0FRH64 Dell PERC H710 Mini Mono SAS-6GBPS PCI-E Raid Controller Card

Overview of the Dell SAS-6GBPS PCI-E RAID Controller Card

The 0FRH64 Dell PERC H710 Mini Mono SAS-6GBPS PCI-E RAID Controller Card is an essential component for server storage management. Designed by Dell, this RAID controller card is an advanced solution for enhancing data storage systems, making it ideal for businesses and data centers that require reliable and high-performance data storage configurations. With a 512MB NV cache and SAS-6GBPS PCI-E interface, it provides outstanding performance and scalability for enterprise-level storage solutions. This controller card is compatible with a range of servers and systems, providing flexibility and robust data protection for any organization.

Key Features

The 0FRH64 RAID controller card stands out due to its combination of advanced features, including enhanced data throughput, fault tolerance, and scalability. Some of the most notable features include:

• 512MB NV Cache: The card comes with 512MB of non-volatile cache, which significantly boosts data transfer rates and improves the overall performance of storage devices.
• PCI Express 2.0 x8 Interface: The high-speed PCI-E interface ensures fast data processing and seamless integration with other hardware components.
• Support for SAS and SATA Devices: The controller card supports both SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) and SATA (Serial ATA) hard drives, making it versatile and suitable for a wide range of storage configurations.
• RAID Levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, and 50: It supports multiple RAID configurations, providing the flexibility to optimize storage for performance or redundancy, depending on the requirements of your system.
• Hot Swapping: The ability to replace faulty drives without shutting down the system enhances uptime and minimizes disruptions in business operations.

RAID Levels Supported by the Dell PERC H710 Mini

The Dell PERC H710 Mini supports various RAID configurations, offering different levels of redundancy and performance to cater to different storage needs. Let’s take a closer look at these RAID levels:

RAID 0 – Striped Disk Array Without Parity

RAID 0, also known as striping, divides data into blocks and writes them across multiple drives. It offers high performance due to parallel data processing but lacks any redundancy. If one drive fails, all data is lost. RAID 0 is best suited for non-critical applications that require maximum speed, such as gaming servers or video editing setups.

RAID 1 – Mirrored Disk Array

RAID 1 mirrors the data on two or more drives, providing fault tolerance. If one drive fails, the system can continue to operate using the mirror drive, ensuring data integrity. RAID 1 is ideal for systems that prioritize data protection over speed, such as file servers or personal data storage solutions.

RAID 5 – Block-Level Striping with Distributed Parity

RAID 5 offers both speed and redundancy by using striping with distributed parity. It requires at least three drives and can tolerate a single drive failure. Parity data is distributed across all drives, and if one drive fails, the data can be rebuilt using the parity information. RAID 5 is widely used in environments where performance, redundancy, and storage capacity are equally important, such as enterprise file storage systems.

RAID 6 – Block-Level Striping with Double Parity

RAID 6 is similar to RAID 5 but with an additional layer of parity. It requires at least four drives and can tolerate the failure of up to two drives simultaneously. RAID 6 is ideal for mission-critical applications where data integrity is paramount, such as database servers and large-scale storage environments.

RAID 10 – Combination of RAID 1 and RAID 0

RAID 10 combines the benefits of RAID 1 and RAID 0, offering both speed and redundancy. It requires at least four drives and provides improved fault tolerance compared to RAID 0 alone, while maintaining higher performance than RAID 1. RAID 10 is suitable for high-performance applications that also require data protection, such as high-transaction databases and web servers.

RAID 50 – Combination of RAID 5 and RAID 0

RAID 50 combines RAID 5’s parity-based redundancy with RAID 0’s striping for high performance and fault tolerance. It requires a minimum of six drives and offers a balance of speed and data protection, making it ideal for large-scale storage applications with heavy read/write demands.

Performance and Speed of the Dell PERC H710 Mini

Performance is a critical consideration when selecting a RAID controller, and the Dell PERC H710 Mini excels in this area. The 6Gbps SAS interface allows for fast data transfer rates, ensuring that your storage array performs at optimal speed. Coupled with the 512MB NV cache, the controller can handle intensive workloads without significant latency.

PCI-E 2.0 x8 Interface

The PCI-E 2.0 x8 interface provides a fast data link between the RAID controller and the server motherboard. With a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 8GB/s, it ensures that data can be transmitted quickly and efficiently across the system. The interface also allows for easy integration with high-performance servers, enabling them to handle large volumes of data with ease.

512MB NV Cache

The 512MB non-volatile cache provides a significant boost in read/write operations, particularly for applications requiring high-speed data access. The cache temporarily stores frequently accessed data, reducing the need to repeatedly access the hard drives and improving overall system performance. This feature is especially beneficial in database-heavy applications and virtualized environments where read and write demands are high.

Compatibility and System Integration

The Dell PERC H710 Mini RAID controller card is compatible with a wide range of Dell PowerEdge servers, making it a versatile solution for businesses that require reliable storage management. It integrates seamlessly with the server's system board and supports various operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and VMware, ensuring compatibility across different IT environments.

Supported Dell PowerEdge Servers

Some of the Dell PowerEdge servers that support the 0FRH64 Dell PERC H710 Mini RAID Controller Card include:

• Dell PowerEdge T420
• Dell PowerEdge R420
• Dell PowerEdge R620
• Dell PowerEdge R720
• Dell PowerEdge R820

Operating System Compatibility

The Dell PERC H710 Mini is compatible with several operating systems, including:

• Microsoft Windows Server
• Linux
• VMware ESXi
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux

This broad compatibility ensures that the card can be used in diverse enterprise environments, making it a reliable choice for businesses with mixed infrastructure.

Choose the Dell PERC H710 Mini Mono RAID Controller Card

When considering a RAID controller card for your server, the 0FRH64 Dell PERC H710 Mini Mono SAS-6GBPS PCI-E offers numerous advantages:

• High Performance: With 6Gbps data throughput and 512MB NV cache, the PERC H710 Mini delivers fast, reliable performance, meeting the demands of high-traffic applications.
• Scalability: The card supports multiple RAID levels and is compatible with a wide range of hard drives, allowing you to scale your storage infrastructure as your needs grow.
• Data Protection: The card offers several RAID levels with fault tolerance, ensuring that your data is always protected in the event of hardware failures.
• Ease of Integration: The PCI-E interface and broad OS compatibility make it easy to integrate with various systems, ensuring compatibility with your existing infrastructure.