HP AH226A HP 8 Internal Port SAS Controller and HP Multi-Port Internal SAS Con - Page 9
Controller Overview, Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) Technology Description, Controller Description - core
UPC - 882780748774
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1 Controller Overview This chapter provides an overview of the SAS controller and its technology. This chapter includes the following topics: "Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) Technology Description" (page 9) "Controller Description" (page 9) Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) Technology Description Serial-attached SCSI (SAS) is a method for connecting computer peripheral devices that employs a serial (one bit at a time) means of digital data transfer over thin cables. The method is specified in the American National Standard Institute standard called Serial-attached SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), also known as ANSI/INCITS 376-2003. In enterprise computing, SAS is of particular interest for access to mass storage devices, particularly hard disks. Serial-attached SCSI offers the following advantages over older parallel SCSI technologies: • The cables are thinner, and the connectors are less bulky. • Serial data transfer allows the use of longer cables than parallel data transfer. • Problems related to crosstalk are less likely in serial interfaces than in parallel interfaces, because there are fewer conductors in the cables. • The hardware for serial interfaces is less costly than the hardware for equivalent parallel interfaces. SAS offers data transfer rates in excess of 3 gigabits per second (Gb/s), with potential rates of 10 Gb/s or more. Serial-attached SCSI provides an ideal solution for businesses with substantial storage, backup, and archiving demands. Controller Description There are two internal SAS controller form factors, depending on the server model: • HP 8 Internal Port SAS Controller, a low-profile, 64-bit, 133-MHz PCI-X host bus adapter which is available only as a factory-integrated core I/O option in certain servers. • HP Multi-Port Internal SAS Controller, an embedded controller on the server motherboard. Both controllers are supported by the SerialSCSI-00 operating system driver bundle, and by utilities delivered in the CommonIO bundle. Both controllers have the same key features: • SAS data transfer rates of up to 3 Gb/s • Data protection through Integrated Mirror (RAID 1) Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) Technology Description 9