SmartRAID 3100 FAQs
Overview
Product & Features
» How is the Microsemi Adaptec SmartRAID 3100 different from the Adaptec Series 8?» What is the performance of SmartRAID 3100?
» What RAID levels do the SmartRAID 3100 products support?
» What operating systems are supported?
» Is SmartRAID 3100 supported inbox in Linux operating systems?
» What management utilities are included with the SmartRAID 3100?
» How compatible is the SmartRAID 3100 family?
» What is the warranty period on the SmartRAID 3100 RAID Adapter Family?
» What applications is 12Gbps PCIe Gen3 ideal for and why?
» Why do IT managers need to protect adapter cache?
» What is Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP)?
» How is 5th generation Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection an improvement for IT managers who are currently using a previous module to protect adapter cache?
» How does the SmartRAID 3100 compare with competitive offerings?
»Is the ZMCP feature offered on competitors' products?
Products & Features
How is the Microsemi Adaptec SmartRAID 3100 different from the Adaptec Series 8?
The 12 Gbps SmartRAID 3100 Series is the first RAID product family built upon the unified Smart Storage stack that utilizes the industry's lowest-power 28 nm SmartROC SAS/SATA protocol controller. With 8 different configurations from 4 to 24 SAS/SATA ports in a LP/MD2 design, users also have the option to select the added benefits of maxCache 4.0 caching software and fourth-generation zero-maintenance cache protection (ZMCP) with the SmartRAID 315x SKUs only.
What is the performance of SmartRAID 3100?
The SmartRAID 16- and 24-port adapters can achieve 1.7M random read IOPS for 4 KB IOPS. Adapters with 8 ports and fewer are capable of 1.5M IOPS. In addition, maxCache 4.0 SSD caching accelerates HDD-based RAID arrays and logical drives, advancing the performance capabilities for a broader set of application workloads. SmartRAID 315x adapters support read- and write-back caching. By caching writes to a redundant SSD cache pool, maxCache 4.0 leverages the performance and latency capabilities of SSD technology for both read and write workloads. Read performance is also improved by caching frequently accessed data on the SSD tier with additional optimizations through the learned-path algorithm, which leverages the aggregate performance of all available storage devices.
What RAID levels do the SmartRAID 3100 products support?
The SmartRAID 3100 RAID Adapter family supports standard RAID levels: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60, 1 ADM, and 10 ADM. It also features “Mixed Mode” support for simultaneous use of RAID and HBA devices with no comporomise in performance for those drives configured for HBA mode.
What operating systems are supported?
Microsoft Windows, Red Hat Linux, SUSE Linux, Fedora, Debian Linux, Ubuntu Linux, Sun Solaris, FreeBSD, VMware ESXi. The latest drivers are available at storage.microsemi.com/en-us/support/start. Supports open-source Linux drivers and inbox drivers.
Is SmartRAID 3100 supported inbox in Linux operating systems?
Yes, SmartRAID 3100 can leverage drivers from previous adapter Series like Series 8 and therefore drivers that are inbox in popular Linux distributions today can be used to install the OS on SmartRAID 3100 as well.
What management utilities are included with the SmartRAID 3100?
Microsemi Adaptec maxView Storage Manager is a one-view utility which centralizes management. This new standards web-based utility enables remote RAID management, monitoring, and configuration through secure, encrypted communication and easily integrates with third-party clients via SMI-S.
ARCCONF (Command Line Interface – CLI)- Text-based command line interface that provides the same functions as Microsemi Adaptec Storage Manager in environments where a GUI is not available.
uEFI/HII support – HII (Human Interface Infrastructure) is an API that allows integration of third-party configuration tools into motherboard system BIOS.
BIOS configuration utility (ACU) – used for quick and easy local setup without booting the OS.
How compatible is the SmartRAID 3100 family?
The SmartRAID 3100 Adapters are tested and supported on all the major vendors' motherboard, enclosures, and disk drives. Please visit our website at www.adaptec.com/compatibility for a list of tested components.
What is the warranty period on the SmartRAID 3100 RAID adapter Family?
The SmartRAID 3100 RAID Adapter Family has been extensively tested with third-party systems to deliver the utmost in compatibility, now and in the future. Each is backed by a 3-year warranty and Adaptec industry-leading technical support.
What applications is 12 Gbps PCIe Gen3 ideal for and why?
The 12 Gbps SmartRAID 3100 adapters are ideal for enabling 12 Gbps storage capabilities in performance-hungry server and workstation platforms, without compromising proven Microsemi reliability. In addition, coupled with 12 Gbps SSDs, provide maximum read/write bandwidth and IOPS as well as acceleration and latency optimization through caching for the most performance-hungry transactional and database applications.
Why do IT managers need to protect adapter cache?
Adapter cache should always be protected whenever write caching is enabled to guard against loss of data stored in the cache if system power goes out. Enabling the adapters write cache offers benefits in performance – especially RAID 5 and RAID 6 performance – and extends the duration and cost savings of Microsemi Adaptec's Intelligent Power Management by storing data rather than writing it to a spun-down drive.
What is Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP)?
Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection is a revolutionary advancement that solves Lithium Ion BBU deficiencies by providing full protection to cached data with no installation, monitoring, maintenance, or replacement costs. It utilizes flash memory and super-cap technology to deliver an advanced and superior adapter cache protection solution. The super-cap charges while your system boots offering backup protection immediately, while flash memory dedicated to protecting the data in adapter cache offers continued protection that never needs to be monitored or replaced after installation. Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection removes the hardware maintenance associated with other battery based adapter cache backup solutions.
Applications
How is 5th Generation Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection an improvement for IT managers who are currently using a previous module to protect adapter cache?
The Microsemi Adaptec ASCM-35F is our 5th generation Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP) solution. It maintains the same cache protection benefits as its predecessor, though has a smaller form factor and reduced part count which achieves a higher MTBF. Additionally, it now uses SLC NAND flash for faster throughput and a longer life cycle.
How does the SmartRAID 3100 compare with competitive offerings?
The SmartRAID 3100 boasts all of the competitive benefits of the SmartHBA 2100. In addition, the SmartRAID 3100 adapters boast the industry’s lowest power RAID adapters, starting as low as 11 W, integrated zero maintenance cache protection (ZMCP) across all 315x adapters, maxCache 4.0 for read- and write-back caching from an SSD pool for HDD acceleration, and several unique RAID features like Advanced Data Management (ADM, or triple mirroring).
Is the ZMCP feature offered on competitors' products?
Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection is an industry-first solution offered by Microsemi Adaptec and is the result of conquering several technical hurdles in design and validation. We deliver the most innovative and impactful technological advances to our customers, emphasizing performance, efficiency, and value. SmartRAID 3100 extends all three of these criteria, and is essential to ensure your data is protected. .