Intel® Integrated RAID Module RMS25PB and RMT3PB Families

Key features

LSI SAS2208* RAID-on-chip (ROC) controller provides SAS 2 compliance, including 6Gb/s data transfer
Up to 1GB DDR3 1333MHz cache (ECC DDR3 memory) efficiently stores data in transition
Up to two SFF8087 SAS/SATA connectors for up to eight internal ports
x8 PCI Express* Generation 3 interface for fast communication with the server board¹
Optional: Intel® RAID Smart Battery Backup Unit or Intel® RAID Maintenance Free Backup Unit
Optional: Intel® RAID Premium Feature Keys offer features such as SSD Cache 2.0 with FastPath* I/O

Hardware RAID PCIe slot modules for select Intel^® Xeon^® processor E5-2600-based server boards

The new Intel^® Integrated RAID Modules RS25PB080, RS25PB040, and RT3PB080 are designed specifically for use in any of the PCIe* slots on Intel^® Xeon^® processor E5-2600-based server boards. They offer a true-MD2 low-profile form factor and intelligent hardware RAID 0/1/5/6 functionality at a lower cost than general purpose RAID cards from Intel with the same feature sets. The Intel^® Integrated RAID Modules RS25PB080, RS25PB040, and RT3PB080, powered by LSI MegaRAID* technology, include two 800MHz processor cores and up to 1GB DDR3 1333MHz cache memory to drive exceptional storage performance and scalability.

The modules come with an option for either traditional battery-based cache backup or a maintenance-free backup unit (MFBU). The MFBU uses a super-capacitor to copy data in flight from dynamic memory to NAND flash-based memory when a server loses power or crashes. The MFBU eliminates maintenance associated with lithium-ion (LiON) batteries, is more environmentally friendly, and is expected to offer a lower total cost of ownership over the life of the RAID module.

Target applications

The Intel Integrated RAID Module RMS25PB and RMT3PB families are best deployed in mainstream server environments to help optimize the performance and reliability of applications such as database servers, e-mail servers, and web servers. Alternatively, these modules can be teamed with a SAS expander board such as the Intel^® RAID Expander RES2CV360 to offer scalable performance solutions for applications such as streaming media. In addition, by connecting one or more SSDs to these modules and adding the SSD Cache 2.0 with FastPath* I/O upgrade feature, the performance of most applications can be further enhanced.

Key advantages

Exceptional data protection	Supports data redundancy using SAS or SATA hard disk drives through mirroring, parity, and double parity (RAID levels 1, 5, and 6). It also provides striping capability for spans (RAID levels 10, 50, and 60).
Outstanding performance	Dual-core LSI SAS2208 ROC technology, x8 PCI Express Generation 3¹ host interface, and DDR3 cache enhance the performance of mainstream applications. (See www.intel.com/go/raid for measured performance at PCIe* Gen2 and PCIe Gen3)
Improved serviceability with an optional MFBU	Maintenance-free backup unit (MFBU) is built using NAND flash that can retain data for up to ten years. It provides near-instant optimal RAID performance versus traditional lithium-ion (LiON) battery backup units (BBUs), which are limited to just days of retention and can take up to eight hours to charge. This longer-lasting technology allows for the same standard three-year warranty as other Intel^® RAID products.
Support for premium feature upgrades	The Intel^® Integrated RAID Module RS25AB080 includes a connector for an optional hardware-based key, which unlocks one or more advanced software algorithms designed to improve performance and enhance data protection. For instance, the SSD Cache with FastPath* I/O upgrade enables the use of one or more SSDs as a large cache pool for the RAID controller. This can significantly improve the performance of many server applications.