer speeds and optimizing RAID operations. It allows the controller to temporarily store frequently accessed data, reducing the need to fetch it from the drives repeatedly.

Now that we have introduced the basics of this RAID controller card, let's dive deeper into its features, functions, and benefits.

The LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card provides eight ports for connecting drives. This means you can connect up to eight hard drives or SSDs to the card, creating a versatile and scalable storage solution. The ability to manage multiple drives is particularly valuable for businesses and organizations that require ample storage capacity.

This RAID controller card is compatible with both SAS and SATA drives. SAS drives are known for their high performance and reliability, making them ideal for enterprise environments. SATA drives, on the other hand, are more cost-effective and widely available. With the LSI9260-8I, you can choose the drive type that suits your requirements and budget.

The card is designed to be installed in a PCI Express x8 slot, ensuring that it can take full advantage of the available bandwidth for data transfer. This high-speed interface is essential for handling large volumes of data efficiently, which is especially important in data-intensive applications.

The 512MB of cache memory included with the LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card significantly enhances its performance. Cache memory acts as a buffer, temporarily storing frequently accessed data and speeding up data retrieval processes. This results in improved overall system responsiveness and data transfer speeds.

As a RAID controller card, the LSI9260-8I offers support for various RAID levels. RAID allows for data redundancy, improved performance, or a combination of both. Some of the RAID levels supported by this card include RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10, and more. Users can configure the RAID level that best fits their data protection and performance requirements.

For added data protection, the LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card is compatible with Battery Backup Units (BBUs). A BBU ensures that cached data is not lost in the event of a power outage or system failure. This feature is crucial for maintaining data integrity and preventing data loss.

LSI Logic provides MegaRAID Management Software, a user-friendly tool for configuring and managing the LSI9260-8I Controller Card. This software simplifies the setup and maintenance of RAID arrays, making it accessible to both experienced IT professionals and newcomers to RAID technology.

Thanks to its advanced features and capabilities, the LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card can achieve high data transfer rates. This is essential for applications that demand fast access to stored data, such as databases, virtualization, and multimedia content creation.

To better understand the functionality of the LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card, let's delve into how it works and how it contributes to efficient data storage and management.

Data Distribution and Protection

One of the primary functions of a RAID controller card is to distribute data across multiple drives. The LSI9260-8I supports various RAID levels, each with its own method of data distribution and protection.

• RAID 0 (Striping): Data is split into blocks and distributed across the connected drives. This increases data access speed but does not provide data redundancy.
• RAID 1 (Mirroring): Data is duplicated on a separate drive, providing data redundancy in case of drive failure.
• RAID 5 (Striping with Parity): Data is striped across drives, and parity information is stored for data recovery in case of a drive failure. This combines performance and redundancy.
• RAID 6 (Double Parity): Similar to RAID 5 but with an additional layer of parity for added data protection.
• RAID 10 (Combination of RAID 1 and RAID 0): Data is mirrored and striped for both performance and redundancy.

By configuring the LSI9260-8I Controller Card for the desired RAID level, users can balance data protection and performance to suit their specific needs.

Cache Memory

The 512MB of cache memory in the LSI9260-8I plays a critical role in optimizing data transfer speeds. When data is read from or written to the drives, it is temporarily stored in the cache memory. This allows the controller to access frequently used data without repeatedly fetching it from the drives, resulting in significantly faster read and write operations.

Battery Backup Unit (BBU)

To ensure data integrity and prevent data loss in the event of a power outage or system failure, the LSI9260-8I MegaRAID Controller Card can be paired with a Battery Backup Unit (BBU). The BBU provides a temporary power source for the cache memory, allowing it to flush its contents to the drives in a controlled manner. This prevents data loss and corruption during unexpected power interruptions.

Enhanced Data Protection

One of the primary benefits of using a RAID controller card like the LSI9260-8I is the enhanced data protection it provides. By configuring the card for RAID levels that offer data redundancy (such as RAID 1, RAID 5, or RAID 6), users can protect their data from drive failures. In the event of a drive malfunction, data can be reconstructed from the redundant information stored on other drives.

Improved Data Access Speed

The LSI9260-8I's support for RAID 0 striping provides improved data access speed. Data is split into blocks and distributed across multiple drives, allowing for parallel data retrieval. This results in faster read and write operations, making it an excellent choice for applications that require high-speed data access.

Flexibility in Drive Selection

This controller card's compatibility with both SAS and SATA drives offers users flexibility in drive selection. SAS drives are known for their reliability and performance, making them suitable for enterprise-level applications. SATA drives, on the other hand, are more budget-friendly and widely available. The ability to choose between these drive types allows users to balance performance and cost according to their specific needs.

High Data Transfer Rates

Thanks to its advanced features, including cache memory and support for high-speed SAS drives, the LSI9260-8I can achieve high data transfer rates. This is essential for applications that require rapid data access, such as databases, virtualization, and video editing.

The MegaRAID Management Software simplifies the configuration and management of the controller card. It provides a user-friendly interface that allows users to set up RAID arrays, monitor drive health, and receive alerts about potential issues. This ease of management is valuable for IT professionals and organizations looking to streamline their data storage processes.

Data Integrity with Battery Backup Unit (BBU)

The compatibility of the LSI9260-8I with Battery Backup Units (BBUs) ensures data integrity in the face of power outages or system failures. The BBU provides temporary power to the cache memory, allowing it to flush its contents to the drives safely. This feature is particularly important in mission-critical environments where data loss is not an option.

Data Centers

In data center environments, high data transfer speeds, data protection, and reliability are of utmost importance. The LSI9260-8I's support for RAID configurations, high-performance SAS drives, and cache memory make it a great choice for managing large volumes of data efficiently.

Server Virtualization

Virtualized server environments often require fast data access and reliable data protection. The LSI9260-8I can meet these demands by providing both RAID support for redundancy and high-speed data transfer rates, which are essential for virtual machine operations.

Content Creation

Professionals working in content creation, such as video editors and graphic designers, need quick access to large media files. The LSI9260-8I's high data transfer rates can significantly improve the efficiency of content creation tasks.

Database Servers

Database servers store and retrieve vast amounts of data continuously. The LSI9260-8I's support for RAID configurations can help ensure data integrity and high-speed data access for database applications.

• Brand: Lsi Logic
• Part Number or SKU# LSI9260-8I
• Type: SAS-SATA

• Device Type: SAS RAID Controller
• Form Factor: Low-Profile Plug-in Card
• Interface Type: PCI Express x8
• Data Transfer Rate: 6 Gb/s throughput per port
• Standard Memory: 512 MB DDR2 SDRAM
• RAID Levels Supported: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60
• Ports: 2 x SFF-8087 (Mini-SAS)

In summary, the LSI Logic LSI9260-8I MegaRAID 8-Port PCI-E x8 512MB SAS RAID Controller Card is a robust solution for high-performance data storage and server environments. Its eight ports, PCI-E x8 interface, ample cache memory, and support for various RAID levels make it an appealing choice for those seeking efficient data transfer and storage management.

By understanding its features, benefits, and installation process, you can harness the power of the LSI9260-8I to optimize your data storage needs. This comprehensive guide serves as a valuable resource for both beginners and experienced users considering this RAID controller card for their systems.