PMC/Adaptec: Low-Profile, 24-Port, PCIe Gen3 RAID Controller

PMC-Sierra, Inc. announced a low-profile, 24-port, PCIe Gen3 6Gb SAS/SATA RAID adapter, enabling new dense architectures for scale-out or space-limited data centers.

With 24-port native connectivity, the Adaptec 78165 triples storage connectivity by replacing up to three eight-port RAID adapters, and more than doubles the performance of competing solutions, reducing cost and power.

"Innovative products, such as the Adaptec 78165 RAID adapter, enable us to meet our customers’ needs for maximum storage density in hyperscale environments," said Drew Schulke, marketing director of Dell, Inc.‘s DCS (Dell Data Center Solutions). "Dell DCS delivers highly efficient, highly scalable IT platforms purpose-built for the largest cloud and web-based companies in the world."

The 24-port, low-profile/MD2 form factor Adaptec 78165 is the newest addition to the Adaptec Series 7 RAID adapter family, and it gives space-limited data centers the ability to deploy internal and external SAS and SATA connectivity. The 78165 performs at up to 6.6GB/s on sequential reads and up to 5.2GB/s on sequential writes (with RAID-0), more than doubling the performance of competing RAID HBAs.

"Today’s data centers face the challenge of processing, storing and archiving ever-increasing levels of data, while optimizing space, power and cooling in dense server environments," said Jared Peters, VP of server storage solutions at PMC. "We have collaborated with cutting-edge data centers and system providers to develop disruptive technology that redefines DAS to address these issues."

Like other products in the Adaptec Series 7 family, the 78165 utilizes PMC’s 24-port RAID on Chip and High Density Mini-SAS connectors.

Other technologies into the Adaptec 78165 include:

• Third-generation Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection (ZMCP), which uses flash memory to protect cached data, eliminating the installation, monitoring, maintenance, disposal and replacement costs associated with lithium-ion battery backup units;
• First to market with standard HD Mini SAS connectors and cables for ease of use, fit, and function in dense server environments;
• Adaptec management tools suite, which simplifies monitoring and configuring RAID adapters in a system; and
• FlexConfig capability allowing RAID, simple volume and physical drive configurations.