Description
More Information for the 631670-B21 Raid Controller
In the world of computing, efficient data management and storage are crucial aspects of system performance. RAID controllers play a pivotal role in enhancing data reliability, speed, and overall system efficiency. One such RAID controller is the HP 631670-B21 Smart Array P420, known for its SAS 6GBPS, SATA 3GBPS, 2 Ports INT, PCI-E 3.0 X8 specifications. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the details of the HP 631670-B21 RAID controller, exploring its features, benefits, and how it contributes to an optimized storage solution.
Overview of HP 631670-B21 Smart Array P420
The HP 631670-B21 Smart Array P420 is a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) controller designed to manage and optimize storage configurations in servers and workstations. Its nomenclature reveals key specifications:
- SAS 6GBPS (Serial Attached SCSI 6 Gigabits per Second): This refers to the data transfer rate supported by the controller. SAS is a high-speed, high-performance interface used for connecting storage devices.
- SATA 3GBPS (Serial ATA 3 Gigabits per Second): SATA is another type of interface for connecting storage devices. The 3GBPS indicates the maximum data transfer rate for SATA connections.
- 2 Ports INT (Internal Ports): The controller features two internal ports, allowing it to connect directly to internal storage devices within the server or workstation.
- PCI-E 3.0 X8: This describes the interface and slot compatibility of the RAID controller. PCI-E (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is a high-speed interface standard, and X8 signifies the number of lanes or data pathways available for communication.
Key Features
- RAID Support: The primary function of the HP 631670-B21 Smart Array P420 is to implement RAID configurations. RAID offers data protection, improved performance, or a combination of both by spreading data across multiple disks. The P420 supports various RAID levels, including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10, and more, providing flexibility to meet diverse storage needs.
- Performance Optimization: With SAS 6GBPS and SATA 3GBPS support, the P420 ensures high-speed data transfer between the RAID controller and connected storage devices. This is crucial for applications that demand rapid access to large volumes of data, such as databases and high-performance computing tasks.
- Data Reliability and Fault Tolerance: The RAID configurations facilitated by the P420 contribute to data reliability and fault tolerance. For instance, RAID 1 duplicates data across two drives, creating a mirror. In the event of a drive failure, the system can seamlessly switch to the mirrored drive, minimizing downtime and data loss.
- Cache Memory: The HP 631670-B21 is equipped with cache memory to enhance overall performance. Cache memory allows the controller to temporarily store frequently accessed data, reducing the need to fetch it from the slower storage drives. This results in faster response times and improved system efficiency.
- Compatibility and Scalability: The PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface ensures compatibility with a range of servers and workstations. Additionally, the controller’s design supports scalability, allowing users to expand storage capacity as their needs grow. This scalability is particularly valuable in environments where data storage requirements may increase over time.
Benefits of HP 631670-B21 Smart Array P420
- Data Security: The RAID configurations supported by the P420, such as RAID 1 and RAID 10, provide data redundancy and protection against drive failures. This is critical for environments where data integrity is paramount, such as in enterprise servers hosting important databases.
- Improved Performance: By distributing data across multiple drives, RAID configurations enhance read and write speeds. This results in improved overall system performance, making the P420 an ideal choice for applications that demand rapid data access and transfer.
- Scalability: The P420’s compatibility and scalability make it a versatile solution for both small-scale and large-scale storage environments. Users can start with a basic configuration and expand storage capacity as needed, avoiding the need for a complete overhaul of the storage infrastructure.
- Cache Memory Benefits: The inclusion of cache memory in the P420 contributes to faster data access times. Frequently accessed data is stored in the cache, reducing latency and improving the responsiveness of the system. This is particularly advantageous for I/O-intensive applications.
- Compatibility with Industry Standards: The PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface ensures that the P420 is compatible with a wide range of servers and workstations, adhering to industry standards for connectivity. This compatibility simplifies the integration of the RAID controller into existing systems.
Common Use Cases
The HP 631670-B21 Smart Array P420 finds application in various scenarios where efficient data management and storage are crucial:
- Enterprise Servers: In enterprise-level servers hosting mission-critical applications and databases, the P420 enhances data security and performance. The RAID configurations ensure continuous operation even in the face of drive failures.
- Data Centers: Data centers, handling vast amounts of data, benefit from the P420’s scalability. The controller can adapt to changing storage requirements, allowing data centers to expand their storage infrastructure without significant disruptions.
- Workstations: For workstations handling graphic-intensive tasks, video editing, or 3D rendering, the P420’s performance optimization contributes to a smoother workflow. The RAID configurations provide both speed and data security.
- Small to Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs): SMBs with growing data storage needs can leverage the P420’s scalability without investing in an entirely new storage solution. This cost-effective approach allows SMBs to expand their storage infrastructure as their business evolves.
Exceptional Reliability
The HP P420 SAS RAID Controller (part number 631670-B21) is designed to provide exceptional reliability for HP ProLiant servers. It supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, which provide different levels of data protection and redundancy. RAID levels such as RAID 5, 6, 10, and 50 provide better reliability compared to other RAID levels as they use striping and parity data to protect data in case of hard drive failure.
It also supports advanced data security options such as RAID ADG (Advanced Data Guarding) and RAID 60 which provide even more robust data protection and improve the overall reliability of the controller.
The controller also supports online RAID level migration, which allows you to change the RAID level of a virtual disk without disrupting access to the data. This provides flexibility to change the RAID level based on the changing storage needs of your organization and can help to optimize the reliability of the controller.
The controller also supports online capacity expansion, which allows you to add more hard drives to the system without disrupting access to the data, this enables you to easily increase your storage capacity without any downtime and improves the reliability of the controller.
The controller also supports online spare drive activation which allows you to replace a failed drive with a spare drive without disrupting access to the data, this ensures that your data is protected and the system is always available.
The controller also supports multiple paths to the storage array, which provides redundancy and improves availability in case of a host adapter failure. This ensures that your storage system is always available even if a component fails.
Performance of Smart Array
The HP P420 SAS RAID Controller (part number 631670-B21) is a Smart Array controller that is designed to provide high performance for HP ProLiant servers.
The Smart Array technology used in this controller provides advanced features such as caching and battery-backed write cache (BBWC) which improves the overall performance of the controller. The controller has 2GB of cache memory that can be upgraded to 4GB or 8GB, this cache memory is used to improve the read and write performance of the controller. The BBWC provides power loss protection for the cache data, which ensures that data is not lost in case of power failure.
The controller supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, which provide different levels of data protection and redundancy. RAID levels such as RAID 5, 6, 10, and 50 provide better performance compared to other RAID levels as they use striping and parity data to improve read and write operations.
It also supports advanced data security options such as RAID ADG (Advanced Data Guarding) and RAID 60 which provide even more robust data protection and improve the overall performance of the controller.
The controller also supports online RAID level migration, which allows you to change the RAID level of a virtual disk without disrupting access to the data. This provides flexibility to change the RAID level based on the changing storage needs of your organization and can help optimize the performance of the controller.
General Compatibility
The HP P420 SAS RAID Controller (part number 631670-B21) is designed for use specifically with HP ProLiant servers. It is important to check the compatibility of this controller with your server before purchasing, as it may not be compatible with other systems.
It’s always a good practice to check the server manual or the HP website for any specific compatibility information or limitations of the controller before making any purchase. Additionally, if you are upgrading from an existing controller, make sure that the new controller is compatible with the existing server and that any necessary drivers and software are available for the new controller.
The controller supports PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface and supports SAS 6GBPS and SATA 3GBPS. This allows for the use of a variety of hard drives and host connections. The controller supports both SAS and SATA hard drives, which provides a wide range of compatibility with different types of hard drives.
It’s important to note that the controller also has certain physical limitations such as the number of internal ports and the form factor. It’s important to check the physical compatibility of the controller with your server before making any purchase.
The HP P420 SAS RAID Controller is designed specifically for use with HP ProLiant servers, it provides a wide range of compatibility with different types of hard drives, host connections, and form factors, it’s always a good practice to check the compatibility before making any purchase.
General Information about this HP 631670-B21
- Manufacturer Name: HP
- Part Number or SKU# 631670-B21
- Product Type: SAS-SATA
- Product Name: Smart Array P420/1gb Fbwc 6gb 2-ports Int Sas Controller
Technical Information
- Controller Interface Type: Serial ATA-600 / SAS 2.0
- Bus Type: PCI Express 3.0 x8
- Data Transfer Rate: 600 Mbps
- Buffer Size: 1 GB ECC DDR3 SDRAM
- RAID Level: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, RAID 50
- Supported Devices: Hard Drive, Disk Array (RAID)
- Drive Supported: Up to 64 x Logical
- Data Backup Type: Flash-Backed Cache
- Ports: 2 x 6Gb/s SAS – Mini-SAS Internal
Storage Controllers
- Interface: SATA 6Gbps / SAS 6Gbps
- Data Transfer Rate: 6 Gb/sec
- Buffer Size: 1 GB
- Supported Devices: Hard drive, disk array (RAID)
- RAID Level: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, RAID 50
Expansions And Connectivity
- Interfaces: 1 x SATA 6Gb/s / SAS 6Gb/s – 36 pin 4i Mini MultiLane SAS (SFF-8087) ( internal ) 1 x SATA 6Gb/s / SAS 6Gb/s – 26 pin 4x Shielded Mini MultiLane SAS (SFF-8088) ( external )
- Compatible Slots: 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x8
Interfaces/Ports
- Total Number of SAS Ports: 2
- Number of SAS Ports (Internal): 2
Miscellaneous
- Compliant Standards: WEEE
Software / System Requirements
- OS Required: Microsoft Windows Server 2008 x86 Edition, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 x64 Edition, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 x64 Edition, SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 11 x64 Edition
Compatibility Information
- HPE ProLiant DL Series: DL160 Gen8, DL160 Gen8 Entry, DL160 Gen8 Performance, DL320e Gen8, DL320e Gen8 Base, DL320e Gen8 Entry, DL320e Gen8 Performance, DL380e Gen8, DL380p Gen8, DL380p Gen8 Base, DL380p Gen8 Entry, DL380p Gen8 High Performance, DL380p Gen8 Special, DL385p Gen8, DL385p Gen8 Dedicated Workload, DL385p Gen8 Entry, DL385p Gen8 Maximized Consolidation, DL385p Gen8 Storage, DL560 Gen8, DL560 Gen8 Base, DL560 Gen8 Entry, DL560 Gen8 Performance
- HPE ProLiant ML Series: ML310e Gen8, ML310e Gen8 Base, ML310e Gen8 Entry, ML310e Gen8 Performance, ML310e Gen8 v2, ML310e Gen8 v2 Base, ML310e Gen8 v2 Enty, ML310e Gen8 v2 Performance, ML350e Gen8, ML350e Gen8 Base, ML350e Gen8 Entry, ML350e Gen8 Performance, ML350e Gen8 v2, ML350p Gen8
- HPE ProLiant SL Series: SL210t Gen8 1U Node, SL250s Gen8 2U Left Half Width Tray, SL250s Gen8 2U PCIe Gen3 Left Tray, SL250s Gen8 2U Right Half Width Tray, SL250s Gen8 Base 2U Left Half Width Tray, SL250s Gen8 Base 2U Right Half Width Tray, SL270s Gen8 1U Left Half Width Tray, SL270s Gen8 1U Right Half Width Tray, SL270s Gen8 Base 4U Left Half Width Tray, SL270s Gen8 Base 4U Right Half Width Tray, SL270s Gen8 SE 4U Left Tray, SL270s Gen8 SE 4U Right Tray
In general, the HP 631670-B21 Smart Array P420 SAS 6GBPS SATA 3GBPS 2 Ports INT PCI-E 3.0 X8 Raid Controller is a robust solution for optimizing data storage in various computing environments. With its support for multiple RAID levels, high-speed data transfer, and scalability, it addresses the diverse needs of enterprise servers, data centers, workstations, and small to medium-sized businesses. By understanding its features, benefits, and installation procedures, users can make informed decisions regarding the integration of the P420 into their storage infrastructure, enhancing both performance and data reliability. Regular maintenance and adherence to best practices further ensure a seamless and efficient storage solution, contributing to the overall success of computing systems.
