LSI adds PCI Express 3.0 support to its MegaRAID controllers

LSI Corporation today introduced its latest MegaRAID 6 Gb/s SAS+SATA controllers and host bus adapters (HBAs) featuring the PCI Express 3.0 interface.Seven new LSI MegaRAID controllers are offered with four or eight ports and provide a powerful combination of intelligent performance, enterprise RAID data protection and proven interoperability. Three new LSI HBA models provide state-of-the-art connectivity for servers and appliances in a variety of enterprise-level environments including corporate datacenters, the cloud and high-performance computing.

The MegaRAID controllers announced today increase performance and protection for business and mission-critical data stored on high-performance SAS hard drives, high-capacity SATA hard drives or application-accelerating solid state drives (SSDs). Each controller is powered by the LSI SAS 2208/2308 RAID-on-Chip using 6Gb/s SAS technology and includes dual 800MHz PowerPC Processor cores with 1GB cache memory.

The PCIe 3.0 interface delivers a bit rate of 8 gigatransfers per second (GT/s), roughly twice the bandwidth of the prior generation, and incorporates a number of key new features to improve data transmission and protection as well, including transmitter and receiver equalization, PLL improvements and clock data recovery.

The 9271-8iCC and 9286CV-8eCC MegaRAID cards come in easy-to-order prepackaged configurations that include the LSI CacheCade Pro 2.0 application acceleration software that optimizes SSD caching performance. Additional models include the onboard LSI flash-based CacheVault data protection option for even greater system protection.

Pricing and Availability

LSI MegaRAID SAS+SATA Controllers:

• MegaRAID SAS 9270-8i single/kit: $780/$835
• MegaRAID SAS 9271-4i single/kit: $540/$575
• MegaRAID SAS 9271-8i single/kit: $780/$835
• MegaRAID SAS 9271-8iCC single: $1,050
• MegaRAID SAS 9286-8e single: $995
• MegaRAID SAS 9286CV-8e single: $1,255
• MegaRAID SAS 9286CV-8eCC single: $1,525

LSI SAS+SATA HBAs:

• SAS 9207-4i4e single/kit: $335/$415
• SAS 9207-8i single/kit: $305/$385
• SAS 9207-8e single: $510

The new LSI HBAs listed above are available immediately. The MegaRAID products are sampling now with general availability expected during Q3 2012. The products are supplied through the LSI worldwide network of distributors, integrators and VARs.

Source:PR