Intel® Smart Response Technology is an Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (Intel® RST) caching feature that improves computer system performance. It allows a user to configure computer systems with an SSD used as cache memory between the hard disk drive and system memory.

This provides the advantage of having a hard disk drive (or a RAID volume) for maximum storage capacity while delivering an SSD-like overall system performance experience. Intel® Smart Response Technology caching is implemented as a single drive letter solution; no additional drive letter is required for the SSD device used as cache.

System requirements

• Intel® Z87, Q87, H87, Z77, Q77, H77 Express Chipset-based desktop board
• Intel® Core™ Processor in the LGA 1155 or LGA1150 package
• System BIOS with SATA mode set to RAID
• Intel Rapid Storage Technology software 10.5 version release or later
• Single hard disk drive or multiple drives in a single RAID volume
• Solid-state drive (SSD) with a minimum capacity of 18.6GB
• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 8* or Windows 7 (32-bit  and 64-bit editions)

Setup guide

Configure SATA mode in BIOS setup

1. Press the F2 key during boot up to enter the BIOS setup menu.
2. Go to Configuration SATA Drives.
3. Select the setting for Chipset SATA Mode and change the value to RAID.
4. Press the F10 key to save settings and restart the system.

Operating system installation

1. Install all required device drivers.
2. Install the Intel® Rapid Storage Technology software version 10.5 or later.

Enabling Intel® Smart Response Technology

The Intel® RST software denotes Intel® Smart Response Technology as accelerate.

1. Run the Intel® RST software through the All Programs menu or the task bar icon.
2. Click Enable acceleration under either the Status or Accelerate menu.

   

3. Select the SSD to be used as a cache device.
4. Select the size from the SSD to be allocated for the cache memory.

   Note Any remaining space on the SSD may be used for data storage using the simple data single-disk RAID 0 volume that is automatically created.

5. Select the drive (or RAID volume) to be accelerated. It is highly recommended to accelerate the system volume or system disk for maximum performance.
6. Select the acceleration mode. By default, enhanced mode is selected.

   Note Enhanced mode: Acceleration is optimized for data protection. Maximized mode: Acceleration is optimized for input/output performance.

   

7. Click OK. The page refreshes and reports the new acceleration configuration in the acceleration view. Your system is now successfully configured with the Intel® Smart Response Technology.

This applies to: