Atto 8Gb FC to SAS/SATA RAID Controller

ATTO Technology, Inc. announced release of the industry’s first 8-Gb Fibre Channel-to-SAS/SATA RAID Storage Controller.  The latest addition to the ATTO FastStream RAID Storage Controller line, FastStream SC 8500 is an independent external RAID Storage Controller that provides 8-Gb Fibre Channel host connectivity to multiple tiers of low-cost, off-the-shelf SAS/SATA disk storage enclosures. The FastStream SC 8500, well-suited for mid-range storage solutions, is the highest performing RAID controller in its class delivering up to 1400 MB/sec. access to data while providing parity RAID protection to multiple tiers of disk enclosures.

FastStream RAID Storage Controllers are designed to sit between workstations or a SAN and low-cost JBOD disk storage providing users the ability to scale their performance and storage capacity without purchasing a RAID controller every time expansion is needed. The FastStream is well-suited for applications in DVA and IT infrastructures including digital film production, high-definition video post-production, imaging, digital prepress, disk-to-disk backup, audio production and transaction-based environments.

“The FastStream SC 8500 Storage Controller is an ideal choice for customers looking to improve workflow performance and add RAID protection in a collaborative environment,” said Tom Kolniak, director of products for ATTO Technology. “The 8500 allows those currently using Direct Attached Storage to move to an affordable Storage Area Network solution providing them with the benefits and savings realized from a lower total cost of ownership for storage and increased efficiency in workflow production. The performance, scalability, and ease-of-use of the FastStream SC 8500 represent a major milestone for customers looking to implement a solution that fits their needs while remaining within their budget.”

The progressive engineering technology built into the FastStream RAID Storage Controller product line provides a sophisticated collection of advanced features including 4KB sector size support to address over 2TB partitions, Media Error Handling to minimize workflow interruptions caused by imperfect media, SES Management and Monitoring, Non-Block device pass-through that allows users to connect devices such as tape and optical drives alongside their disk storage. Additionally, FastStream lifetime firmware updates are free providing the most state-of-the-art features and upgrades to protect your investment against technology obsolescence. A simple firmware upgrade will add features such as multipathing support, enclosure aware RAID group creation and several other advanced features that are planned for release next month.

The FastStream SC 8500 is also available as an embeddable microATX form factor for OEMs and system integrators.  The embeddable board provides the same impressive features as the desktop version, including RAID Levels 0,1,4,5,6,10,40,50,60 and DVRAID (an ATTO technology specifically designed to engage the optimal performance features tuned for digital video applications). The embeddable form factor will support up to 32 storage devices internally. With flexibility to meet a range of storage needs, the embeddable SC 8500 is designed with an optional external wide-port miniSAS connector giving customers the option of connecting to additional storage arrays providing a combination of internal and external storage.