Intel AXXRMS2AF080 Hardware User Guide - Page 34

Support for Hard Disk Drive Devices The Intel® Integrated RAID Module RMS2AF040 and RMS2AF080 integrates eight internal high-performance SAS/SATA II ports that support SAS and enterprise-class SATA hard drives. Each port supports both SAS and SATA devices using the SAS Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP), Serial Management Protocol (SMP), and Serial Tunneling Protocol (STP). The SSP protocol enables communication with other SAS devices. STP allows the SAS RAID controller to communicate with SATA devices using the SATA commands. SAS Expander Support The Intel® Integrated RAID Module RMS2AF040 and RMS2AF080 supports LSI* expanders, Vitesse SAS expanders, and PMC expanders that are used as a component in Intel enclosures. Other expanders may be supported post launch, based on market conditions and customer requirements. Support for Non-Hard Disk Drive Devices As SAS-based non-hard drive devices were not available when this controller was in development, support for these devices will be determined as they become available. For information on support for non-hard drive devices, see the Intel® Integrated RAID Module RMS2AF040 and RMS2AF080 Tested Hardware and Operating System List. Enclosure Management Support The Intel® Integrated RAID Module RMS2AF040 and RMS2AF080 support SES2 enclosure management in-band to expander-based backplanes and out-of-band to directconnect backplanes. These RAID Controllers also support the SGPIO enclosure management interface. RAID Functionality and Features Hierarchy The fundamental purpose of a RAID system is to present a usable data storage medium (virtual drive) with some level of redundancy to a host operating system. The Intel® RAID firmware is based on the concept of associating physical drives in arrays and then creating a virtual drive from that array that includes a functional RAID level. To create a virtual drive and present it to the host operating system, the RAID firmware typically follows these steps: 1. One or more physical drives are selected and associated as an array. 2. One or more arrays are associated and given a RAID level. This process creates a virtual drive and provides an option to initialize the virtual drive. 24 Intel® Integrated RAID Module RMS2AF040 and RMS2AF080 Hardware User's Guide