LSI MegaRaid (SAS 8708EM2) & Seagate Savvio 15K (ST973451SS)

INTRODUCTION

The one thing all computer enthusiasts like is a rig that runs fast. We've found that often the hard drive is one of the bottlenecks in modern systems. A lot of enthusiasts have turned to onboard (software) RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) to provide more speed. Software RAID does provide some relief to the hard drive bottleneck but it comes at the cost of using more CPU cycles and a larger percentage of your CPU's capabilities are used to drive the software RAID. It also uses onboard SATA ports which aren't always accessible if you're using dual slot video cards.

We're now seeing boards with as many as four full PCI-E 16x slots and three PCI-E 8x, boards like the Asus P6T7. Once again, expansion ports are on the list of things that enthusiasts are looking for so manufacturers are building boards with more ports available. Chances are you have at least one PCI-E slot open capable of handling a Hardware RAID card.

Hardware RAID cards come in a variety of types and capabilities. The one we're going to look at today, in conjunction with a bevy of Seagate Savvio 15K (ST973451SS) drives, is the LSI MegaRaid (SAS 8708EM2), capable of connecting eight drives directly to the RAID controller. The advantage of hardware RAID is that you can get RAID cards that have onboard processors and memory that almost totally take the load off the CPU and handle input/output by themselves, and they run faster than any onboard RAID we've ever seen.

Are you ready for some seriously insane RAID action? We know that you are. We have RAID in every flavor that our LSI RAID controller will handle with the drives we have available (10 Seagate Savvio 15K SAS drives). As a point of interest, the LSI MegaRaid controller will also handle SATA drives. We're going past SATA and right to SAS with its lightning fast access times and spindle speeds up to 15K RPM. RAID, RAID, and more RAID. RAID0, RAID1, RAID5, and RAID6 are on the menu today, so set back and enjoy this feast of RAID.

About LSI

LSI Corporation is a leading provider of innovative silicon, systems and software technologies that enable products which seamlessly bring people, information, and digital content together. We offer a broad portfolio of capabilities and services including custom and standard product ICs, adapters, systems and software that are trusted by the world's best known brands to power leading solutions in the Storage and Networking markets.

About Seagate

As digital content, such as music, video, photos and games, becomes more integrated into everyday life, the idea of static data storage is becoming obsolete. In today’s on-demand world, you want to access, share and secure your digital content using dynamic storage solutions that give you the freedom to do business, create and interact—anytime, anywhere. From protecting treasured family photos and personal music collections to developing next-generation consumer electronics devices and large enterprise networks, Seagate delivers advanced digital storage solutions to meet the needs of today’s consumers and tomorrow’s applications.

Setting Your Content Free

When the first hard drives began shipping in 1956, only big corporations could afford the cost and space required for these one-ton behemoths. Today, digital storage is all around us. Whether you realize it or not, you are probably interacting with digital storage devices on a daily basis. Every time you visit an ATM machine, record and replay a favorite TV show on your DVR, or download a song to your portable media player, you are accessing or storing information on a hard drive. Every day, content passes through numerous types of storage devices before it makes it to your office computer or personal media player. Hard drives today are involved not only in the storing of content but also in the transfer and creation of it. In our culture of downloading and instant access, you can find a seemingly endless amount of content to download, enjoy, and share—whenever, wherever you want.

The digital storage market continues to grow at a rapid pace—fueled by the explosion in content being created and consumed, as well as new legislation requiring businesses to store specific records and information. Storage solutions today aren’t just about keeping your valuable data safe and secure but also helping your information and media be as accessible and flexible as you need it to be. Now you can access and take your content wherever you go—in your car, on your business trip, to the gym. From home entertainment consumer electronics devices to large enterprise data centers, Seagate digital storage solutions empower you to make the most of your content—for business and pleasure.

Platforming and Vertical Integration—Streamlining the Process

As the leader in the industry, Seagate has focused on building business efficiencies, such as platforming and vertical integration that give the company a competitive edge. Platforming has helped Seagate deliver a comprehensive product portfolio by allowing the company to apply one core technology platform to create multiple products. The company has applied the platforming concept to the manufacturing process, allowing Seagate to manufacture many different hard drive models on the same factory line to further increase efficiencies and improve product quality and margins.

Vertical integration also plays a large role in streamlining the design and development process. Seagate designs, owns and manufactures all of the core technologies needed to develop individual storage products, including heads, media, motors and printed circuit boards. Without reliance on third parties to supply components, the company has complete control of its entire development process and product roadmap—from component supply to technology improvements. As a result, product quality, margins and time to market are vastly improved—enabling Seagate to quickly meet the quality, reliability and supply demands of its customers.

Seagate Technology has been at the forefront of the storage industry for nearly 30 years. With corporate offices in Scotts Valley, California, Seagate employs more than 55,000 people around the world—all contributing to the development of the company’s next-generation storage products. From the first 5.25-inch hard drive for the PC to the development of perpendicular recording technology, the company has been pioneering new industry standards that have fueled advancements in the digital information age. Through technology leadership and innovation, Seagate continues to help individuals and businesses maximize the potential of their digital content in an ever-evolving, on-demand world.