Description
Product Overview for the Dell 405-AAGI PCI-E Controller Card
The 405-AAGI Dell Perc H330 SAS 12GBPS PCI-Express 3.0 Raid Controller Card is a crucial component in modern computing systems, especially for those requiring robust data management and storage solutions. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the features, functionality, and benefits of the Dell Perc H330, shedding light on its importance in enhancing system performance and data integrity.
Understanding the Basics
- Definition and Purpose: The 405-AAGI Dell Perc H330 is a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) controller card designed by Dell to provide efficient data storage and retrieval. It operates within the PCI-Express 3.0 interface, ensuring high-speed connectivity and optimal performance.
- RAID Technology Overview: RAID technology is employed to enhance data reliability and performance by distributing or replicating data across multiple hard drives. This not only safeguards against data loss in case of drive failure but also improves read and write speeds.
Key Features
- SAS 12GBPS Interface: The H330 comes equipped with a SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) interface boasting a 12GBPS data transfer rate. This high-speed connection ensures rapid communication between the RAID controller and connected storage devices, minimizing latency and optimizing overall system responsiveness.
- PCI-Express 3.0 Compatibility: The PCI-Express 3.0 interface further enhances the card’s capabilities by providing a high-bandwidth connection to the motherboard. This compatibility ensures that the Dell Perc H330 can take full advantage of the latest generation of motherboards, delivering seamless integration and superior performance.
- RAID Levels Support: The H330 supports various RAID levels, including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, and more. This flexibility allows users to configure their storage arrays based on specific needs, whether prioritizing performance, redundancy, or a balance of both.
- Data Protection and Security: Data integrity is a paramount concern in any computing environment. The H330 addresses this by offering features such as disk mirroring, parity checking, and hot-swappable drive support. These capabilities contribute to a robust and secure data storage solution.
Use Cases and Industries
- Enterprise Servers: In enterprise server environments, the Dell Perc H330 plays a critical role in managing vast amounts of data efficiently. Its support for various RAID levels and high-speed SAS interface makes it suitable for applications where performance and data redundancy are paramount.
- Data Centers: Data centers, with their massive storage arrays and stringent data protection requirements, benefit from the reliability and performance offered by the H330. Its ability to handle multiple RAID configurations makes it adaptable to diverse data center needs.
- Workstations and High-Performance Computing: For workstations and systems requiring high-performance computing, the H330 ensures that data-intensive tasks are executed seamlessly. Its compatibility with PCI-Express 3.0 ensures that it keeps pace with the demands of resource-intensive applications.
RAID Support and Data Protection Options
The 405-AAGI Dell Perc H330 SAS 12GBPS PCI-Express 3.0 Raid Controller Card supports RAID and offers various data protection options:
- RAID support: The controller supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60. This allows for various levels of data redundancy and performance optimization depending on the specific requirements of the storage system.
- Data protection options: The controller offers various data protection options, including:
- Snapshot: Snapshots allow for point-in-time copies of data to be taken and stored, providing a quick and easy way to restore data in case of accidental deletion or corruption.
- Remote Replication: The controller supports remote replication of data to a remote location, providing disaster recovery and business continuity capabilities.
- Self-Encrypting Drives (SED): The controller supports Self-Encrypting Drives (SED), which provide hardware-based data encryption to protect sensitive data.
- Adaptive Read Ahead: The controller supports Adaptive Read Ahead, which improves performance by reading data from disk into memory before it is requested.
- Write-back caching: The controller supports write-back caching, which improves performance by storing writes in a high-speed cache before committing them to disk.
- Background Initialization: The controller supports background initialization, which improves performance by initializing new drives in the background so that they can be used as soon as possible.
- Auto-tiering: The controller supports Auto-tiering, which automatically moves data between different tiers of storage depending on the data’s access patterns and performance requirements.
- All of the above options work together to ensure that data is protected and stored in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible, while also providing high availability and quick recovery in case of a failure.
Performance Enhancements and Scalability
The Dell Perc H330 SAS 12GBPS PCI-Express 3.0 Raid Controller Card (part number 405-AAGI) offers several performance enhancements and scalability features:
- Performance enhancements:
- The controller supports 12 Gbps SAS and 6 Gbps SATA data transfer rates, providing faster data access and improved performance over previous-generation controllers.
- It supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, allowing for various levels of data redundancy and performance optimization.
- It features a 512MB cache, which improves performance by storing frequently accessed data in a high-speed cache.
- It supports hardware-based RAID data protection, which improves performance and reliability over software-based RAID solutions.
- Scalability:
- The controller supports up to 30 hard drives, allowing for a maximum capacity of up to 120TB.
- It supports both internal and external storage, allowing for flexibility in storage configuration.
- It supports multiple RAID arrays, allowing for multiple storage pools to be created and managed.
- It supports multiple RAID levels, allowing for different storage requirements to be met.
- Additional features:
- The controller supports SAS and SATA hard drives and solid-state drives (SSD), allowing for a mix of storage types to be used.
- It supports online capacity expansion and RAID level migration, allowing for storage capacity to be expanded or RAID levels to be changed without having to take the system offline.
- It supports advanced diagnostic features such as SNMP, SFP+ diagnostic monitoring, and advanced error reporting.
All of these features work together to ensure that the Dell Perc H330 SAS 12GBPS PCI-Express 3.0 Raid Controller Card offers high performance and scalability for your storage infrastructure, while also providing flexibility and reliability for your data protection needs.
SAS and SATA Connectivity
The 405-AAGI Dell Perc H330 SAS 12GBPS PCI-Express 3.0 Raid Controller Card Only supports both SAS and SATA connectivity:
- SAS connectivity: The controller supports SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) connectivity, which provides faster data transfer rates and more advanced features compared to traditional SATA connectivity. SAS also allows for better scalability and flexibility in terms of drive configurations and RAID levels.
- SATA connectivity: The controller also supports SATA (Serial ATA) connectivity, which is a more common and less expensive option for storage drives. This allows for a wider range of drive options and cost-saving possibilities.
- SAS 12 Gbps data transfer rate: The controller supports 12 Gbps SAS data transfer rate, which offers high-speed data transfer and improved performance over previous generations of SAS.
- RAID Support: The controller supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, allowing for various levels of data redundancy and performance optimization depending on the specific requirements of the storage system.
- PCI-Express 3.0 interface: The controller uses a PCI-Express 3.0 interface, which provides faster data transfer speeds and improved performance compared to previous generations of PCI-Express interfaces.
General Information about this Dell 405-AAGI
- Manufacturer: Dell
- Model Number or SKU# 405-AAGI
- Product Name: Controller
- Product Type: SAS-SATA
Technical Specifications
- Device Type: Storage Controller (RAID) – Plug-in Card – Low Profile
- Bus Type: PCIe 3.0 x8
- Interface: SATA 6Gb/s / SAS 12Gb/s
- Data Transfer Rate: 1.2 Gbps
- Supported Devices: Hard Drive, Disk Array (RAID), Solid State Drive
- Channel Quantity: 8
- Max Storage Devices Quantity: 128
- RAID Level: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, RAID 50
- Designed For: PowerEdge C4130, R230, R630, R930, T130, T330, T430, T630
System Requirements
- Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP4
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.8
- VMware ESXi 5.1
- Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.5
In short, the 405-AAGI Dell Perc H330 SAS 12GBPS PCI-Express 3.0 Raid Controller Card is a pivotal component for anyone seeking to enhance their system’s storage capabilities. Its robust features, compatibility with the latest technologies, and diverse use cases make it a valuable investment for individuals, enterprises, and data centers alike. Proper installation, configuration, and maintenance will ensure optimal performance and data integrity, making the Dell Perc H330 a reliable solution for storage and RAID management in the ever-evolving landscape of computing.
